John Russell, R.A.

John, born in Guildford on March 29, 1745 and died April 20, 1806 in Hull, Yorkshire, England. He is buried Under The Choir Of Holy Trinity Church in Yorkshire. He married Hannah Faden on February 5, 1770 in St Marylebone, London, England.

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Born: 29 Mar 1745 Place: Guildford, Surrey, England

Died: 20 Apr 1806 Place: Hull, Yorkshire, England

Father: John RUSSELL II

Mother: Ann PARVISH

Buried: Under The Choir Of Holy Trinity Place: Hull, Yorkshire, England

Married: Hannah FADEN (AFN 1L8H-BC5) Date: 5 Feb 1770 Place: St Marylebone, London, England

Born: 1745 Place: Charing Cross, London, England

Died: 6 Nov 1816 Place: Harrow, Middlesex, England

Buried: Place: Shepperton, Middlesex, England.

See a list of paintings by John Russell. Click Here.

John was the second child of the marriage between John Russell II and Ann Parvish. He was born on March 29, 1745 and was baptized in Holy Trinity Church on April 10 of the same year.

John studied at the Royal Grammar School in Upper High Street. His first artistical expression was when at the age of 13 he painted an exact replica of a painting he saw at a window store in London.

Approximately at the age of 15, John went to London as pupil to Francis Cotes (1726-1770). Cotes’ study was located in Cavendish Square. John would have lived with Cotes or nearby. We don’t know when John left Cotes but by 1767 he was already working on his own.

Religion was very important for John. In his diary he wrote he had been converted on September 30, 1764 at 7:30 in the evening. He joined the Free Church which put a lot of emphasis on free prayer and long sermons.

This belief created conflicts between John and his family since they did not approve of it. It also caused problems with many other people. In 1768 he wrote in his diary that the people of Guildford would love to see him drown in the river.

In 1770 John attended classes at the Royal Academy Schools. On the same year John won a gold medal for a drawing called ‘Aquarius’. He also made his own pastels since those available at the time would fade when old.

While in London, John met the family of William Faden. The Faden’s had 4 children, 3 daughters, Judith, Jane and Hannah, as well as their cartographer son, William. Although John painted a portrait of Judith, it was Hannah who he really loved. Her family opposed the relationship especially since they did not approve of his religion. However, Hannah attended Methodist Church with him. The family finally approved of the relationship after Hannah suffered a serious illness in 1769 and almost died. John and Hannah were married on February 5, 1770 in St. Mary le Bow. Hannah was born in 1745 on Charing Cross, London and died on November 6, 1816 in St. Mary le Bow, London.

The first home of the new couple was at 7 Mortimer Street, near Cavendish Square. Soon , the family began to grow, and in the period from 1771 to 1786 they had 12 children:

John William, the eldest, was born in 1770 in St. Mary le Bow, London. He went to Jamaica where he died in 1789.

There were 4 children who died in infancy.

Henrietta Ann Jane was born in 1775 in St. Mary le Bow, London. She married Robert Shurlock and died on February 25, 1849 in Stoke, Surrey.

Jane De-Courcy was born in 1779. She married Joshua Jowett and died in 1810.

Samuel Henry was born on May 14, 1780 in St. Mary le Bow, London. He married Cecil Charlotte Pemberton on May 16, 1816 in Hanover Square, London. He died July 5, 1834 in Shepperton, Middlesex, England where he is buried.

William was born in 1782 in St. Mary le Bow, London. He was an artist and exhibited his work at the Royal Academy before 1808. He later abandoned the artistic career and became Vicar of Shepperton. He died on September 14, 1870 in Shepperton, Middlesex, where he is buried. He married Letitia Ann Nichols. They had 3 children, William H.L. Russell, John Russell, and Letitia Russell

The Cambridge University Alumni lists William as being born in 1780 and not 1782 as indicated by William Michaelsen. He was admitted to Clare College in Cambridge University on February 12, 1810. He was ordained deacon in 1814 and priest in 1815. He was rector of Shepperton, Middlesex from 1817 to his death in 1870. Rural Dean of Hampton in 1847. He exhibited 8 crayon paintings in the Royal Academy and 3 in the B.I.

Anne, born in 1781. She helped her father and was also a very talented artist. She never married and died on July 7, 1857.

Maria was born in 1782 in St. Mary le Bow, London. Like her sister Anne, she Maria helped her father and was also an artist. She never married and died on July, 15 1861.

Thomas, the youngest, was born in 1785 in St. Mary le Bow, London. He married Maria Hendry and died in 1865. Of all his siblings, Thomas was the one his father painted the most. John Russell’s painting “Tom and his Pigeons” shows Thomas at the age of 6. Thomas was pupil of a merchant in Leeds, so he left the family at a very young age.