Francis Russell

Beech Hill Park, as illustrated in European Magazine, 1 July 1796. Francis Russell (1740 – 1 September 1795) was an English lawyer, official and author.

Life Russell was the youngest son of an attorney, town clerk in Basingstoke, Hampshire, and a younger brother of the Rev. Sambro(o)ke Russell, the antiquarian. He was articled to his father, and then practised as a solicitor on his own. Around 1762 James Smith-Stanley, Lord Strange as its Chancellor brought him in to do legal work for the Duchy of Lancaster. Russell strived to put the records in order, and gave up other work. He held the title "His Majesty's Surveyor for the South part of the Duchy" (of Lancaster) when Enfield Chace was broken up in 1777.

Subsequently, Russell was brought in to reorganise affairs of the East India Company, through Thomas Orde Poulet.

Works Russell wrote A Short History of the East India Company (1793), which was published anonymously.