RUSSELL, THOMAS (1830-1904) was born in Cork, the son of a small farmer who emigrated to New Zealand with his family in the Lady Leigh (1840) and lived for a few months at Bay of Islands before settling at Auckland. Russell, senior, earned his livelihood as a small farmer and carpenter, while his wife kept a store in Shortland Street. Thomas, the eldest son, was educated privately, mainly by Dr Comrie. He enjoyed the interest of the Rev Walter Lawry, then head of the Wesleyan Church in New Zealand, and married his niece, a daughter of Henry Vercoe, of Mangere. Under Lawry's guidance he became a lay preacher. He served his articles in the law office of Thomas Outhwaite (q.v.) and, having satisfied the examiners, was admitted to practice as one of the first two New Zealand lawyers (4 Nov 1851). Failing to obtain a partnership, Russell entered into practice on his own account. He joined Whitaker in 1861, and Thomas Buddle entered their employ later, eventually becoming a partner. Russell was a religious man, keenly interested in the welfare of his church; practical-minded, astute in business, a clever but somewhat adventurous financier. He was the leading spirit in the flotation of the Bank of New Zealand (1861) and of other important financial companies, including the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. (1865), the New Zealand Insurance Co. and the Colonial Sugar Co. In association with his partner, with James Williamson and others he invested deeply in lands, first in Auckland province and afterwards in the South Island. He conceived the draining of the Piako Swamp, and the great sum of money lost in that venture did not discourage him from co-operating with John Grigg (q.v.) in the acquisition and development of a similar property in Canterbury. To finance his land interests Russell formed the Waikato Land Association (1879), with a capital of £600,000, and the Auckland Agricultural Co. (1882) with a capital of £1,000,000. When gold was discovered at Thames he took an interest in various flotations and was a founder and chairman of the Waihi Goldmining Co. Russell's activity as virtual director of the affairs of the Bank of New Zealand and of the Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. embarrassed both himself and the Government during his years in politics. Representing Auckland City East in the General Assembly 1861-66, his masterful character and strong views on the native question gave him great influence in Parliament. When only 32 years of age, he joined Domett's executive (6 Aug 1862), and thenceforward dominated both that and the Whitaker-Fox ministry. He administered the department of Colonial Defence from 22 Jul 1863 until the fall of the latter administration in Nov 1864. He pursued a strong war policy and showed vigour in organising regiments in Australia and New Zealand and keeping the troops in the field equipped and provisioned. Though he retired from general politics at the election of 1866, he still for years had great influence in the government of the Colony through the domination of the Bank of New Zealand. He liberally supported Vogel's development policy in the seventies. On the removal of the capital from Auckland he became an ardent separationist and was elected to the Provincial Council in that interest (Nov 1865). The affairs of the province, however, were scarcely important enough to keep his attention and he resigned a year later.

About 1874 Russell went to live in London, and in 1889 he retired from his legal firm. (C.M.G., 1877.) He died on 2 Sep 1904.

N.Z.P.D., 1861-66; Auckland P.C. Proc.; Cycl. N.Z., ii; Gisborne; Rusden; Saunders; Morton; J. W. Fortescue, Hist. of the British Army, vol. xiii; Larkworthy; N.Z. Herald, 29 Nov 1865, 11 Apr 1877, 6 Sep 1904.

Reference: Volume 2, page 136

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