Evan Murray-Macgregor facts for kids

Murray-Macgregor, painted around 1797–99 by Sir Henry Raeburn

Sir Evan John Murray-Macgregor, born Murray (1785 – 14 June 1841), was an important Scottish leader. He was a Major-General in the British Army and also served as a colonial governor. This means he was in charge of British colonies in the West Indies. He is remembered for his efforts to end slavery in these islands.

Evan Murray came from a family with a strong military background. His father was a baronet and the chief of Clan Gregor, a Scottish clan. Evan joined the British Army in 1801. He fought in the Peninsular War in Europe and later in India during the Third Anglo-Maratha War. He was badly hurt in India. After returning to England, he became a baronet like his father and added "Macgregor" to his name. He was also an aide-de-camp (a personal assistant) to the King.

In 1831, he became the Governor of Dominica. The next year, he became Governor of Antigua and the Leeward Islands. During this time, he helped end slavery on the islands in 1834. What was special is that he did this without making the formerly enslaved people work as "apprentices" first. This was a common step in other places. Because things stayed peaceful, he believed this quick freedom could work elsewhere. In 1836, he became Governor of Barbados and the Windward Islands. Here, he worked hard to end the apprenticeship system early, which happened in 1838. Even though some people were upset, he was seen as a fair and smart leader who brought about good changes. He died in office in 1841 after a long illness.

Early Life and Family

Evan John Murray was born in 1785. He was the only child of Captain John Murray and his wife Anne. His father was an officer in the Bengal Army in India. In 1787, his father became the chief of Clan Gregor. In 1795, he was given the title of baronet, which is a special title of honor.

In 1808, Evan Murray married Lady Elizabeth Murray. They had five sons and three daughters who grew up. His eldest son, John Atholl Bannatyne Murray-Macgregor, later became a baronet and served as a leader in the British Virgin Islands. Another son, Francis, was an officer in the Indian Army and died during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Military Career

Many of Evan Murray's family members were soldiers. His father was a military leader in Bengal, India. Evan started his own military career in 1801 as an Ensign in the 81st Regiment of Foot. He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Lieutenant and then a Captain.

He fought in the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal from 1808 to 1809. He served under Lord Paget and was at the Battle of Sahagún. In 1810, he was promoted to Major and became an Assistant Adjutant-General in Spain. He was also present during the Siege of Cádiz.

In 1811, Murray went to India. He became a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1812. He fought in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1817–18. He was known for his bravery at the Battle of Mahidpur in December 1817. He led an attack on enemy positions and helped defeat their forces.

In February 1818, he joined an attack on the fort at Talnar. The attack was successful, but Murray was badly wounded. He received seven dagger wounds and lost the use of his right arm. A famous painting by William Heath shows him bravely fighting while surrounded by enemies. Because of his injuries, he had to return to England in 1820.

After his father died in 1822, Murray inherited the baronetcy and became chief of Clan Gregor. He then officially changed his name to Murray-Macgregor. He continued to serve the King, becoming a colonel and an aide-de-camp in 1825. In 1837, he was promoted to Major-General.

Colonial Governor

Governing Dominica and the Leeward Islands

On 25 July 1831, Murray-Macgregor was appointed Governor of Dominica. Later, in December 1832, he became Governor of Antigua and other islands like Montserrat, Barbuda, St Christopher, Nevis, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands. These islands were grouped together as the British Leeward Islands.

This was a very important time for the British West Indies. There was a growing movement to end slavery. In 1833, the British Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act. This law ended slavery in all British colonies. However, it allowed for a transition period where formerly enslaved people would become "apprentices" for four to six years.

Murray-Macgregor did something unique in the Leeward Islands. In 1834, he agreed to laws that not only ended slavery but also skipped the apprenticeship system entirely. This meant that all formerly enslaved people in these islands gained their freedom right away. He believed this process was peaceful and successful. This experience likely convinced him that immediate freedom was possible and good for everyone. He also appointed non-white people as justices of the peace in Antigua, which was a progressive step.

