Mr William Frederick Russell was a prominent personality in the Glasgow Licensed trade. For over thirty years William was actively identified with the trade in Saint Mungo.
William’s Early Life
Mr Russell was born at Gonerbyhill, Grantham, Lincolnshire, being the son of Mr Richard George Russell. He was educated at the Grantham School and subsequently he commenced his business career locally.
In the early 1880s, he came on a short visit to Glasgow – really as a holiday – but he was persuaded to remain in the Second City permanently. He became associated with Mr John McLachlan in the wine and Spirit trade, and for many years he acted with unqualified success as general manager of the form.
On the 19th of February 1890, Mr Russell married the second daughter of William Murray, Esq, contractor and on this occasion, he was made the recipient of a handsome public presentation.
William’s first Pub
William Russell started as a publican with an old-established licensed premises at 866 New City Road, then known as the “Gushet House” and later the “Queen’s Cross“.
During his time at this premises, he only had 2 managers, the first being Mr George Barnet, who occupied the position until he died and the other being Mr John Grant, who has fulfilled the managerial duties for over 11 years.
The BEN and other Associations
William was a prominent member of the Glasgow Licensed Trade Defence Association and of the Scottish Wine and Spirit Merchants’ Benevolent Institution, and his interest in both organisations was of the keenest.
Mr Russell was also actively associated with the Atholl Lodge of Freemasons, the Glasgow Perthshire Charitable Society, the Ancient Order of Foresters’ Friendly Society, the Clydesdale Merchants’ Tradesmen Society and the Govan Weavers’ society.
As well as being part of all of the above societies, in his spare time he was a keen horseman and a great lover of animals in general and was an amateur botanist that few could surpass.
The Passing of a Local Leader
It was with great sadness to the Glasgow Licensed trade that Mr William Frederick Russell passed away in his home on 3 Whittingehame Drive, Kelvinside in September of 1911.
Mr Russell was never seriously ill in his life but wasn’t in the most robust health for the last 2 years of his life. With his wife and his family he had spent a month’s holiday at Craigmore and just on the arrival back to their home, without warning, turned unwell and expired with distressing suddenness.