John Murray (MP for Leeds West)
Encyclopedia
John Murray was a Scottish civil servant, university administrator and Liberal Party
politician.
in Aberdeenshire
, the eldest son of Francis Robert Murray, a Fraserburgh fish curer
, and his wife Isabella (née Watt). He was educated at Robert Gordon's College
in Aberdeen
. He then attended the University of Aberdeen
where he obtained an MA
degree. He also studied at Christ Church, Oxford
and was a Prize Fellow of Merton College, Oxford
in 1905. In 1908 he was Student and Keeper of Christ Church. In 1921 he married Ellen, the widow
of George Harwood
formerly Liberal MP for Bolton
.
with responsibility for undergraduate discipline. In 1915 the Ministry of Munitions was established under the leadership of David Lloyd George
and Murray went to work in the Labour Regulation Department on matters of industrial relations. He also held a position as officer in charge of a section of the Board of Education
which considered the grant of university awards to former servicemen. From 1920-1921 he was Chairman of the Central Committee established under the Profiteering Acts to investigate and report on price increases.
After his Parliamentary career, Murray entered a new area of public life. He was Principal of the University College of the South West of England from 1926-1951. He also served on the Consultative Committee for Independent Education. His professional interest in education led him to accept a number of governorships of schools including Bryanston School
, St Martin-in-the-Fields
High School for Girls and Gordonstoun School. Murray also served as a member of a committee on higher education in east Africa in 1936–7 chaired by Earl De La Warr, parliamentary under-secretary at the Colonial Office
. As a committed Christian, Murray dissented from some of the committee’s conclusions and wrote a minority report opposing secular education.
from Columbia University
in New York City
and Exeter University.
at the 1918 general election
. As the recipient of the Coalition coupon
he won easily in a four-cornered contest against Labour
, Independent
and Asquithian Liberal opponents with a majority of 6,622 votes.
, Murray had a straight fight against Labour candidate Thomas William Stamford. In a much tighter contest, Murray narrowly held on to his seat by the margin of 904 votes.
saw the re-intervention of the Conservatives
at West Leeds and with the anti-Labour vote effectively split, Stamford emerged as the winner for Labour over the Tories, with Murray relegated to bottom of the poll.
, Murray switched to a seat in his native Scotland. He contested the Kirkcaldy District of Burghs
constituency. However in a straight fight with the sitting Labour MP Thomas Kennedy
one of the Labour whips
, he trailed by a majority of 2,284 votes.
in 1925 when he was chosen to contest the Ripon by-election
. This by-election was caused by the resignation of the sitting Tory MP, Edward Wood
who had been selected to become Viceroy of India on the personal invitation of the King
and Prime Minister
Stanley Baldwin
, albeit after the post had been turned down by Earl Haig
amongst others. In a straight fight with the new Conservative candidate John Waller Hills
, Murray was defeated by a majority of 5,011 votes.
and his Society for Individual Freedom
. During the Ripon by-election Murray openly disagreed with Lloyd George's plans for nationalization
of land and the coal industry.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Family and education
Murray was born in FraserburghFraserburgh
Fraserburgh is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the 2001 Census at 12,454 and estimated at 12,630 in 2006. It lies at the extreme northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, around north of Aberdeen, and north of Peterhead...
in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, the eldest son of Francis Robert Murray, a Fraserburgh fish curer
Curing (food preservation)
Curing refers to various food preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish, by the addition of a combination of salt, nitrates, nitrite or sugar. Many curing processes also involve smoking, the process of flavoring, or cooking...
, and his wife Isabella (née Watt). He was educated at Robert Gordon's College
Robert Gordon's College
Robert Gordon's College is a private co-educational day school in Aberdeen, Scotland. The school caters for pupils from Nursery-S6.-History:...
in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. He then attended the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
where he obtained an MA
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
degree. He also studied at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
and was a Prize Fellow of Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
in 1905. In 1908 he was Student and Keeper of Christ Church. In 1921 he married Ellen, the widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
of George Harwood
George Harwood
George Harwood was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician. He was born the second son of Richard Harwood who founded a firm of cotton spinners and who was at one time Mayor of Bolton and twice Mayor of Salford....
formerly Liberal MP for Bolton
Bolton (UK Parliament constituency)
Bolton was a borough constituency centred on the town of Bolton in the county of Lancashire. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons for the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system....
.
Career
From 1910-1915, Murray was Censor of Christ Church, Oxford – that is an assistant to the DeanDean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
with responsibility for undergraduate discipline. In 1915 the Ministry of Munitions was established under the leadership of David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
and Murray went to work in the Labour Regulation Department on matters of industrial relations. He also held a position as officer in charge of a section of the Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
which considered the grant of university awards to former servicemen. From 1920-1921 he was Chairman of the Central Committee established under the Profiteering Acts to investigate and report on price increases.
