Sir Peter Nicol Russell

Sir Peter Nicol Russell (1816-1905), Iron Founder and benefactor

• Birth: 4 July 1816 at Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, second son of eleven children of
• Parents: Robert Russell, iron founder, and his wife Janet, née Nicol.
• Arrival: Anne Jamieson they arrived in Hobart Town in June 1832.
• Residence: 1838 moved to Sydney.
• Wife: 1859 Charlotte, daughter of Dr Alexander Lorimer.
• Honours: Knighted in 1904.
• Death: London on 10 July 1905, aged 89.

His father Robert Russell and Uncle, Alexander Russell, operated the Kirkcaldy Foundry and Engineering Works. When his sons were old enough to enter the business, Robert dissolved the partnership and established the Phoenix Foundry and Engineering Works. Peter went to the Kirkcaldy Grammar School and then worked for his father.

In 1842 Peter Russell established a foundry and engineering business at Sydney and called it 'The Sydney Foundry and Engineering Works'. After the father's death this was carried on under the name of P. N. Russell and Company, and became the largest and most successful business of its kind in Australia.

In 1860 Peter Russell went to London and virtually retired, except that he acted as London representative of the business.

In 1875 this was closed down after industrial unrest. Russell, however, had prospered with his investments, and was now a rich man. He retained his interest in Australia, paid several visits to it.

In 1896 made a gift of £50,000 to the Sydney University to found an engineering school.

In 1904 he made a second gift of £50,000 to be devoted to the same department, with the proviso that the government should provide £25,000 for buildings

Under his will a total sum of £16,000 was left to various institutions and charities in Sydney.

The engineering school at the University of Sydney is known as the 'Peter Nicol Russell School of Engineering', and there are three Peter Nicol Russell scholarships for mechanical engineering, and a medal for research work. His portrait by W. Q. Orchardson, R.A., is in the great hall, and there is a memorial group by Edgar Bertram Mackennal in the university grounds

Sir Peter Nicol Russell. The death is announced from London of Sir Peter Nicol Russell, who till I860 was head of the firm of Messrs. P. N. Russell and Co., engineers and iron founders.. Sir Peter made two donations of £50,000 each to the -Sydney University to encourage engineering.

[OBITUARIES OF THEWEEK (1905, July 15). Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), p. 34. Retrieved November 8, 2016 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162435643]

• http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/russell-sir-peter-nicol-4527
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Nicol_Russell
• http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/civil/about/history/past-and-futur...