Ralph Murray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Ralph Murray
|
|
|---|---|
Murray family arms
|
|
| Born |
Francis Ralph Hay Murray
3 March 1908 |
| Died | 11 September 1983 (aged 75) |
| Nationality |  United Kingdom |
| Education | Brentwood School |
| Alma mater | St Edmund Hall, Oxford |
| Occupation | Journalist, diplomat |
| Title | Director, Information Research Department (1949–54) British Minister, Cairo (1954-56) British Ambassador to Greece (1962–67) Governor of the BBC (1967–83) |
| Spouse(s) | Mauricette Vladimira Marie, Reichsgräfin von Kuenburg |
| Children | Ingram, Nicholas, Georgina and Simon |
| Parent(s) | Revd. Charles Murray & Mabel Umfreville |
| Relatives | Al Murray (grandson) |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Companion of the Order of the Bath |
Sir Francis Ralph Hay Murray (March 3, 1908 – September 11, 1983) was a British journalist, radio broadcaster, and diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. He also led a secret part of the UK Foreign Office called the Information Research Department (IRD). This department worked to spread pro-British ideas and fight against communist ideas during the Cold War. The Cold War was a long period of tension between the United States and its allies, and the Soviet Union and its allies.
Contents
Sir Ralph Murray's Life
Early Life and Education
Sir Ralph Murray was born on March 3, 1908. His father was a church leader named Revd Charles Murray. His family, the Murrays, were part of a Scottish group called Clan Murray.
He went to Brentwood School and later studied at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University. Sadly, his father passed away in 1919 from the Spanish flu.
A Career in Communication
Sir Ralph was very good at languages. He could speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Hungarian, and some Russian fluently.
Before World War II, he worked as a journalist for a newspaper in Bristol. Later, he joined the BBC, a famous British broadcasting company. In 1935, he reported from the Saarland region. He managed to broadcast live during the 9 o'clock news. This was a big achievement for its time. He held a microphone out of a window to record the sounds of a crowd. This might have been the first international live broadcast ever!
During World War II, Sir Ralph was involved in secret work. He helped with propaganda, which is information used to influence people's opinions. From 1941, he was part of a group that spread rumors to weaken any invasion plans. He also worked with Bletchley Park, a secret code-breaking center. He supported resistance groups, especially the Yugoslavian Partisans, where he met their leader, Josip Broz Tito. His wife, Mauricette, also helped by broadcasting propaganda to countries in Europe that were occupied.
Leading the Information Research Department
In 1949, Sir Ralph became the director of the Information Research Department (IRD). This organization worked closely with MI6, the British secret intelligence service. The IRD was created to continue the work of wartime propaganda efforts. Its main goal was to fight against Communism and the Soviet Union. During his time there, Sir Ralph created the term "Communo-fascism." This term was used to show how similar Soviet communism was to the Nazis' ideas.
Diplomat and Ambassador
Later, Sir Ralph was appointed as a Minister at the British Embassy in Cairo, Egypt. This was during a difficult time leading up to the Suez crisis in 1956. He liked President Nasser of Egypt. However, he found it hard to carry out policies he did not agree with.
In 1962, Sir Ralph was knighted, becoming "Sir Ralph." He was then appointed as the British Ambassador to Greece. He held this important position until 1967. This was when the Greek Army Colonels took control in a military coup. A coup is when a group suddenly takes power, often by force. Sir Ralph was frustrated because he felt the British government did not act strongly enough. He retired from his diplomatic service in 1967. After that, he became a BBC governor.
Family Life
In 1935, Sir Ralph married Mauricette Vladimira Marie von Kuenburg. She was an Austrian aristocrat. They had four children: Ingram, Nicholas, Georgina, and Simon. The well-known comedian and TV personality, Al Murray, is Sir Ralph's grandson.
Sir Ralph Murray passed away in 1983.