After his Parliamentary career, Murray entered a new area of public life. He was Principal of the University College of the South West of England from 1926-1951. He also served on the Consultative Committee for Independent Education. His professional interest in education led him to accept a number of governorships of schools including Bryanston School
Bryanston School
Bryanston School is a co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils in Blandford, north Dorset, England, near the village of Bryanston. It was founded in 1928...
, St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is an Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. Its patron is Saint Martin of Tours.-Roman era:Excavations at the site in 2006 led to the discovery of a grave dated about 410...
High School for Girls and Gordonstoun School. Murray also served as a member of a committee on higher education in east Africa in 1936–7 chaired by Earl De La Warr, parliamentary under-secretary at the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
. As a committed Christian, Murray dissented from some of the committee’s conclusions and wrote a minority report opposing secular education.
Honorary degrees
In recognition of his public services, Murray received the honorary degrees of Doctor of Laws from Aberdeen University, and Doctor of LettersDoctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Exeter University.
1918
Murray was chosen as Coalition Liberal candidate for Leeds WestLeeds West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds West is a borough constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
at the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
. As the recipient of the Coalition coupon
Coalition Coupon
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918 endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in...
he won easily in a four-cornered contest against Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
and Asquithian Liberal opponents with a majority of 6,622 votes.
1922
At the 1922 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
, Murray had a straight fight against Labour candidate Thomas William Stamford. In a much tighter contest, Murray narrowly held on to his seat by the margin of 904 votes.
1923
The 1923 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
saw the re-intervention of the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
at West Leeds and with the anti-Labour vote effectively split, Stamford emerged as the winner for Labour over the Tories, with Murray relegated to bottom of the poll.
Kirkcaldy
For the general election of 1924United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, Murray switched to a seat in his native Scotland. He contested the Kirkcaldy District of Burghs
Kirkcaldy Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Kirkcaldy Burghs was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1974. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system...
constituency. However in a straight fight with the sitting Labour MP Thomas Kennedy
Tom Kennedy (UK politician)
Thomas Kennedy PC was a Scottish Labour politician.Kennedy was born in Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire, and became a railway clerk. He joined the Social Democratic Federation and soon became its organiser for Aberdeen, standing for Parliament in Aberdeen North in 1906 and January 1910...
one of the Labour whips
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
, he trailed by a majority of 2,284 votes.
Ripon
Murray made a final effort to re-enter the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1925 when he was chosen to contest the Ripon by-election
Ripon by-election, 1925
The Ripon by-election, 1925 was a parliamentary by-election held on 5 December 1925 for the British House of Commons constituency of Ripon.The by-election was a consequence of the sitting MP Edward Wood being elevated to the peerage as Baron Irwin in order to serve as Viceroy of India...
. This by-election was caused by the resignation of the sitting Tory MP, Edward Wood
E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, , known as The Lord Irwin from 1925 until 1934 and as The Viscount Halifax from 1934 until 1944, was one of the most senior British Conservative politicians of the 1930s, during which he held several senior ministerial posts, most notably as...
who had been selected to become Viceroy of India on the personal invitation of the King
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
, albeit after the post had been turned down by Earl Haig
Earl Haig
Earl Haig is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1919 for Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. During the World War I, he was Commander of the British Expeditionary Force in France and Belgium...
amongst others. In a straight fight with the new Conservative candidate John Waller Hills
John Waller Hills
John Waller Hills PC DCL was a British Conservative politician.The second son of Herbert Augustus and Anna Hills of High Head Castle, Cumberland, Hills was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford....
, Murray was defeated by a majority of 5,011 votes.
Political views
Murray seems to have followed a well-worn path from radical opinion in his early political career to more conservative views in later life. He took a sympathetic line in Parliament towards the treatment of the unemployed and became an early supporter of family allowances, a policy he championed throughout his life. At the time of Liberal reunion in 1923, Murray stated that the “true place for Liberalism is on the left.” However he later appears to have lost his faith in the role of the state. He was associated with Ernest BennErnest Benn
Sir Ernest John Pickstone Benn, 2nd Baronet was a British publisher, writer and political publicist. His father, John Benn, was a politician, who had been made a baronet in 1914. He was an uncle of the Labour politician Tony Benn.-Biography:Benn was born in Oxted, Surrey...
and his Society for Individual Freedom
Society for Individual Freedom
The Society for Individual Freedom is a United Kingdom-based association of libertarians, classical liberals, free-market conservatives and others promoting individual freedom....
. During the Ripon by-election Murray openly disagreed with Lloyd George's plans for nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of land and the coal industry.