Subfonds 8 - Rev Dr Charles William Russell

Rev. Dr. Charles Russell was born in 1812 in Killough, county Down. He studied in Maynooth and subsequently became Professor of Humanity in 1835 and was elected President of the college in 1857. Dr. Russell was the uncle of Fr Matthew Russell SJ, whose papers are held in the Irish Jesuit Archives (J27), and Charles Russell (Lord Russell of Killowen).

This collection of papers provides an excellent glimpse into the life of Dr Charles Russell, ranging from personal papers, his writing, areas of research, his professional career and his involvement with the Dublin Review. As with his nephew, Fr Matthew Russell, Dr Charles Russell corresponded with many notable personalities during the nineteenth century including academics, politicians, authors and the nobility. From the content of this correspondence it is clear that Dr Charles Russell was much liked and respected by his contemporaries. It should also be observed that Dr Russell kept in close contact with his family and Section B provides interesting biographical details. In particular the letters written from Maynooth College when Dr. Russell was a student provide an interesting view on what life was like in the Ecclesiastical college during the early nineteenth century.

In 1858 Dr Russell published his Life of Cardinal Mezzofanti. Many letters of praise for the work with some letters making suggestions for a second edition of the work!. Rather than describing each letter individually it was decided to create a file and to give the names and the dates of the correspondents (please note the letters are arranged in alphabetical order). Also material on chronicles the trials and tribulations of the 'Dublin Review', a publication co-edited by Dr Russell along with Rev Nicholas Wiseman (later Cardinal). From the letters written by Rev Wiseman to Russell it would seem that the publication had a number of problems over the years and probably occupied a lot of Dr Russell's time and energy.