Biographical entry Russell, Peter Nicol (1816 - 1905)

Summary

(Sir) Peter Nicol Russell was a partner in Russell Brothers general engineering and foundry business, established in Sydney in 1838. In 1842 he took over James Blanche's foundry and renamed it The Sydney Foundry and Engineering Works. He had contracts for all the ironwork required by the New South Wales government and The Sydney Municipal Council. In 1855 he formed P.N. Russell & Co and in 1859 he moved to London as the company's resident UK partner. He gave £50,000 to the University of Sydney in 1895 to establish the Peter Nicol Russell School of Engineering and a further £50,000 in 1904. He is commemorated by the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal, which was established by the Institution of Engineers, Australia in 1919.

Details

Events

1832

Life event - Arrived in Hobart Town with family on the Anne Jamieson

1838

Moved to Sydney with family

1842 - 1855?

Career position - The Sydney Foundry and Engineering Works established

1855 - 1874

Career position - P. N. Russell & Co established

1895

Life event - £50,000 donation given to the School of Engineering at the University of Sydney (16 December)

1904

Award - Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)

1904

Life event - £50,000 donation given to the Peter Nicol Russell School of Engineering, University of Sydney

Related entries

Published resources

Book Sections

• Corbett, Arthur; Pugh, Ann, 'Russell, Sir Peter Nicol (1816-1905), ironfounder and benefactor', in Bede Nairn (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 6, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1976, pp. 76-77. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A060087b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Obituary: Peter Nicol Russell', The Engineer, no. 25 August 1905, 1905. Details
• Russell, P. H., 'Sir Peter Nicol Russell - 1816-1905: his family and associates. Pioneers of the Australian iron and engineering industry', Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Australian Historical Society, vol. 50, Royal Australian Historical Society, 1964, p. 2. Details
• Russell, P. W., 'Sir Peter Nicol Russell 1816-1905', Royal Australian Historical Society Journal, vol. 50, Pt 5, 1964, p. 396. Details

Online Resources

• 'Russell, Peter Nicol', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1475877. Details

See also

• Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/index_r.html. Details