Sir Alexander Murray, 3rd Baronet facts for kids
Sir Alexander Murray, 3rd Baronet (born after 1684 – died 18 May 1743) was a Scottish nobleman and a politician. He was the son of Sir David Murray and his first wife, Anne Bruce.
Alexander Murray became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Peeblesshire. This meant he represented the area in the British Parliament from 1710 to 1713, helping to make laws for the country.
On 16 August 1710, he married Grisell Baillie. She was the older daughter of Lady Grisell Baillie and George Baillie. Their marriage faced challenges, and after a few years, they decided to live separately.
Contents
Life and Activities
Supporting a Claim to the Throne
In 1715, Sir Alexander Murray joined the Jacobite Rising. This was a time when some people supported a different person, known as the Old Pretender, who believed he should be king. Because of his involvement, Sir Alexander was held in Marshalsea prison until 1717.
New Interests and Challenges
After he was released from prison, Sir Alexander became interested in finding and using minerals. He focused on land his father had bought in Ardnamurchan. During this time, he faced financial challenges and lived in France for a while.
In 1735, when George Baillie (his former father-in-law) passed away, Sir Alexander returned to Scotland. He tried to resolve old disagreements with the Baillie family, hoping to settle financial matters related to his separation.
Ideas for St. Kilda
In 1735, Sir Alexander Murray wrote an interesting plan for the island of St. Kilda. His proposal was about how to help the island grow and develop its economy.
Published Works
In 1740, Sir Alexander published a collection of his ideas. The main title of his work was The True Interest of Great Britain, Ireland and our Plantations: or, a Proposal for Making such a Union between Great Britain and Ireland, and all our Plantations, as that already made betwixt Scotland and England. This book discussed how Great Britain, Ireland, and other territories could work together more closely.
In Fiction
Sir Alexander Murray of Stanhope appears as a character in a fantasy novel. He is featured in The Books of the Incarceration of the Lady Grange (2016) by Andrew Drummond.ISBN: 9781530077687
