Mungo Murray, 7th Earl of Mansfield facts for kids

Mungo David Malcolm Murray, 7th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield (born August 9, 1900 – died September 2, 1971) was an important Scottish politician. He was known as Lord Scone until 1935, when he inherited his father's title. He was a member of the Unionist Party in Scotland.

Who Was Mungo Murray?

Mungo Murray was born into a noble family. His father was Alan Murray, 6th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield. His mother was Margaret Mary Helen. Her father was Rear-Admiral Sir Malcolm MacGregor.

Early Life and Family

Mungo Murray married Dorothea Helena Carnegie in 1928. She was the younger daughter of a British diplomat, Sir Lancelot Carnegie. They had one son, William, and a daughter named Malvina. William later became the 8th Earl and also a politician. Malvina married Douglas Stuart, 20th Earl of Moray. Mungo Murray passed away in September 1971 at the age of 71. His wife, the Countess of Mansfield and Mansfield, died in 1985.

Starting in Politics

Before becoming a Member of Parliament, Mungo Murray was involved in some political groups. He was part of the Scottish Protestant League. However, he later disagreed with them. This happened after the 1929 general election in the United Kingdom.

A Disagreement Over Schools

The disagreement was about how schools were funded. The leader of the Scottish Protestant League wanted to change a law. This law, the Education (Scotland) Act 1918, allowed Catholic schools to receive money from the state. When the Unionist Party candidate did not support this change, the League's leader ran as an "Independent Protestant." Mungo Murray then decided to leave the group.

Serving in Parliament

Mungo Murray became a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Perth in 1931. He served in the UK Parliament until 1935. In 1935, his father passed away. Mungo then inherited the title of Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords, which is the upper house of the UK Parliament.

Important Public Roles

Besides being an MP and a member of the House of Lords, Mungo Murray held several other important positions:

• He was a Governor at the Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agriculture from 1925 to 1930.
• He served as the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1961 to 1962. This is a special role representing the King or Queen at the Church of Scotland's main meeting.
• He was the Lord-Lieutenant of Perthshire from 1960 to 1971. A Lord-Lieutenant is the King's or Queen's personal representative in a county.

Helping Birds: The BTO

One of Mungo Murray's most notable achievements was his involvement in starting the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). In 1933, he was one of eleven people who made an appeal to create this organization. He became its first chairman.

What is the BTO?

The British Trust for Ornithology is an organization dedicated to studying birds in the British Isles. It helps scientists and bird enthusiasts learn more about different bird species. They study where birds live, how they migrate, and how their populations are doing. Mungo Murray's role as founding chairman was very important in getting this organization started.