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Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford

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His Grace

The Duke of Bedford
The Duke of Bedford, c. 1860
Tenure20 October 1839 – 14 May 1861
PredecessorJohn Russell
SuccessorWilliam Russell
Other titles7th Marquess of Tavistock
11th Earl of Bedford
11th Baron Russell
9th Baron Russell of Thornhaugh
7th Baron Howland
Born(1788-05-13)13 May 1788
Died14 May 1861(1861-05-14) (aged 73)
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1808; died 1857)​
IssueWilliam Russell, 8th Duke of Bedford
ParentsJohn Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford
Georgiana Byng

Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford, KG, PC (13 May 1788 – 14 May 1861), styled Marquess of Tavistock from 1802 to 1839, was a British peer and Whig politician.

Background and education

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He was the son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, and his first wife, the Hon. Georgiana Byng, second daughter of George Byng, 4th Viscount Torrington.[1] Russell was educated at Westminster School and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1808 as a Master of Arts.[2] He succeeded his father as duke in 1839.

Statue of Francis, 7th Duke of Bedford by Edward Bowring Stephens, before the Magistrate's Court, Tavistock. Erected by public subscription, 1864

Career

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As Marquess of Tavistock he was appointed joint Lieutenant-Colonel (with Samuel Whitbread) of the 1st Bedfordshire Local Militia in 1808.[3]

He entered the British House of Commons in 1809, sitting as a Member of Parliament for Peterborough for the next three years. Subsequently, Russell represented Bedfordshire until 1832. In the following year, he was summoned to the House of Lords in his father's junior title Baron Howland of Streatham by a writ of acceleration.[1] Russell was sworn into the Privy Council on 6 July 1846 and was invested as a Knight of the Order of the Garter on 26 March 1847. He was made a Special Deputy Warden of the Stannaries in 1852[1] and was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire in 1859, a post he held until his death in 1861.

Family

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Russell was the elder brother of John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, who was twice Prime Minister of Britain.

On 8 August 1808, he married Lady Anna Stanhope, daughter of Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington, and had a son by her.

Russell died in 1861, aged 73, and was buried on 22 May at the ‘Bedford Chapel’ of St. Michael's Church at Chenies, Buckinghamshire. He was succeeded in his titles by his only son William.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Dod, Robert P. (1860). The Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Whitaker and Co. p. 111.
  2. ^ "Russell, Francis, Marquess of Tavistock (RSL807F)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. ^ Burgoyne, Lt-Col Sir John M. Burgoyne, Bart, Regimental Records of the Bedfordshire Militia 1759–1884, London: W.H. Allen, 1884, pp. 56–8.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Peterborough
1809 – 1812
With: William Elliot 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire
1812 – 1832
With: Francis Pym 1812–1818, 1820–1826
Sir John Osborn, Bt 1818–1820
Thomas Potter MacQueen 1826–1830
William Stuart 1830–1831
Sir Peter Payne 1831–1832 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
1859–1861 		Succeeded by
Peerage of England
Preceded by Duke of Bedford
1839–1861 		Succeeded by
Baron Howland of Streatham
(writ of acceleration)
1833–1861
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