Governing Barbados and the Windward Islands

Ending Apprenticeships

In October 1836, Murray-Macgregor became Governor of Barbados, Saint Vincent, Grenada, and Tobago. These were known as the British Windward Islands. By this time, many plantation owners in Barbados were unhappy. They disliked the 1833 Act and felt the British government was interfering too much. When the Abolition of Slavery Act started in 1834, these islands had chosen to use the apprenticeship system.

However, people in Britain who wanted to end slavery completely argued that apprentices were still not truly free. Pressure grew on the British government to end the system early. In late 1837, the British government encouraged governors to convince local leaders to end apprenticeships sooner.

In January 1838, Murray-Macgregor officially asked the Parliament of Barbados to abolish apprenticeships. But the plantation owners, who made up most of the parliament, were against it. They felt it was another attempt to control them and hurt their businesses. In March and April, the British Parliament started discussing a law to force an end to apprenticeships. Murray-Macgregor then told the Barbadian planters that they had a choice: end apprenticeships on their own terms or be forced to by the British government.

He worked with others to push for an early end to the system. He had to make some compromises with the planters. On 15 May, the Bill passed in Barbados. Similar laws passed in almost all the other Windward Islands. These laws ended the apprenticeship system in August 1838, creating a system of free labor. This put pressure on other colonies, like Jamaica, to do the same.

In late May, the British Parliament passed its own Bill. This meant that apprenticeships would end on 1 August, unless the local assemblies ended them even earlier. When this news reached Barbados, many people were very upset. They felt Murray-Macgregor had tricked them. They saw it as the British government forcing rules on them. They refused to vote to end apprenticeships before August.

On 2 July, Murray-Macgregor announced that apprenticeships in Barbados would end on 1 August. The island of Saint Lucia still hadn't passed a similar law. So, on 13 July 1838, he went to Saint Lucia with 100 soldiers. He convinced the planters there to pass the Bill three days later. On 19 July, he was given another honor, becoming a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath (KCB). The end of the apprenticeship system happened peacefully, though there were some reports of unrest and strikes later on.

"Contract Laws" of 1838 and 1840

After apprenticeships ended, Barbados passed a law called the Masters and Servant Act 1838, also known as the Contract Law. This law said that if a worker was employed for five days a week, they were assumed to have a one-year contract. It could be ended with one month's notice. This law put workers at a disadvantage. Employers could evict them from their homes and punish them for things like using bad language. Employers could also hire their own private police.

Murray-Macgregor did not like this law. He felt it was unfair to workers. In October 1838, he convinced the British government to overrule it. He also got another law, which was being misused by planters, overturned. He encouraged workers to talk to their employers about their low wages. In 1840, a slightly changed version of the 1838 Act was passed. It allowed for one-month contracts instead of one-year ones. However, this law still created unfair rules for black and mixed-race workers.

Death and Legacy

Murray-Macgregor had been sick for some time. His death in Barbados on 14 June 1841 was unexpected. His funeral was paid for by public funds and attended by many important people. His son John became the next baronet.

Historians agree that Murray-Macgregor played a key role in ending the apprenticeship system in the Windward Islands. Some say he was responsible for bad relations between the government branches in Barbados. They think he was motivated by sympathy for those who wanted to end slavery. He also wanted to avoid embarrassment for the British government.

Another historian, Hilary Beckles, says that Murray-Macgregor "did well to convince the legislature that they should abolish the system." Historian William A. Green describes him as a calm and tactful leader. He says that Murray-Macgregor's time as governor brought about many fair and helpful laws.

Likenesses

A painting of a young Murray-Macgregor by Sir Henry Raeburn was made around 1797–99. It was shown in art galleries in 1939 and 1956. The painting stayed in his family until it was sold in 2014.

A print by Henry Dawe from 1825 shows Murray-Macgregor wearing tartan. This print shows him in the dress he wore at a special event in 1822. A copy of this print is now in the British Museum. The watercolor by William Heath that shows him fighting at Fort Talnar is also in the British Museum's collection.