The Russellite group were the followers of

Thomas Wallace Russell Sir Thomas Wallace Russell, 1st Baronet (28 February 1841 – 2 May 1920), was an Irish politician and agrarian agitator. Born at Cupar, Fife, Scotland, he moved to County Tyrone at the age of eighteen. He was secretary and parliamentary agent o ...

, an Irish political leader of the early twentieth century. Russell was the

Liberal Unionist The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington (later the Duke of Devonshire) and Joseph Chamberlain, the party established a political ...

MP for South Tyrone. He and some followers left the party in February 1904. They favoured a policy of compulsory land purchase.Maume, Patrick: ''The long Gestation, Irish Nationalist Life 1891-1918'', Ch2 'Elites', p.41, Gill & Macmillan (1999) ''Dod's Parliamentary Companion'' regarded them as ex-Liberal Unionists who had joined the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

, although Russell's two Parliamentary colleagues had been first elected as Independent Unionists and they did not seek re-election as Liberals in 1906. At by-elections and in the

1906 United Kingdom general election Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number), the natural number following 18 and preceding 20 * one of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (film), a 1987 science fiction film Mus ...

Russellite candidates contested elections in

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

seats as Independent Unionists. F.W.S. Craig's compilation of election results for 1906 includes them with the Liberals, but gives them a footnote.

MPs in the 1900-1906 Parliament

, South Tyrone ''elected at the

1900 United Kingdom general election The 1900 United Kingdom general election was held between 26 September and 24 October 1900, following the dissolution of Parliament on 25 September. Also referred to as the Khaki Election (the first of several elections to bear this sobriquet), ...

'' * James Wood, East Down ''elected at a by-election 5 February 1902'' * Edward Mitchell, North Fermanagh ''elected at a by-election 20 March 1903''

MPs elected in 1906

UK general election 1906 (Ulster) - Russelite vote share

Robert Graham Glendinning Robert Graham Glendinning PC (5 April 1844 – 8 June 1928) was a businessman and the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Antrim from 1906 to 1910. He was director of Glendinning. M'Leish and Co., Ltd.; Larabeg Weaving Co., Ltd.; Co. Down We ...

, North Antrim *

, South Tyrone Russell became clearly associated with the

in the 1906-1910 Parliament. Glendinning was regarded by ''

Dod's Parliamentary Companion ''Dods Parliamentary Companion'' (formerly "Dod's Parliamentary Companion") is an annual politics reference book published in the United Kingdom. It provides biographies and contact information on members of the Houses of Parliament and the Ci ...

'' as an Independent Liberal. No new Russellite candidates stood in by-elections. In the January 1910 general election, Glendinning retired and Russell lost his seat as a Liberal candidate. In 1911 he was elected as a Liberal in the North Tyrone by-election.

Notes

{{reflist

References

*''Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922'', edited by B.M. Walker (Royal Irish Academy 1978) *''Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume II 1886-1918'', edited by M. Stenton and S. Lees (The Harvester Press 1978) *''British Electoral Facts 1832-1987'', compilred and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Research Services 1989) History of Ireland (1801–1923) Unionism in Ireland