Catherine Murray, Countess of Dunmore
Encyclopedia
Catherine Murray, Countess of Dunmore (31 October 1814, London
– 12 February 1886, Inveresk
), was a British peeress
and promoter of Harris Tweed
.
and his second wife, the former Countess Catherine Vorontsova, daughter of Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov
, the Russia
n Ambassador to the Court of St. James's
.
On 27 May 1836, Lady Catherine married Alexander Murray, Viscount Fincastle
at Frankfurt am Main. Fincastle acceded to his father's earldom of Dunmore
a few months later. The couple had four children:
to Queen Victoria
but resigned upon her husband's death four years later. Following his death, she inherited 150000 acres (607 km²) of the Dunmore estate on the "island" of Harris.
During the economic difficulties of the Highland Potato Famine of 1846-7, Lady Dunmore was instrumental in the promotion and development of Harris Tweed
, a sustainable and local industry. Recognising the sales potential of the fabric, she had the Murray family tartan
copied in tweed by the local weavers and suits were later made for the Dunmore estate gamekeeper
s and gillie
s. Proving a success, Lady Dunmore sought to widen the market by removing the irregularities, caused by dye
ing, spinning
and weaving
(all done by hand), in the cloth to bring it in line with machine-made cloth. She achieved this by organising and financing training in Alloa
for the Harris weavers and by the late 1840s, a London market was established, which led to an increase in sales of tweed.
, Inveresk
, East Lothian
and was buried at Dunmore
, Stirlingshire
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
– 12 February 1886, Inveresk
Inveresk
Inveresk is a civil parish and was formerly a village that now forms the southern part of Musselburgh. It is situated on slightly elevated ground at the south of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland...
), was a British peeress
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and promoter of Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed is a cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders on the Isles of Harris, Lewis, Uist and Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, using local wool....
.
Family
Born Lady Catherine Herbert at Arlington Street, St James's, she was a daughter of George Herbert, 11th Earl of PembrokeGeorge Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke
General George Augustus Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke and 8th Earl of Montgomery, KG, PC was a British peer, army officer and politician.-Early life:...
and his second wife, the former Countess Catherine Vorontsova, daughter of Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov
Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov
Count Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov was a Russian diplomat whose siblings included Alexander Vorontsov, Elizaveta Vorontsova, and Ekaterina Dashkova...
, the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Ambassador to the Court of St. James's
Court of St. James's
The Court of St James's is the royal court of the United Kingdom. It previously had the same function in the Kingdom of England and in the Kingdom of Great Britain .-Overview:...
.
On 27 May 1836, Lady Catherine married Alexander Murray, Viscount Fincastle
Alexander Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore
Alexander Edward Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore was the son of George Murray, 5th Earl of Dunmore.On 27 September 1836, he married Lady Catherine Herbert, daughter of the 11th Earl of Pembroke...
at Frankfurt am Main. Fincastle acceded to his father's earldom of Dunmore
Earl of Dunmore
Earl of Dunmore is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1686 for Lord Charles Murray, second son of John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl. He was made Lord Murray of Blair, Moulin and Tillimet and Viscount of Fincastle at the same time, also in the Peerage of Scotland. He was...
a few months later. The couple had four children:
- Lady Susan Catherine Mary (1837-1915), married 29 November 1860 James Carnegie, 9th Earl of SoutheskJames Carnegie, 9th Earl of SoutheskSir James Carnegie, 9th Earl of Southesk KT , known as Sir James Carnegie of Kinnaird and of Pitcarrow, 6th Baronet and de jure of the other titles, from 1849 to 1855, was a Scottish nobleman....
as his second wife, and had issue three sons and four daughters. - Lady Constance Euphemia Woronzow (1838-1922), married William Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, 15th Lord Elphinstone.
- Charles Adolphus, styled Viscount Fincastle, later 7th Earl of DunmoreCharles Murray, 7th Earl of DunmoreCharles Adolphus Murray, 7th Earl of Dunmore VD , styled Viscount Fincastle from birth until 1845, was a Scottish peer and Conservative politician.-Background:...
(1841-1907) - Lady Victoria Alexandrina, or Lady Alexandrina Victoria Murray (1845-1911), married Rev. Henry Cunliffe (1826-1894), son of Sir Robert Henry Cunliffe, 4th Bt., C.B., Gen., Bengal Army.
Harris Tweed
In 1841, Lady Dunmore was appointed a Lady of the BedchamberLady of the Bedchamber
This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Lady of the Bedchamber in the British Royal Household...
to Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
but resigned upon her husband's death four years later. Following his death, she inherited 150000 acres (607 km²) of the Dunmore estate on the "island" of Harris.
During the economic difficulties of the Highland Potato Famine of 1846-7, Lady Dunmore was instrumental in the promotion and development of Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed is a cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders on the Isles of Harris, Lewis, Uist and Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, using local wool....
, a sustainable and local industry. Recognising the sales potential of the fabric, she had the Murray family tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
copied in tweed by the local weavers and suits were later made for the Dunmore estate gamekeeper
Gamekeeper
A gamekeeper is a person who manages an area of countryside to make sure there is enough game for shooting, or fish for angling, and who actively manages areas of woodland, moorland, waterway or farmland for the benefit of game birds, deer, fish and wildlife in general.Typically, a gamekeeper is...
s and gillie
Gillie
Ghillie or gillie is a Scots term that refers to a man or a boy who acts as an attendant on a fishing, fly fishing, hunting, or deer stalking expedition, primarily in the Highlands or on a river such as the River Spey...
s. Proving a success, Lady Dunmore sought to widen the market by removing the irregularities, caused by dye
Dye
A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....
ing, spinning
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
and weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
(all done by hand), in the cloth to bring it in line with machine-made cloth. She achieved this by organising and financing training in Alloa
Alloa
Alloa is a town and former burgh in Clackmannanshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on on the north bank of the Firth of Forth close to the foot of the Ochil Hills, east of Stirling and north of Falkirk....
for the Harris weavers and by the late 1840s, a London market was established, which led to an increase in sales of tweed.
Death
The Countess died, aged seventy-one, on 12 February 1886 at Carberry TowerCarberry Tower
Carberry Tower is an historic house in East Lothian, Scotland. The house is situated off the A6124 road, south-east of Musselburgh. Carberry, like Musselburgh is in the parish of Inveresk...
, Inveresk
Inveresk
Inveresk is a civil parish and was formerly a village that now forms the southern part of Musselburgh. It is situated on slightly elevated ground at the south of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland...
, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
and was buried at Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore is a village in County Galway, Ireland. It is located on the N83 national secondary road at its junction with the R328 and R360 regional roads.Until the early 1980s, the N83 through Dunmore was on the main road from Sligo to Galway City...
, Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
.
Sources
- Christine Lodge, Murray , Catherine, countess of Dunmore (1814–1886), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, accessed 26 Oct 2007