John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl
Encyclopedia
John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl KT
, PC
(6 May 1729 – 5 November 1774), known as John Murray until 1764, was a Scottish peer and Tory politician.
, fifth son of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
. James Murray
and George Murray
were his younger brothers.
for Perthshire
from 1761 to 1764. On 8 January 1764, his uncle and father-in-law, the 2nd Duke of Atholl
died. Murray should have been heir to the dukedom, which was only able to descend through the male line; but he was ineligible since his father had fought in Jacobite Rising of 1745 and consequently been attained in the blood
. However, on 7 February 1764, the House of Lords
deemed Murray as the rightful heir to his uncle's title (notwithstanding the attainder of his father) and he succeed him as 3rd Duke of Atholl. He was elected a Scottish Representative Peer
in 1766. He was Grand Master of the Ancient Grand Lodge of England from 1771 until 1774, and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from 1773 to 1774.
, daughter of James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
, at Dunkeld
, on 23 October 1753. They had nine children:
Atholl died in November 1774, aged 45, after drowning in the River Tay
in a fit of delirium and was buried at Dunkeld. His eldest son John succeeded him in the dukedom.
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(6 May 1729 – 5 November 1774), known as John Murray until 1764, was a Scottish peer and Tory politician.
Background
Murray was the eldest son of Lord George MurrayLord George Murray (general)
Lord George Murray was a Scottish Jacobite general, most noted for his 1745 campaign under Bonnie Prince Charlie into England...
, fifth son of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl, KT, PC was a Scottish nobleman, politician, and soldier. He served in numerous positions during his life, and fought in the Glorious Revolution for William III and Mary II....
. James Murray
James Murray (of Strowan)
Lieutenant General James Murray , was a Scottish soldier and politician.-Background and education:A member of Clan Murray, he was the second son of Lord George Murray, fifth son of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl. His mother was Amelia, daughter and heiress of James Murray, a surgeon, of Strowan...
and George Murray
George Murray (MP)
Vice Admiral George Murray was a Royal Navy officer and politician. He was the third son of the Jacobite general Lord George Murray.-Naval career:...
were his younger brothers.
Political career
Murray sat as Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Perthshire
Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Perthshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1885, representing a seat for one Member of Parliament .-Boundaries:...
from 1761 to 1764. On 8 January 1764, his uncle and father-in-law, the 2nd Duke of Atholl
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl KT PC , styled Marquess of Tullibardine between 1715 and 1746, was a Scottish peer.-Background:...
died. Murray should have been heir to the dukedom, which was only able to descend through the male line; but he was ineligible since his father had fought in Jacobite Rising of 1745 and consequently been attained in the blood
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
. However, on 7 February 1764, the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
deemed Murray as the rightful heir to his uncle's title (notwithstanding the attainder of his father) and he succeed him as 3rd Duke of Atholl. He was elected a Scottish Representative Peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
in 1766. He was Grand Master of the Ancient Grand Lodge of England from 1771 until 1774, and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from 1773 to 1774.
Family
Atholl married his first cousin, Lady CharlotteCharlotte Murray, Duchess of Atholl
Charlotte Murray, Duchess of Atholl and 8th Baroness Strange was a Scottish peeress.Born Lady Charlotte Murray, she was the daughter of the 2nd Duke of Atholl. On 23 October 1753, she married her first cousin, John Murray at Dunkeld, Scotland...
, daughter of James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl KT PC , styled Marquess of Tullibardine between 1715 and 1746, was a Scottish peer.-Background:...
, at Dunkeld
Dunkeld
Dunkeld is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is about 15 miles north of Perth on the eastern side of the A9 road into the Scottish Highlands and on the opposite side of the Tay from the Victorian village of Birnam. Dunkeld and Birnam share a railway station, on the...
, on 23 October 1753. They had nine children:
- Lady Charlotte Murray (1754–1808)
- John Murray, 4th Duke of AthollJohn Murray, 4th Duke of AthollJohn Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl KT, PC, FRS , styled Marquess of Tullibardine 1764 and 1774, was a Scottish peer.-Background:...
(1755–1830) - The Right Reverend Lord George MurrayLord George Murray (bishop)Lord George Murray was an Anglican cleric best remembered for his work developing Britain's first optical telegraph, which began relaying messages from London to Deal in 1796, a few years after Claude Chappe's system began operation in France...
(1761–1803) - Lord William Murray (1762–1796)
- Lady Amelia Murray (1763–1818)
- Lady Jane Murray (1764–1846)
- Lord Henry MurrayLord Henry MurrayLord Henry Murray was a soldier and administrator who served as the fourth Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man.-Career:...
(1767–1805) - Lady Mary Murray (1769–1814)
- The Very Reverend Lord Charles Murray-Aynsley (1771–1808)
Atholl died in November 1774, aged 45, after drowning in the River Tay
River Tay
The River Tay is the longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in the United Kingdom. The Tay originates in western Scotland on the slopes of Ben Lui , then flows easterly across the Highlands, through Loch Dochhart, Loch Lubhair and Loch Tay, then continues east through Strathtay , in...
in a fit of delirium and was buried at Dunkeld. His eldest son John succeeded him in the dukedom.