Russell, Francis (1526 - 1585)

Biographical Overview

Parents

Titles - 3
Properties - 19
Total events naming patron - 8
Troupes - 5
Venues - 1
Bibliographic Sources - 2
Legend

patron legend

Base layers

Data layers

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Born / Died

Birth Date: 1526 (possibly born 1527)
Death Date: 1585-07-28

Notes

Imprisoned in the Fleet 29 July 1553

Marriages/Other Unions

  1. St John, Margaret ( - 1562)
    Type: marriage
    Union began: 1546
    Union ended: n.d.
  2. Hussey, Bridget (1525 - 1600/1)
    Type: marriage
    Union began: ca. 1566-6
    Union ended: n.d.

Offspring

From St John, Margaret ( - 1562)

  1. Female offspring: Russell, Anne (1548 - 1604)
  2. Male offspring: Russell, Edward (d. 1572)
  3. Female offspring: Russell, Elizabeth (d. 1605)
  4. Male offspring: Russell, John (d. 1584)
  5. Female offspring: Russell, Margaret (1560 - 1616)
  6. Male offspring: Russell, Francis (d. 1585)
  7. Male offspring: Russell, William (1553 - 1613)

Primary Title

Lord Russell
4th Earl of Bedford

Titles

  • Lord Russell
    Assumed By 1551-09
    Vacated 1554/5-03-14 (date succeeded to title)
  • Baron Russell
    Assumed 1554/5-03-14
    Vacated 1585-07-28
  • 4th Earl of Bedford
    Assumed 1554/5-03-14
    Vacated 1585-07-28

Details of Offices

Began Ended Notes
MP, Buckinghamshire 1545 n.d.
Commissioner of Custos Rotulorum, Buckinghamshire ca. 1547 1585
JP, Buckinghamshire 1547 n.d.
MP, Buckinghamshire 1547 n.d.
Sheriff, Bedfordshire 1547-11-27 n.d.
Sheriff, Buckinghamshire 1547-11-27 n.d.
Lord Lieut, Buckinghamshire 1552 n.d.
Keeper, Northamptonshire 1554/5-3-14 n.d.
Keeper & Receiver, various manors & parks, Northamptonshire 1554/5-3-14 n.d.
Keeper & Receiver, various manors & parks, Hertfordshire 1554/5-3-14 n.d.
Keeper & Receiver, various manors & parks, Oxfordshire 1554/5-3-14 n.d.
Lord Lieut, Exeter 1557/8-3 1585-07-28
Lord Lieut, Cornwall 1557/8-3 1585-07-28
Lord Lieut, Devon 1557/8-3 1585-07-28
Lord Lieut, Dorset 1557/8-3 1585-07-28
Privy Councillor, England 1558-11-21 1585-07-28
Warden of the Stannaries, Cornwall 1559 1580 Stannaries also in Devon
Commissioner of Custos Rotulorum, Berkshire 1561/2 n.d.
JP, Northamptonshire 1561/2 n.d.
JP, Devon 1561/2 n.d.
JP, Bedfordshire 1561/2 n.d.
JP, Cornwall 1561/2 n.d.
JP, Buckinghamshire 1561/2 n.d.
JP, Somerset 1561/2 n.d.
JP, Dorset 1561/2 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Norfolk 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Devon 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Buckinghamshire 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Norwich 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Somerset 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Dorset 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Southampton 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Suffolk 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Huntingdonshire 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Cornwall 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Bedfordshire 1563/4 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Wiltshire 1563/4 n.d.
Governor, Northumberland 1563/4-2-24 1568-08-25 Part of the Marches towards Scotland
Warden, Marches towards Scotland, East March 1563/4-2-24 1568-08-25
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Cambridgeshire 1564 n.d.
Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, Newcastle upon Tyne 1564 n.d.
JP, Buckinghamshire 1564 n.d.
JP, Durham 1564 n.d.
JP, Somerset 1564 n.d.
JP, Newcastle upon Tyne 1564 n.d.
JP, Bedfordshire 1564 n.d.
JP, Yorkshire 1564 n.d.
JP, Northumberland 1564 n.d.
JP, York 1564 n.d.
JP, Devon 1564 n.d.
JP, Cornwall 1564 n.d.
JP, Cumberland 1564 n.d.
JP, Westmorland 1564 n.d.
JP, Cumberland 1564 n.d.
JP, Cambridgeshire 1564 n.d.
JP, Dorset 1564 n.d.
JP, Yorkshire: East Riding 1564 n.d.
JP, Northumberland 1564 n.d.
Governor in the North, England 1565-8-1 n.d.
Lieut-gen in the North, England 1565-8-1 n.d.
Commissioner of Musters, Buckinghamshire 1569 n.d.
JP, Devon 1569 n.d.
High Steward, Duchy of Cornwall 1572-4-13 1585-07-28 For life
High Steward of Lands, Cornwall 1572-4-13 1585-07-28 For life
High Steward of Lands, Devon 1572-4-13 1585-07-28 For life
High Steward of Lands, Somerset 1572-4-13 1585-07-28 For life
High Steward, Duchy of Exeter, England 1572-4-13 1585-07-28 For life
Keeper, Devon 1572-4-13 1585-07-28 For life
Master Forester, Devon 1572-4-13 1585-07-28 For life
Commissioner of Musters, Buckinghamshire 1573 n.d.
Commissioner of Musters, Exeter 1574 n.d.
Commissioner of Musters, Cornwall 1574 n.d.
Commissioner of Musters, Devon 1574 n.d.
Chief Justice in Eyre, South of Trent 1583/4-2-26 1585-07-28
JP, Somerset 1584 n.d.
JP, Northamptonshire 1584 n.d.

