John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Duke of Bedford
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The Duke of Bedford by Thomas Gainsborough
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| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 9 September 1763 – 12 July 1765 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | George Grenville |
| Preceded by | The Earl Granville |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Winchilsea |
| British Ambassador to France | |
| In office 4 April 1762 – 1 June 1763 |
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| Preceded by | Vacant The Earl of Albemarle recalled due to the Seven Years' War |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Hertford |
| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 25 November 1761 – 22 April 1763 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | The Duke of Newcastle The Earl of Bute George Grenville |
| Preceded by | In Commission The Earl Temple, 5 October 1761 |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Marlborough |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | |
| In office 3 January 1757 – 3 April 1761 |
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| Monarch | George II George III |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Devonshire |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Halifax |
| Secretary of State for the Southern Department | |
| In office 12 February 1748 – 13 June 1751 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Prime Minister | Henry Pelham |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Newcastle |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Holderness |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
| In office 27 December 1744 – 26 February 1748 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Prime Minister | Henry Pelham |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Winchilsea |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Sandwich |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Russell
30 September 1710 Streatham, Surrey, England |
| Died | 5 January 1771 (aged 60) Woburn, Bedfordshire, England |
| Resting place | Chenies, Buckinghamshire |
| Spouses | |
| Children | John Russell, Marquess of Tavistock Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock Caroline Spencer, Duchess of Marlborough |
| Parents | Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford Elizabeth Howland |
John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford (born September 30, 1710 – died January 5, 1771) was an important British statesman and a member of the nobility. He was a leading figure in the Whig political party. From 1757 to 1761, he served as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, representing the King.
During the Seven Years' War, he helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris in 1763, which brought the war to an end. Besides his political life, Bedford was also a big fan of cricket. He also supported artists, commissioning many works from famous painters like Canaletto.
Contents
Early Life and Family
John Russell was the fourth son of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford. His mother was Elizabeth Howland. He was known as Lord John Russell before becoming Duke.
In October 1731, he married Diana Spencer. Sadly, she passed away in 1735. A year after his brother's death, John became the Duke of Bedford.
In April 1737, he married his second wife, Lady Gertrude Leveson-Gower. In 1749, he was honored with the title of Knight of the Order of the Garter.
Starting in Politics
As a member of the House of Lords, John Russell joined a group called the Patriot Whig opposition. They were against the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. King George II did not like him much.
In 1744, Bedford became the First Lord of the Admiralty. This meant he was in charge of the British Navy. He was very good at this job. Later, in 1748, he became Secretary of State for the Southern Department. This was a top government role, dealing with foreign affairs.
However, he often disagreed with his colleague, The Duke of Newcastle. Newcastle thought Bedford spent too much time playing cricket and hunting. Eventually, Newcastle arranged for Bedford to leave his position in 1751.
A Cricket Fan
Bedford loved cricket! The first records of his involvement are from 1741. He hosted a match between Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire at his home, Woburn Park. The visiting team won.
He organized this match with his friends, George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax and John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. A few days later, they had a rematch.
By 1743, Bedford had helped make the Woburn Cricket Club a very strong team. They even played against the famous London team. The Woburn team was well-known in 1743 and 1744.
The Seven Years' War
Leading Ireland
Bedford became a leader of a political group called the Bedford Whigs. In 1756, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. This was a very important role, as he represented the British King in Ireland. He kept this job when William Pitt and the Duke of Devonshire formed a new government.
In Ireland, he wanted to ease some strict laws against Roman Catholics. He was known for his polite manners and generosity. His wife also helped him gain some popularity. He managed Ireland's response to the threat of a French invasion in 1759. He also dealt with a small French force that landed in northern Ireland in 1760. He left this role in March 1761.
Making Peace
Bedford wanted to end the Seven Years' War. He joined forces with the Earl of Bute, who also wanted peace. When Pitt resigned in 1761, Bedford became Lord Privy Seal under Bute. This was another high-ranking government position.
The government decided to pursue peace. In September 1762, Bedford went to France to begin official peace talks. He signed the Peace of Paris in February 1763. This treaty ended the war. Britain gained Canada from France and Florida from Spain.
Working with Grenville
After signing the peace treaty, Bedford resigned as Lord Privy Seal. In September 1763, he joined George Grenville's government as Lord President of the Council. This meant he led the King's advisory council.
King George III was not pleased with Bedford's behavior and attitude. The King tried to remove him from power but failed. In July 1765, the King was finally able to replace Bedford and his colleagues. Bedford then became the leader of a political group known as the Bedford party.
During his time in office, he opposed a bill that would put high taxes on Italian silks. Because of this, he was attacked by a crowd in London. He was also against John Wilkes, a popular political activist. In 1769, he narrowly escaped a mob that supported Wilkes.
Family Life
John Russell had one child with his first wife, Lady Diana Spencer:
- John Russell, Marquess of Tavistock (died at birth in 1732)
He had two children with his second wife, Hon. Gertrude Leveson-Gower:
- Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock (1739–1767)
- Lady Caroline Russell (c. 1743–1811), who married George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough.
Later Life and Death
John Russell's health began to decline. In 1770, he became partially paralyzed. He passed away at Woburn on January 5, 1771. He was buried in the Bedford Chapel at St. Michael's Church, Chenies, Buckinghamshire.
Since his sons had died before him, his grandson, Francis, inherited his title. John Russell held many important public roles during his life. These included:
- Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire and Devon
- Colonel of the East Devon Militia
- Chancellor of the University of Dublin
He was also a Knight of the Garter. John Russell was a proud and confident man. His wealth and position were very important to his role in public life.
