Russell Rea PC (11 December 1846[1] – 5 February 1916) was an English ship-owner from Liverpool and Liberal Party politician.
The older son, Walter (1873–1948), entered politics and became a Member of Parliament (MP) for most of the period from 1906 to 1935, and was ennobled in 1937 with the hereditary title of Baron Rea.
The business grew to have branches in Cardiff, Southampton, Bristol, and Newcastle upon Tyne, and Rea was senior director of all main company and all its subsidiaries.
[4] However, at the January 1910 election, he lost his seat to the Conservative Party candidate Henry Terrell.
[3] Rea was appointed as a Junior Lord of the Treasury in 1915, but his health broke down in November 1915, and on 5 February 1916 he died of heart failure at his home in Dorking, aged 69.