RUSSELL, Sir William (c.1575-1654), of Tower Street, London, Deptford, Kent and Chippenham, Cambs.

Family and Education

b. c. 1575,C24/595/22, p. 22; 24/601, pt. 1, no. 83, f. 63; 24/565/4, f. 14; 24/638, pt. 1, no. 13, f. 8. 1st s. of William Russell of Egham, Surr. by Joan, da. of one Sanders. educ. travelled abroad (Russia) 1605; G. Inn 1631. m. (1) aft. 1605, ?with £600, Elizabeth, da. of Sir Francis Cherry, merchant, of Camberwell, Surr. and All Hallows Barking, London, s.p.; (2) by 1618, Elizabeth (bur. 14 Oct. 1626), da. of Thomas Gerard of Burwell, Cambs., 7s. (4 d.v.p.) 3da.; (3) 12 Apr. 1628, Elizabeth, da. and coh. of Michael Smallpage of Pevensey, Suss., wid. of John Wheatley of Catsfield, 2s. (1 d.v.p.). Vis. London (Harl. Soc. xvii), 217-18; Vis. Surr. (Harl. Soc. xliii), 145; Mdx. Peds. (Harl. Soc. lxv), 20; PROB 11/105, f. 270; N. Dews, Deptford, 93; N and Q (ser. 3), ii. 424; Burke, Extinct Baronetcies, 455-6. suc. fa. c.1591; PROB 11/77, f. 372. Kntd. 29 Apr. 1618; Shaw, Knights of Eng. ii. 168. cr. bt. 1 Jan. 1629. C66/2464. bur. 3 Feb. 1654 3 Feb. 1654. sig. W[illia]m Russell.

Offices Held

Member, Levant Co. 1605, T.K. Rabb, Enterprise and Empire, 369. E.I. Co. 1609, CSP Col. 1513–1616, p. 195. Muscovy Co. by 1620-by 1631, C24/565/4, f. 14; CSP Dom. 1629–31, p. 479. Greenland Co. bef. 1635, C24/601, pt. 2, no. 83, f. 63. New Barbary Co. by 1638-at least 1640; CSP Dom. 1638–9, p. 69. cttee. N.W. Passage Co. 1612, E.I. Co. 1615. CSP Col. 1513–1616, pp. 238, 416.

Agent (jt.) to Moscow 1613. Handlist of British Diplomatic Representatives comp. G.M. Bell, 224.

Treas. of navy (sole) 1618 – 27, 1630 – 39, (jt.) 1639 – 41, (sole) 1641 – 42, (jt.) 1642 (roy.); CSP Dom. 1611–18, p. 540; AO15/3, p. 165; CSP Dom. 1629–31, p. 165; 1638–9, p. 307; Docquets of Letters Patent 1642–6 ed. W.H. Black, 334. commr. Navy 1625–8; T. Rymer, Foedera, viii. pt. 1, p. 9. collector, impositions on silk 1625–?35; Ibid. pt. 2, p. 27. recvr. prize money 1626; farmer, soap monopoly 1632; C66/2357; 66/2596/27. commr. customs frauds 1632, to examine the accts. of Sir Allan Apsley and Sir Sampson Darrell* 1636, timber imports 1638. CSP Dom. 1631–3, p. 253; 1635–6, p. 250; 1637–8, p. 363.

Commr. sewers, Gt. Fens 1629 – 31, by 1646; C181/4, ff. 19v, 29v, 93–5; 181/5, f. 269. collector, knighthood fines, Cambs. ?1630–6. E198/4/32, f. 1.

Adventurer, Bedford Level 1631–2. CSP Dom. 1631–3, p. 200; Hunts. RO, D/DM19/3/1.

Parlimentarian

RUSSELL, Sir William (c.1575-1654), of Tower Street, London, Deptford, Kent and Chippenham, Cambs.

Main residences: Tower Street, London; Deptford, Kent; Chippenham, Cambs.

Author

A.D.

A.D.T.

Volume

Commons 1604-1629

Web Title

RUSSELL, Sir William (c.1575-1654)