Born on November 19th, 1786, at 1 Newhall Street, Birmingham, the son of George Russell by his wife Martha, daughter of John Skey. His father, a Birmingham merchant, ruined at the outset of the American War, was a Unitarian and a prominent member of the congregation of Joseph Priestley (1733-1804). Russell was educated at a private school near Warwick, and was apprenticed to Mr Blount, the Birmingham surgeon, on Nov 17th, 1800. He entered Guy's Hospital about 1806, and obtained the post of 'Visiting Apothecary' to the Birmingham Dispensary as soon as he had qualified. He resigned this post on Sept 30th, 1811, and spent the winter session 1811-1812 in London, attending the lectures of John Abernethy, although he had to borrow the money to pay his expenses. He returned to Birmingham in 1812 and settled in practice first at 67, and afterwards at 63, Newhall Street. On January 18th, 1815, he was elected Surgeon to the Birmingham Dispensary, and resigned on November 9th, 1825. He was also Surgeon to the town Infirmary, but was defeated, probably on account of his Unitarian principles, when he was a candidate for election as Surgeon to the General Hospital. For many years he acted as Sanitary Inspector for Birmingham, and organized important improvements in the condition of the town, more especially in regard to drainage and ventilation. In 1851 he wrote an elaborate report on the "Sanitary Condition of Birmingham" and gave evidence before the Parliamentary Committee on the Birmingham Improvements Bill. He was also especially interested in midwifery statistics, and left behind him notes of 2700 midwifery cases which he had attended. He took an active part in the establishment of the Medical Benevolent Society and of the Geological Museum in Birmingham, and was for many years Treasurer of the Philosophical Institution. He was a Liberal in politics, and publicly enrolled himself in 1831 as a member of the Birmingham Political Union under the leadership of Thomas Attwood. He died suddenly on December 24th, 1851, and was buried in the family vault under the old meeting-house. He married on May 5th, 1817, Sarah Hawkes, and by her was the father of three children, of whom the eldest, James Russell (d 1885), was Physician to the Birmingham General Hospital. An oil painting, which has been engraved, was in the possession of James Russell, of Edgbaston.