Russell, John, 4th Duke of Bedford (1710 -1771)

John Russell was the second son of Wriothesley, 2nd Duke of Bedford, and Elizabeth, daughter and heir of John Howland of Streatham in Surrey. He was educated at home and sent on the grand tour of Europe with a tutor. He married, as his first wife, 11 October 1731, Diana, youngest daughter of Charles, Earl of Sunderland. Arrangements had been made for him to enter Parliament, when his brother, Wriothesley, died childless, 23 October 1732, and he succeeded to the title. He joined the opposition to Sir Robert Walpole, under Carteret, and was disliked by George II, who held him to be proud, violent and over assured. When Carteret was in power, he remained in opposition, but entered Pelham's administration as First Lord of the Admiralty. After Lord Chesterfield's resignation in February 1748, he became Secretary for the Southern Department, but could not agree with Newcastle and resigned the seals in 1751. Created a Knight of the Garter in 1749, he was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1756 to 1761, Minister Plenipotentionary to the Court of France from 1762 1763, and was recalled to London where he formed the ministry known as the Bedford Ministry, in which he was Lord President of the Council, while Greville was First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The ministry lasted until 1765, when he resigned, having insulted the king to his face, probably unintentionally. His first wife died 27 September 1735, and he married secondly in April 1737, Gertrude Leveson Gower, eldest daughter of John, 1st Earl Gower. They had two sons, the younger of whom died in infancy, the elder, during his father's lifetime, and the duke was succeeded by his eldest grandson.

Seat / Residence(s): Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire
Stamp(s) Stamp Information
Russell, John, 4th Duke of Bedford (1710 - 1771) (Stamp 1) Title: Russell, John, 4th Duke of Bedford (1710 - 1771) (Stamp 1)
Arms: A lion rampant on a chief three escallops
Dimensions (height x width): 49mm x 34mm
Coronet: Duke
Heraldic Charges: chief on a, Heraldic Charges: escallops (3), Heraldic Charges: lion rampant