Earl of Dunmore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Earldom of Dunmore
Creation date	1686
Monarch	James VII
Peerage	Peerage of Scotland
First holder	Charles Murray, 1st Earl of Dunmore
Present holder	Malcolm Murray, 12th Earl of Dunmore
Remainder to	heirs male of the body of the grantee
Subsidiary titles	Viscount of Fincastle Baron Dunmore (1831–1980) Lord Murray of Blair, Moulin and Tillimet

Alexander Murray, 8th Earl of Dunmore, a brave soldier who won the Victoria Cross

The Earl of Dunmore is a special title in the Peerage of Scotland. A "peerage" is a system of titles for important families, like Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. These titles are usually passed down through families.

The title of Earl of Dunmore was first given in 1686. It was created for Lord Charles Murray. He was the son of John Murray, who was the 1st Marquess of Atholl. Over the years, many Earls of Dunmore have held important roles. Some served in the House of Lords, which is part of the British Parliament. Others were governors in different parts of the world.

The 4th Earl, for example, was a governor in New York and Virginia. The 8th Earl was a brave soldier. He even received the Victoria Cross, which is a very high award for courage. Today, the current Earl of Dunmore lives in Australia.

What is an Earl?

An Earl is a noble title in the United Kingdom. It is one of the oldest titles in the British peerage system. The title is usually passed down from father to son.

Earls are part of the nobility. They have a special rank in society. The word "Earl" comes from an Old English word. It means "chieftain" or "ruler."

History of the Dunmore Earls

The First Earls

The title was created in 1686 for Lord Charles Murray. He was the second son of John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl. At the same time, he also received other Scottish titles. These were Lord Murray of Blair, Moulin and Tillimet, and Viscount of Fincastle.

His son became the second Earl. He was a General in the Army. He also served in the House of Lords as a Scottish Representative Peer. This meant he represented Scotland's nobility in Parliament.

The third Earl, William Murray, had a challenging past. He was involved in a rebellion in 1745. This was called the Jacobite rising of 1745. He was accused of high treason, which is a serious crime against the country. He admitted his guilt but was pardoned by King George II. He became Earl after his brother died.

Earls in Government and Beyond

The fourth Earl was also a Scottish Representative Peer. He served in the House of Lords for many years. He became a colonial governor for New York, Virginia, and the Bahamas. His time as governor in New York and Virginia ended when the American Revolution began.

His oldest son became the fifth Earl. He was briefly a Member of Parliament. In 1831, he received a new title: Baron Dunmore. This title was in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It gave him and his family a permanent seat in the House of Lords.

The fifth Earl, George Murray, bought a large area of land called the Estate of Harris in 1834. Sadly, some people living there had to leave their homes in 1839. This happened on the orders of the government, at the request of the Earl.

The seventh Earl of Dunmore held a government role. He was a Lord-in-waiting for Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. This meant he helped manage government business in the House of Lords. He was also the Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire, a local government role.

Later Earls and Today

The eighth Earl was a soldier. He was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1897 for his bravery. He also held a political job. He was the Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms. This was a chief whip role in the House of Lords.

When the ninth Earl died in 1980, the title of Baron Dunmore ended. However, the other titles passed to his distant relatives. These relatives lived far away in Tasmania, Australia.

The tenth Earl was a distant cousin. He became the Earl after the ninth Earl passed away. Today, the titles are held by the twelfth Earl, Malcolm Murray, 12th Earl of Dunmore. He became Earl in 1995 after his father died. He also lives in Tasmania, Australia. He is also a respected Freemason.

The family used to have two main homes. One was Amhuinnsuidhe Castle on the Isle of Harris. The other was Dunmore Tower, near Airth, Falkirk.

Earls of Dunmore (1686)

Here is a list of the people who have held the title of Earl of Dunmore:

• # Charles Murray, 1st Earl of Dunmore (1661–1710)
• # John Murray, 2nd Earl of Dunmore (1685–1752)
• # William Murray, 3rd Earl of Dunmore (1696–1756)
• # John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore (1730–1809)
• # George Murray, 5th Earl of Dunmore (1762–1836)
• # Alexander Edward Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore (1804–1845)
• # Charles Adolphus Murray, 7th Earl of Dunmore (1841–1907)
• # Alexander Edward Murray, 8th Earl of Dunmore (1871–1962)
• # John Alexander Murray, 9th Earl of Dunmore (1939–1980)
• # Reginald Arthur Murray, 10th Earl of Dunmore (1911–1981)
• # Kenneth Randolph Murray, 11th Earl of Dunmore (1913–1995)
• # Malcolm Kenneth Murray, 12th Earl of Dunmore (b. 1946)

The person expected to inherit the title next is the present Earl's brother, Hon. Geoffrey Charles Murray (born 1949).

Family tree

See also

• Duke of Atholl
• Lady Augusta Murray
• Sir Charles Murray
• Baron Dunmore