Details of Properties

Residence

  • Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire
  • Amersham, Buckinghamshire
  • Chenies, Buckinghamshire
  • Russell House, London (city-county)
  • St Clement Danes parish townhouse, London (city-county)
  • Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland
    Residence during tenure of offices of Governor of Berwick upon Tweed, Warden of the East March towards Scotland, and Lieut-gen in the North
    Acquired: 1564-03
    Divested: 1567-10
  • Bedford House, Exeter (city-county) in Devon
    (Performance Venue)
    Patrimony

Lands

  • Bedfordshire
  • Berkshire
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Buckinghamshire: Amersham
  • Devon: Tavistock Abbey
    Acquired: 1554/5-03-14
    Patrimony
  • Dorset
  • Essex
  • Herefordshire
  • Lincolnshire
  • Monmouthshire
  • Northamptonshire
  • Somerset

Events Naming Patron

Event Date Location Troupe
Performance 1558-1558 Cellar, Exeter , Exeter (city-county) in Devon Earl of Bedford's Players
Performance 1564-1564 Merchants' Court, Newcastle upon Tyne , Newcastle upon Tyne (city-county) Earl of Bedford's Players
Performance 1555-1556 Guildhall (2), Barnstaple , Devon Lord of Tawstock's Minstrels
Court Appearance 1554-1554 Norwich (Unknown), Norwich , Norwich (city-county) in Norfolk Lord Russell's Minstrel
Performance 1551-1552 Dover (Unknown), Dover , Kent Lord Russell's Minstrels
Performance 1552-1552 Rye (Unknown), Rye , Sussex Lord Russell's Minstrels
Performance 1554-1554 Canterbury (Unknown), Canterbury , Kent Lord Russell's Minstrels
Performance 1552-1553 Guildhall (2), Barnstaple , Devon Lord Russell's Players

Patronized Troupes

Troupe Name Patron Troupe Type # of events
Earl of Bedford's Players Russell, Francis (1526 - 1585) Players 2
Lord of Tawstock's Minstrels Russell, Francis (1526 - 1585) Entertainers/Minstrels 1
Lord Russell's Minstrel Russell, Francis (1526 - 1585) Entertainers/Minstrels 1
Lord Russell's Minstrels Russell, Francis (1526 - 1585) Entertainers/Minstrels 3
Lord Russell's Players Russell, Francis (1526 - 1585) Players 1

Owned Venues

Venue Name County Venue Type
Bedford House Exeter (city-county) in Devon Private Residence

Bibliographic Sources

View a list of abbreviations.

The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. 1887–98 (8 vols); 1910–59 (13 vols). 6 vols. Gloucester: Alan Sutton, 1982.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 01/05/2005 (http://www.oxforddnb.com)