George Murray (British Army officer)

The Right Honourable Sir George Murray GCB, GCH, FRS, PC
George Murray portrait by George Theodore Berthon
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
In office 30 May 1828 – 22 November 1830
Monarch	George IV William IV
Prime Minister	The Duke of Wellington
Preceded by	William Huskisson
Succeeded by	The Viscount Goderich
Personal details
Born	6 February 1772 (1772-02-06) Perth, Perthshire
Died	28 July 1846 (1846-07-29)
Nationality	British
Political party	Tory
Alma mater	None

Sir George Murray, GCB, GCH, FRS (6 February 1772 – 28 July 1846) was a Scottish soldier and politician.

Background and education

Murray was born in Perth, the second son of Sir William Murray, of Ochtertyre, 5th Baronet (see Murray Baronets), and was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh.

Military career

In 1789, Murray obtained a commission into the 71st Foot, reaching the rank of Captain in 1794, and seeing service in Flanders (1794–95), the West Indies, England and Ireland. In 1799 he was made a Lieutenant-Colonel, entering the Quartermaster General's Department and making his considerable reputation as Quartermaster General (1808–11) during the Peninsular War, under the Duke of Wellington, and receiving promotion to Colonel in 1809. After a brief period as Quartermaster General in Ireland, Murray returned to the Peninsular Campaign as Major-General (1813-14), and was invested with the Order of the Bath in 1813. He was briefly in Canada from December 1814 to May 1815 where he was appointed provisional Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and reviewed the defences of Canada. He quickly returned to Europe following Napoleon's escape from Elba, but arrived too late to take part in the Battle of Waterloo.

After cessation of hostilities, Murray was based in France as Chief of Staff to the Army of Occupation and, thereafter, he was appointed Governor of the Royal Military College Sandurst (1819). He was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Oxford in 1820 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1824. In 1825 he married Lady Louisa Erskine, widow of Sir James Erskine of Torrie (1772–1825). Subsequently he was made Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance and then Commander-in-Chief, Ireland, but in 1828 he resigned as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland and became Colonial Secretary. He was later Master-General of the Ordnance between 1834 to 1835 and between 1841 and 1846.

Political career

Murray was a Tory and later Conservative in politics. He was Member of Parliament for Perthshire from 1824–1832 and from 1834 until he retired in 1835. He served as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies from 1828 to 1830. He also contested Westminster in 1837 and Manchester in both 1839 and 1841, without success.

Other public appointments

Murray was also President of the Royal Geographical Society (1833–5) and Governor of Edinburgh Castle.

Personal life

Murray died in July 1846, aged 74, and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, London. His substantial papers and maps were gifted to the National Library of Scotland by a great-niece in 1913. The Murray River and Mount Murray in Australia and Murray House in Hong Kong are named in honour of him. The city of Perth, Western Australia is also (indirectly) named in his honour, as he was born in Perth, Scotland.

References

• Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)

External links

• Sir George Murray at electricscotland.com

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by James Drummond	Member of Parliament for Perthshire 1824–1832	Succeeded by The Earl of Ormelie
Preceded by The Earl of Ormelie	Member of Parliament for Perthshire 1834–1835	Succeeded by Hon. Fox Maule
Military offices
Preceded by Sir Alexander Hope	Governor of the Royal Military College Sandhurst 1819–1824	Succeeded by Sir Edward Paget
Preceded by The Viscount Beresford	Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance 1824–1825	Succeeded by Sir William Henry Clinton
Preceded by The Viscount Combermere	Commander-in-Chief, Ireland 1825–1828	Succeeded by Sir John Byng
Political offices
Preceded by William Huskisson	Secretary of State for War and the Colonies 1828–1830	Succeeded by The Viscount Goderich
Preceded by Sir James Kempt	Master-General of the Ordnance 1834–1835	Succeeded by Sir Richard Hussey Vivian, Bt
Preceded by Sir Hussey Vivian, Bt	Master-General of the Ordnance 1841–1846	Succeeded by The Marquess of Anglesey