Biographical entry Russell, Peter Nicol (1816 - 1905)
KBE
- Born
- 4 July 1816
Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland - Died
- 10 July 1905
Porchester Gate, London, United Kingdom - Occupation
- Ironfounder and Benefactor
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. 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
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
Rosanne Walker
Created: 25 May 2001, Last modified: 26 March 2007
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