JCR now and then

JCR now and then, a photo by Boxbrownie3 on Flickr.

James Cholmeley Russell died 100 years ago - 29th August 1912 at Haslemere. He lies with his wife Eleanor Russell and next to his mother in law Catherine Elizabeth Broome. Upper picture shows flowers on JCR's grave placed there in memory of him and his wife on 29th August 2012 by the blogger

Russell's restoration in sight

Russell at Dinas with Gowrie in NWNGR days
copyright K A C R Nunn

The restoration of Russell, the Hunslet built 106 year old narrow gauge steam locomotive is now in sight. Originally built for the abortive Portmadoc Beddgelert & South Snowdon Railway it was then acquired by North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways that ultimately became the Welsh Highland Railway.

The locomotive's owners the Welsh Highland Railway Ltd announced on Saturday 17th March that the proposal put forward by Alan Keef Engineering Ltd to complete the overhaul andrestoration of the locomotive had been accepted and the contract awarded to them. Discussions will now take place with Keef’s in order to transfer the locomotive to their works at Ross-on-Wye as soon as is convenient in order for work to commence as soon as possible. Funds are still required to ensure completion.

Russell Fundraising Appeal here

Alan Keef Ltd web site here

James Cholmeley Russell (1841 – 1912)

James Cholmeley Russell (1841 – 1912), a photo by Boxbrownie3 on Flickr.

Russell's grave at St John's Merrow in Surrey. he lies alongside his mother in law

Russell's illness

Mike Bishop the intrepid researcher on all things North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways/Welsh Highland Railway has found in the National Archives, Gowrie Aitchison's offer to the High Court, Chancery Division to become Receiver and General Manager of the NWNGR Company following Russell's death in 1912.
Paragraph 2 says he has been Secretary and Traffic Manager from March 1898 to September 1910, then only Secretary, "and during the illness and incapacity of the late Mr Russell which extended over 6 or 7 years I have done most of the work for him only troubling him when absolutely necessary."
So as has been suspected, Russell was ill as far back as the time when he was negotiating with North Wales Power & Traction Co. Ltd in 1906 over the electrification of the Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway. See the background here

The literature on illness and its impact upon decision making is mostly focused on politicians rather than businessmen. David Owen wrote 'In Sickness and in Power' in 2008 ISBN 978-0413-776624 where he also touches on his more recent themes of how hubris gets in the way of rational thinking. An earlier book from 1993 is 'When Illness Strikes the Leader - the dilemma of the captive king' by Jerrold M Post and Robert S Robins ISBN 0-300-05683-4. This is some ways is a better and more rounded book than Owen's and he in fact makes no mention of it at all! Both books underline the role that illness has had on world events and how quite understandably wrong or misjudged decisions can be made whether you are physically and/or mentally ill.   



Gowrie Aitchison's Affadavit to the Court



Russell as a military man

Russell was gazetted as a Sub-Lieutenant (Supernumerary) in the 23rd Middlesex (Inns of Court) Rifle Volunteer Corps on 28th March 1877.

The modern history of the Regiment begins in 1859 with the formation of the 23rd Middlesex (Inns of Court) Rifle Volunteer Corps; it became the 14th Middlesex in 1889. The Regiment was attached, in its later years, to the Rifle Brigade and also formed part of the 2nd London Volunteer Brigade and the "Grey Brigade". See more here and here

Russell heading South

Russell heading South, a photo by Boxbrownie3 on Flickr.

The Hunslet built locomotive 'Russell' at Beddgelert. One wonders if the eponymous James Cholmeley Russell ever rode on or behind it in a train?

More on JCR

James Russell followed his father into the legal profession and became a student at Lincoln's Inn in November 1862. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1867. He practiced at the Chancery Bar and for several years from 1884 was an Examiner at the High Court. An Examiner examined on oath, the witnesses of both parties involved in civil proceedings. The annual law lists for the period show him to have practised from various chambers in Lincoln's Inn, including 23 Old Buildings, as an equity draftsman and conveyancer. A Chambers' address of 14 Old Square is last given in the annual law lists for 1899, indicating a possible date of retirement from the law. Russell was the editor with Robert Bruce Russell, one of his brothers, of several editions of a classic of family law "The Rights and Liabilities of Husband And Wife" originally written by John Fraser Macqueen (1803-1881).

Russell had three elements to his career, law, property development and railways, with law being the corner stone.

The precise details of Russell's career following his call to the bar in 1867 are currently not known, but by November 1876 he was involved with hiring locomotives to the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Company. These were the single Fairlies "Snowdon Ranger" and "Moel Tryfan" and the Hunslet engine "Beddgelert". He also financed certain coaches and wagons including ‘three passenger carriages, numbered respectively 6,7 & 8, and the four coal wagons numbered 9.10.11 & 12. From an 1883 accident report, we know that coach number 6 was a Gloucester built Cleminson 6 wheeler and we can surmise that numbers 7 and 8 were of the same design.

