George Murray (civil servant) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir George Murray
|
|
|---|---|
Sir George Murray in 1915
|
|
| Secretary to the General Post Office | |
| In office 1899–1903 |
|
| Preceded by | Sir Spencer Walpole |
| Succeeded by | Henry Babington-Smith |
| Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | |
| In office 1894–1895 |
|
| Prime Minister | Archibald Primrose |
| Preceded by | Algernon West |
| Succeeded by | Schomberg Kerr McDonnell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Herbert Murray
27 September 1849 Southfleet, Kent, England |
| Died | 4 April 1936 (aged 86) |
| Spouses |
Hon. Helen Mary Mulholland
(m. 1879; |
| Relations | George Murray (grandfather) Owen Roberts (grandson) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent | George Edward Murray |
| Education | Harrow School |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
| Awards | CB (1894) KCB (1899) ISO (1904) GCB (1908) GCVO (1920) |
Sir George Herbert Murray (born September 27, 1849 – died April 4, 1936) was an important British civil servant. A civil servant is someone who works for the government, but they are not elected politicians. Sir George helped run many parts of the British government for a long time.
Contents
Early Life and Education
George Herbert Murray was born in a village called Southfleet in Kent, England. His father, Reverend George Edward Murray, was the local church leader. His mother was Penelope Frances Elizabeth Pemberton Austin.
George came from a family with a history of important people. His grandfather was George Murray, who was a Bishop.
He went to Harrow School, which is a famous school in England. After that, he studied at Christ Church, Oxford, a well-known university.
A Career in Government
Sir George Murray spent most of his life working for the British government. He started his career in 1873.
Working for Prime Ministers
In 1873, he began working in the Foreign Office, which handles international relations. In 1880, he moved to HM Treasury, which manages the country's money.
From 1892 to 1894, he was a private secretary to William Ewart Gladstone, who was the Prime Minister at the time. A private secretary helps a leader with their daily tasks and important papers.
After Gladstone, George Murray became the main private secretary for the next Prime Minister, Lord Rosebery. He held this role until 1895.
Leading Government Departments
In 1897, Murray became the chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue. This department was in charge of collecting taxes.
In 1899, he took on a big role as the Secretary to the General Post Office. This meant he was in charge of the entire postal service in Britain.
He returned to the Treasury in 1903. He became a Joint Permanent Secretary, which is a very senior role. He managed the day-to-day running of the Treasury. When Sir Edward Hamilton retired in 1907, Murray became the only Permanent Secretary.
In 1909, he was involved in discussions about a new budget proposed by the government. He retired from his main government job on July 23, 1911.
Later Contributions
Even after retiring, Sir George continued to help the country. From 1914, he helped manage the Prince of Wales's Fund. This fund raised money for good causes.
In 1915, during World War I, he led a committee. This committee focused on finding jobs for soldiers and sailors who were injured in the war. He also joined the Haldane Committee in 1918. This committee looked at how the government could work better.
Family Life
On September 23, 1879, George Murray married Helen Mary Mulholland. She was the daughter of John Mulholland, 1st Baron Dunleath. They had two children together:
- Sir George Evelyn Pemberton Murray (1880–1947): He followed in his father's footsteps and also became Secretary to the Post Office.
- Irene Helen Murray (born 1882): She married Captain Marshall Owen Roberts in 1903.
Lady Murray passed away in 1932. Sir George Murray died a few years later, on April 4, 1936.
Descendants
Sir George's family continued to have notable members. His grandson, George Anthony Murray, was a soldier who died in World War II. George Anthony's son, George Iain Murray, later became the Duke of Atholl.
His other grandson, Owen George Endicott Roberts, became a Royal Air Force wing commander and a pilot. He even started an airline called Caribbean International Airways.
Honours and Awards
Sir George Murray received several important awards for his service to the country:
- He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1894.
- He became a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1899. This meant he could use the title "Sir."
- In 1904, he received the Imperial Service Order (ISO).
- He was given the highest rank in the Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross (GCB), in 1908.
- In 1920, he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO).
- He was also appointed to the Privy Council in 1910, which gave him the title "The Right Honourable."
