Family and Education

b. 22 Aug. 1741, 4th s. of Lord George Murray, 5th s. of John, 1st Duke of Atholl [S], by Amelia, da. and h. of James Murray, surgeon, of Glencarse and Strowan; bro. of James Murray*. educ. by Mr Rose at Kew 1755; Portsmouth naval acad. 1756.1 m. 13 May 1784, Hon. Wilhelmina King, da. of Thomas, 5th Lord King, s.p.

Offices Held

Entered RN 1758, lt. 1762, cdr. 1765, capt. 1768; c.-in-c. Medway 1792-3; r.-adm. 1794; c.-in-c. Halifax 1794-6; v.-adm. 1795.

Biography

Murray, brother of the 3rd and uncle of the 4th Duke of Atholl, served in the East and West Indies, the Mediterranean and the North Sea between 1758 and 1782. In 1790, he bought Pitkeathly for £10,5002 and at the general election stood, with the approval of Henry Dundas, for the venal constituency of Perth Burghs, where he defeated the Whig Lord Breadalbane’s candidate. He gave apparently silent support to government and, as anticipated, voted against the relief of Scotsmen from the Test Act, 10 May 1791.

On the outbreak of war with France he served briefly in the Caribbean. In April 1794 he was appointed to the command at Halifax, and before sailing he authorized the lord advocate to dispose of his seat at the convenience of government.3 It was vacated in March 1796 for Dundas’s friend David Scott.

The effects of a ‘paralytic stroke’ forced Murray to return home late in 1796 and he died 17 Oct. 1797.4

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: David R. Fisher

Notes

• 1. Atholl Chrons. iii. 419, 423.
• 2. Ibid. iv. 132.
• 3. Ibid. 142-3, 148.
• 4. Ibid. 157; Gent. Mag. (1797), ii. 900.