Sir David Russell

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...

FLS FSA LLD (1872–1956) was a 20th century Scottish paper manufacturer and philanthropist, remembered as an amateur botanist, photographer and antiquary. His donation of 18,000 photographs to the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

forms the core of what is known as the David Russell Collection. He created and oversaw multiple charitable trusts including the David Russell Trust.

Life

He was born at Silverburn House near Markinch in

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...

in 1872, the third son of David Russell (1831-1906). His great grandfather, Thomas Russell, had founded a paper factory in 1809 and acquired Rothes Mill (giving its name to Glenrothes) in 1836. He was educated at Clifton Bank School in

St Andrews St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fou ...

. He then studied Science at Edinburgh University. From 1890 onwards Sir David developed a strong interest in photography. In 1906 David Russell, following his father's death, merged his company, Thomas Russell and Co. Ltd. to create Tullis Russell one of Scotland's largest paper manufacturers. From 1912 to 1914 he organised construction of a major power plant, greatly increasing company production, also moving the main mill to Rothes Mill (now in Glenrothes. In 1925 Russell bought out the Tullis family interest in the company but retained the company name as sole partner. In the 1930s he expanded the company interests to a range of international activities, ranging from tea-growing in Assam to the funding of archaeological investigations in

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

. He had been given an honorary doctorate (LLD) by St Andrews University in 1922. In 1929 he began publishing the "Rothmill Quarterly Magazine". In 1930 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

. His proposers were Sir James Irvine,

William Carmichael McIntosh William Carmichael M'Intosh LLD (also spelt McIntosh; 10 October 1838, St Andrews – 1 April 1931, St Andrews) was a Scottish physician and marine zoologist. He served as president of the Ray Society, as vice-president of the Royal Societ ...

, D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson and James Watt. He served as the Society's Vice President from 1943 to 1946. He was knighted by King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

in 1946. He died at Silverburn House, the same house where he was born, on 12 May 1956. He is buried in the churchyard of

Upper Largo Upper Largo or Kirkton of Largo is a village in the parish of Largo, Fife, Largo, near the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. It rests on the southern slopes of Largo Law and half a mile north of Largo Bay and the rather larger village of Lower Largo. I ...

. Sir David's biography was written by Lorn Macintyre in 1994.

Family

In 1912 he married Alison Blyth, daughter of Francis Blyth of Belvedere in Kent. Their five children included David Francis Oliphant Russell.

References

1872 births 1956 deaths People from Fife Scottish businesspeople Scottish philanthropists Fellows of the Linnean Society of London Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh {{Scotland-bio-stub