An army surgeon, who knew Murray in Dublin in 1825 described his appearance as 'never saw a finer face than his. Indeed, such a pleasing and happy combination of intelligence, sweetness and spirit, with regularity, beauty and a noble cast of features, is rarely to be found in human physiognomies.'[2]
He was briefly in Canada from December 1814 to May 1815 where he was appointed provisional Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and reviewed the country's defences.[1] He quickly returned to Europe following Napoleon's escape from Elba, but arrived too late to take part in the Battle of Waterloo.
Murray was married to Lady Louisa Erskine (née Paget) (1777–1842) in 1825, widow of Lieutenant General Sir James Erskine (1772–1825), and sister of his fellow general, Henry, Lord Anglesey after much scandals; which resulted in the couple having one illegitimate daughter born in 1822 when Lady Louisa was still married to Sir James, the daughter was named Louise Georgina (1822-1891).[2]
Murray later brought his daughter to be presented in 1830 and it was reported that the new Queen Adelaide, was ‘very rude to Murray and his daughter, who said afterwards that it was very painful but necessary’. Louise married Lieutenant Henry Boyce of the 2nd Life Guards on 14 Sep 1843, but he died in 1848 and she lived childless, until she died at Bordighera on 25 Feb 1891.[2][6]
Murray died in July 1846, aged 74, at his house in 5 Belgrave Square and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, London. His substantial papers and maps were given to the National Library of Scotland by a great-niece in 1913.[2]
Legacy
The Memorials to Governors in the Chapel of the present-day Royal Military Academy Sandhurst include:
In Memory of General the Right Hon. Sir George Murray, G.C.B., G.C H., Colonel 1st Royal Regiment of Foot. Died 28 July 1846, aged 74. He served in Holland, Egypt, Syria, the West Indies, Denmark, and Sweden ; wsLS Q.M.G. in the Peninsula; Commander-in-Chief in Canada; Chief of the Staff of the Army of Occupation in France ; Commander of the Forces in Ireland, and twice Master-General of the Ordnance. He was Governor of this College from 1819 to 1824.[7]
^Bolton, Geoffrey (1989). "Perth: A Foundling City". In Pamela Statham (ed.). The Origins of Australia's Capital Cities. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. p. 142. ISBN0-521-36242-3.
Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832–1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
Further reading
Harding-Edgar, John (2018). Next To Wellington: General Sir George Murray: The Story of a Scottish Soldier and Statesman, Wellington's Quartermaster General. Hellion & Company. ISBN9781912390137.
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