Sir Peter Nicol Russell | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by W. Q. Orchardson RA | |
| Born | 4 July 1816 Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland |
| Died | 10 July 1905 (aged 89) |
| Resting place | East Finchley Cemetery |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Education | Abbotshall Parish School Kirkcaldy Grammar |
| Spouse | Charlotte Russell (née Lorimer) |
| Children | none |
| Parent(s) | Robert Russell Janet Russell (née Nicol) |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Civil engineering Metallurgy |
| Practice name | Russell Bros Sydney Foundry and Engineering Works P. N. Russell & Company |
| Signature | |
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Sir Peter Nicol Russell (4 July 1816 – 10 July 1905), commonly referred to as P. N. Russell, was an Australian foundry owner, manufacturing engineer, and benefactor of the University of Sydney.
Russell worked at iron foundries owned by his family in Scotland and Tasmania before starting a foundry and engineering works with his brothers on the banks of the Tank Stream in 1838 in the town of Sydney. Four years later, in 1842, Russell split from his brothers' business and founded his own operations where he remained for the next 13 years. In 1855 he reunited with his brothers, forming P. N. Russell & Company, which became the largest steelworks in Australia at the time. Russell returned to London in 1860 to retire and remained attached to the business by acting as its London representative. Following a number of labour strikes at the business, P. N. Russell & Company closed its doors in 1875.
Russell retired with significant wealth and gifted A£100,000 to the University of Sydney, where the Peter Nicol Russell School of Engineering was named in his honour.