Azure Bedford

Hastings William Sackville Russell, the 12th Duke of Bedford, born in 1888 and passing in 1953, was a notable British peer with a multifaceted life. He pursued a career as a naturalist, dedicating time to ornithology and zoological expeditions, and also became a significant figure in British far-right politics. His political activities included co-founding the British People's Party and expressing views that aligned with certain European fascist movements.

Educated at Eton and Oxford, Russell's early life was marked by ill health, which prevented him from seeing active service in World War I. His passion for naturalism led him to organize expeditions and engage in the preservation of endangered species. He was particularly interested in parrots and budgerigars, even publishing a work on the subject and achieving notable breeding successes. His political journey saw him move from early flirtations with socialism to embracing Social Credit ideology, and later becoming involved with groups that advocated for peace and opposed war with Germany, particularly during the lead-up to World War II. He died in 1953 after an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Russell possessed a profound interest in naturalism, which manifested in several significant ways. He was an active ornithologist, with a particular specialization in parrots and budgerigars. His dedication to these birds was such that he would feed them chocolates, a peculiar habit noted by his family. Beyond his personal aviary, which housed successful breeding programs for species like the Tahiti Blue Lorikeet and Ultramarine Lorikeet, he also contributed to broader zoological efforts. He arranged a 1906 expedition to China to collect specimens for the British Museum, an endeavor that led to the discovery of a new jerboa species. Furthermore, he played a role in his father's successful efforts to save the Père David's deer from extinction. During his time as Marquess of Tavistock, he authored "Parrots and Parrot-like Birds" and was a founding president of the Foreign Bird League. Upon inheriting the Dukedom in 1939, he dispersed his bird collection.

Russell's political life was marked by a progression through various ideologies, ultimately leading him to the far-right. Initially exploring socialism and communism in his youth, he later championed Social Credit, establishing a National Credit Association. He engaged with figures like Sir Oswald Mosley and visited Alberta, Canada, to observe Social Credit governance, interpreting its failures as a conspiracy. His admiration for European fascist movements grew, leading him to support the Anschluss and express sympathy for Hitler's regime in correspondence, viewing Hitler as having restored faith and reduced unemployment in Germany. He co-founded the British People's Party (BPP) in 1939, providing financial backing. The BPP, driven by John Beckett, advocated for economic justice, the abolition of usury, and safeguarding British integrity against 'alien influence,' while primarily campaigning for peace and opposing war with Germany. Russell, as Lord Tavistock, along with other peers, lobbied the government for a peaceful resolution to the Danzig crisis.

During the early stages of World War II, Russell maintained connections with figures in the British far-right, including Barry Domvile of The Link. He chaired the British Council for Christian Settlement in Europe, a group comprising diverse political leanings, and identified as a committed pacifist against all wars. He also engaged with the British Union of Fascists, even writing for their newspaper, 'Action,' though he was privately dismissed as 'woolly-headed' by their leader, Sir Oswald Mosley. Russell engaged in extensive correspondence with Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax, arguing that the war was unjust and blaming Poland for the conflict. He portrayed Hitler as a victim and a man of peace whose proposals were rejected. He also corresponded with Home Secretary Sir John Anderson regarding alleged peace proposals from Hitler, which led to a meeting with Mosley and other far-right figures to discuss potential political actions, though these were curtailed by government crackdowns.

“Hitler is supported with enthusiasm by large sections of the population because he gave German youth faith and hope in the future, restored their self-respect, and did much to reduce unemployment”

“little evidence that he [Hitler] would engage in an aggressive war with a non-German nation”

“the German Jew was a by-word for all that was objectionable; that there is good evidence of unfair treatment by the Czechs of German minorities and ample evidence of unjust and even brutal treatment of the Germans by the Poles”