Matthew Crawford Russell 1921 - 2002
electrical draughtsman /company director
1921. Matthew Crawford Russell was born to John Watt Russell & Mary Crawford on 3/8/1921 in Renton, New or East Kilpatrick- SP, cert. not purchased: do you have it Bill, or do you have details??
1939-1945. In WW2 he was in the Home Guard. He was in a reserved occupation as an electrical engineer at Denny’s Shipyard in Dumbarton. Denny’s built ships for the Royal Navy at the time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Denny_and_Brothers
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Matthew with his mother at the front gate of the family home in Renton, ~1945, the year she died .
1947. Matt joined Blackburn (Dumbarton) Ltd where he worked until 1961.
1951. Matthew Crawford Russel , 30, draughtsman, married Anne Morrison Smith , 20, typist, on 10/8/1951 in the old Parish Church, Dumbarton . His address 10 Hillfoot Renton; hers 8 Dunbritton Road, Dumbarton . His parents John Russell, engineer, & Mary Crawford, deceased: hers William Dixon Smith, Cooperative Society Secretary & Annie Beatrice Phillis . d.c from Bill
1952. William Robert Russell was born 1952 to Matthew & Anne Hillhead, Glasgow
1955. Elizabeth Crawford Russell born to Matthew & Anne Hillhead, Glasgow
1961.entry in The London Gazette confirming his rank as Major.
1962. Following the closureof Blackburn, Matt moved to England and spent the remainder of his life there living
in Somerset, Kent and Norfolk. the family moved to Saltford, near Bath, in 1962: they lived at 39 Claverton Road Wesr, Saltford, Somerset
1964. He moved to Orpington, living at 54 Crofton Lane, Orpington, Kent, in 1964.
He continued in the construction industry and reached the level of Managing Director. He was elected a Fellow of The Institute of Directors in 1966.
Photo taken at Penshurst in Kent, a favourite spot for family picnics
L to R. M C Russell, daughter Elizabeth, Annie B Smith, nee Phillis, Anne M Russell, nee Smith, & son William/Bill
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1976. 25th Wedding Anniversary Matthew & Anne, with the priest who married them in 1951 . .Matthew & Anne, on the left, at some function
1983. Anne Morrison Russell died
1984. Anne's sister, Ethel Smith 1923, moved down from Scotland to Orpington to help my father ‘keep house’. Another 3-4 years later, my father and Auntie Ethel moved to Norfolk where they lived until my father’s death in 2002
2002. Matthew Crawford Russell, company director, born 3/8/1921 in Renton, Scotland, died 10/4/2002 in Dereham Hospital, Dereham . His usual address 5 Kingswood Court, Thorpe Marriott, Taverham, Norwich
Obituary that appeared in the Thin Red Line, the Regimental Magazine of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
MATTHEW CRAWFORD RUSSELL (1921 – 2002)
Matthew (Matt) Crawford Russell was born on August 3 rd , 1921 at Renton. He was
the middle son of John Watt Russell and Mary Crawford.
Matt attended the Vale of Leven Academy in Alexandria and in 1938 joined William
Deny, Leven Shipyard, Dumbarton, as an apprentice electrician. He completed his
apprenticeship in 1943 and was moved to the electrical drawing office. During this
time he studied for a BSc. and also joined the Home Guard where he reached the rank
of Lieutenant.
After the war he joined the 1 st (Dunbartonshire) Cadet Battalion The Argyll and
Sutherland Highlanders and in 1949 was commended for outstanding service to the
Army Cadet Force. He was promoted to Captain and then to Major. Upon resigning
his commission in 1961 he was granted the honorary rank of Major and this was
confirmed in the London Gazette on 12 th September, 1961. Matt devoted an enormous
amount of time and energy to the Army Cadet Force and was very proud to be an
officer in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Every week he would be at the drill
hall in Renton teaching and encouraging the young cadets. Every year, when the
family went back to Scotland for their annual holiday, a visit to Stirling Castle was
always on the agenda. Indeed, Matt always sent Argyll Regimental Christmas cards,
right up to the Christmas before his death.
In 1947 Matt joined Blackburn (Dumbarton) Ltd where he worked until 1961. He
reached the position of Contracts Manager, responsible for a number of sites
including hydroelectric power stations in the north of Scotland. Following the closure
of Blackburn, Matt moved to England and spent the remainder of his life there living
in Somerset, Kent and Norfolk. He continued in the construction industry and reached
the level of Managing Director. He was elected a Fellow of The Institute of Directors
in 1966.
Matt married Anne Morrison Smith, who he met at Blackburn’s, on 10 th August, 1951.
They were devoted to each other and had two children, Bill and Elizabeth. Bill and
Elizabeth both recall that their father was always there for them, he was very
supportive. You could always rely on him to give good sound advice.
Matt lost his dear wife Anne, in September 1983. He was devastated, and it took him
some time to recover from the shock.
Matt was very proud of the achievements of his family, particularly his grandchildren,
Anne and Christopher. He always enjoyed their impromptu musical sessions. His
family are very proud of his achievements in a long, fruitful and interesting life. We
can certainly say with pride that our father gave much to this world. With his kindness
and generosity he was always helpful and supportive. He is greatly missed.
Matt passed away after a short illness at Dereham hospital, Norfolk, on 10 th April,
2002. He is survived by his two brothers, John and Tom, and his children, Bill and
Elizabeth.