George Alfred Russell
George Alfred Russell was an Australian businessman involved in several business ventures, finally acting as Australian manager for the North British Insurance Company.
History
Russell was born at “Claremont” St Anne's Parish, Jamaica, on July 15, 1839, the posthumous younger son of Henry Russell and Elizabeth Russell, née Cunnington. An obituary has G. A. Russell and H. E. Russell as sons of Edwin and Elizabeth Hough, reinforced by the title of the book referenced below. Elizabeth Russell married Edwin Hough two years after her return from Jamaica after Henry Russell's death.He arrived in Sydney from London in 1859, first employed as shipping clerk for G. A. Lloyd, and later with George R. Dibbs, who was conducting a trade in coal and wheat with Valparaiso, Chile, where sometime around 1865 Russell married Louisa Gertrude Robey, daughter of R. M. Robey, Dibbs having married Anne Maria Robey in 1857. The business failed in 1867.
Returning to Australia, he was involved in the flotation of a number of mining companies, serving as secretary to Woolgarlo Lead Mining Company, of which one director was John Le Gay Brereton, Sr., then from 1890 to 1909 manager of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company.
Described as "a man of exceptional culture and fine integrity", he was an expert chess player, playing for New South Wales against Victoria, and after moving to Victoria in 1890, a member of that team. He was a member of the Australian Club.
His remains were interred privately at the Brighton Cemetery.
Family
George Alfred Russell married Louisa Gertrude Robey, daughter of R. M. Robey, at Valparaiso around 1866. They lived at "Wotonga", Brighton, Victoria, "Warriston", Brighton, later 18 Wallace Avenue, Toorak.- Francis Alfred Allison Russell KC, barrister, generally referred to as F. A. A. Russell, was born in Brighton, Victoria. His first wife was Julia "Dollie" Russell, who died on 24 March 1900. He married again, to Lilian Adela Maude Sophia Salter, on 7 October 1903, and lived at "Brackendale", Karnah-road, Turramurra, then Hunter's Hill, later "Holmwood", Shirley Road, Wollstonecraft. Their children include:
- Edwin Robey Russell married Nelly Maude Wilmot on 18 May 1897.He was manager of the Bank of New South Wales, Melbourne.
- Charles Townsend Russell, married Adelaide Jones on 15 April 1903. He was a solicitor, of Perth, Western Australia.
- Alan Hough Russell married Grace Ruth McGann on 9 November 1904. He was manager of Commercial Union Assurance Company, and administrator of his father's estate; address 59 Queen Street, Melbourne.
- Lorna Beatrice Russell married Ernest Le Gay Brereton on 2 June 1910
- Mary Gertrude Russell married Douglas Dunbar Jamieson on 27 July 1907, lived at Kew, Victoria.
- Esmond Russell of Ormond, Victoria married Adelaide Brandon on 26 January 1907. He was described as agent of Queen Street, Melbourne.
He died in Cairo, Egypt.