Sir David Russell


Sir David Russell FRSE FLS FSA LLD was a 20th century Scottish paper manufacturer and philanthropist, remembered as an amateur botanist, photographer and antiquary. His donation of 18,000 photographs to the University of St Andrews forms the core of what is known as the David Russell Collection. He created and oversaw multiple charitable trusts including the David Russell Trust.

Life

He was born at Silverburn House near Markinch in Fife in 1872, the third son of David Russell. His great grandfather, Thomas Russell, had founded a paper factory in 1809 and acquired Rothes Mill in 1836. He was educated at Clifton Bank School in St Andrews. He then studied Science at Edinburgh University.
From 1890 onwards Sir David developed a strong interest in photography.
In 1906 David Russell, following his father's death, merged his company, Thomas Russell and Co. Ltd. to create Tullis Russell one of Scotland's largest paper manufacturers. From 1912 to 1914 he organised construction of a major power plant, greatly increasing company production, also moving the main mill to Rothes Mill by St Andrews University in 1922. In 1929 he began publishing the "Rothmill Quarterly Magazine".
In 1930 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir James Irvine, William Carmichael McIntosh, D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson and James Watt. He served as the Society's Vice President from 1943 to 1946. He was knighted by King George VI in 1946.
He died at Silverburn House, the same house where he was born, on 12 May 1956. He is buried in the churchyard of Upper Largo.
Sir David's biography was written by Lorn Macintyre in 1994.

Family

In 1912 he married Alison Blyth, daughter of Francis Blyth of Belvedere in Kent. Their five children included David Francis Oliphant Russell.