A Tribute: His Honour Judge Anthony Russell (OKS 1970)

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of His Honour Judge Anthony Russell (OKS 1970), retired Senior Circuit Judge and Resident Judge for Lancashire Crown Courts.

In a distinguished career in law spanning over 45 years, the last nine as senior circuit judge, His Honour Judge Anthony Patrick Russell QC estimated that he addressed at least 25,000 jurors.

His Honour Judge Russell became a Circuit Judge in 2004. He was appointed Honorary Recorder of Preston, Senior Circuit Judge and Resident Judge for Lancashire Crown Courts in 2006. He retired with effect from 8 August 2015
Judge Russell was called to the Bar (M) in 1974 and took Silk in 1999. He was a Member of the General Council of the Bar from 1987 to 1994, appointed a Recorder in 1993, Standing Counsel to Inland Revenue from 1994 to 1996.

Outside work, Judge Russell was known to go on various adventurous holidays to colder climates in northern Canada and Norway. He encountered polar bears and walruses at Spitzbergen, Norway, inside the Arctic Circle and hopes to travel south to the Antarctic. Judge Russell had a passion for music both as a choral performer and listener. He was previously vice president of the Guild of Church Musicians.

At the time of his passing, he was a much-valued and respected President of CAOKS

A former classmate and friend, Rev Dr Tim Macquiban (OKS 1970), shares his memories in tribute.

Anthony Russell was a well-rounded student at school (1959-70) who threw himself into his academic studies and its cultural life, overcoming considerable health challenges which necessitated periods off school for surgery. He greatly enjoyed the musical contributions and dramatic productions led by Robert Sutton, David Lyons and others, ranging from Toad of Toad Hall in the Junior School (but he wasn`t the Judge!) to G and S productions and Hamlet, as well as contributing to the school magazine with his writing and editing skills, which fitted him for the legal career ahead and becoming CAOKS editor in his retirement.

Membership of the choir and music groups to which he belonged fostered an abiding love of music and choral singing, as did our termly visits to the Cathedral of the liturgical life of the Church of England. He was a most sociable and amiable companion on trips abroad, notably the Mediterranean cruise led by Graham Tolliday and A T Owen which introduced many to the delights of classical antiquity and the glories of Ancient Greece and Rome. His love of history was engendered by the excellent teaching of Messrs Lyons and Lysons, skills he put to good use in writing his own family history (“I think I know who I am” – the anatomy of a family”) in retirement.

He honed his speaking and debating skills at school and developed leadership qualities as a prefect, even though he was not a member of the bridge playing set of that time or involved in sports activities! He engaged in the lively debates of the 60s regarding local and national politics, from such issues as the building of the Cathedral belltower and the breaching of the city walls at St. Martin`s Gate to the fortunes of his party in and out of government. By nature conservative and traditionalist, he nevertheless was open to change and latterly despaired of what he saw as the diminishment of the standards of public service.

In his later years, he always spoke warmly of his time at school and nurtured the connections and friendships he had made, valuing the way in which they shaped and framed his later life. He always maintained a link and involvement with the school with his particular roles in retirement as Editor and President of CAOKS as evidence of his love for and commitment to the school. In one of our last exchanges by text, I sent Anthony a picture of the newly rehung portrait of King Henry VIII in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. To which he responded: “The immortal memory …!”

May those of us who cherish the memories of him as a friend at school and ever since echo that toast and bid him rest in peace and rise in glory.

[Show slideshow]