 

The arrangements regarding the ownership of this rolling stock, shed some light on the entrepreneurial aspect of Russell's personality that is also reflected in his property dealings, of which more later.

On the 3rd December 1878, The Moel Tryfan Rolling Stock Company Limited was incorporated "to purchase or otherwise acquire the Locomotives, Engines, Carriages, Wagons, Trucks and Rolling Stock now in use by the N.W.N.G.Railways Co...". The capital was £10,000 and the shareholders included Russell and Ernest E Lake, a solicitor. Lake was a friend of Russell's and later an executor of his estate. The shareholders also included two other barristers in addition to Russell. The directors were Chaloner W Chute a director of the NWNGR and also a shareholder in the MTRSC Ltd, Lake and Russell himself. Like Russell, Chute was a barrister and his family lived on the Vyne Estate in Hampshire. More information on the  Vyne Estate at Wikipedia

 

In an agreement dated 7th December 1878, Russell sold the rolling stock he had hired out, to the MTRSC for £3,630, of which £3,000 was in shares and the balance of £630 cash, but with an option to take shares instead. Russell also assigned to the company a judgement debt for £882 and costs which had been obtained by him against the NWNGR.. With the NWNGR unable to pay the debt, Russell was appointed the Receiver.

 

The agreement stated that all the items of equipment listed "are marked with the plate of the vendor affixed thereon and are in the possession of the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Company and in use by them (except as to the engine "Beddgelert") under a certain lease and agreements for hire dated respectively the Eighteenth day of November 1876, the twenty seventh day of April 1878 and the eighteenth day of October 1878". Thus the agreement is slightly ambiguous on the question of whether the locomotive, Beddgelert was actually on the railway at the time of the agreement. We know that the locomotive had been "sent away" from the builders, the Hunslet Engine Company, from their works at Leeds some four months earlier in July 1878.

 

From the date of the agreement until 1880 the NWNGR hired their rolling stock from the MTRSC. They then bought them and paid the outstanding hire fee by the issue of £6,000 of Debentures.. On 31st July 1889 the MTRSC filed a company return showing a final redemption of shares that stated "...the supply of rolling stock to a small railway company paid for by installments...was fulfilled" . The company was dissolved in 1894.

While all the business of the MTRSC was going on, Russell was appointed Receiver of the NWNGR in December 1878 and was chairman from 1879 until his death in 1912.
 

Russell, as a mortgagee, also had effective control of the Croesor and Portmadoc Railway and was involved with other railway schemes. He became manager of the Manchester and Milford Railway in 1880. This grandiose scheme never got beyond a standard gauge line between Strata Florida and Pencader in Mid Wales, forming part of the Carmarthen and Cardigan line. He remained linked with the Manchester and Milford until resigning in 1899. It was through the M and M that he came into contact with James Weeks Szlumper, although he was also a near neighbour in London.

 

Szlumper was appointed Engineer to the NWNGR in the summer of 1891, replacing R H Livesey, who had gone to the Finn Valley Railway in County Donegal. Gowrie Aitchison subsequently took over from Szlumper in March 1898.

 

Both Russell and Szlumper became promoters of a Vale of Rheidol Light Railway scheme. This particular initiative failed to materialise and Russell resigned from the project in 1899, by which time he was 58. The Vale of Rheidol Railway eventually opened in 1902 and is still operating. Szlumper, was knighted in 1894 and became a director of the NWNGR in 1905. He remained active in many railway activities including the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, until his death in 1926.

James Szlumper (with beard) centre in picture
copyright Hulton Archive

 

James Cholmeley Russell 1841 – 1912

Longdene House Haslemere Surrey

Curiously, Longdene House at Haslemere in Surrey, now used as offices, has a connection with the Welsh Highland Railway in North Wales. A locomotive from the railway, called 'Russell' is named after James Cholmeley Russell, who used to live at Longdene, and who was intimately involved in one of the precursors of the Welsh Highland, the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Company.

James Cholmeley Russell was the eldest son of James Russell QC. (1790 – 1861), and Maria, the daughter of the Reverend Robert Cholmeley. He was born at 40 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London on 26th June 1841, some two years after his parent's marriage and christened James Cholmeley, thus perpetuating his mother’s maiden name. His parents later had two further sons and five daughters. James Russell senior had a large chancery and bankruptcy practice and this may give a clue to his eldest son's future activities.

In Easter 1855, at the age of 13, James Cholmeley Russell was sent to Harrow School leaving in Christmas 1859 and going up to Magdalene College, Oxford as a Commoner. Here he remained until June 1864, graduating with a BA, 3rd class Moderations and 2nd class in Law and Modern History. During his time at Magdalene, Russell was a keen rifle shooter, and his grand daughter, Evelyn Pangman still has a number of pewter mugs awarded as prizes in shooting competitions.