John Murray, 5th Duke of Atholl
Encyclopedia
John Murray, 5th Duke of Atholl (1778–1846) was a Duke
in the Peerage of Scotland
, a British Army
officer and a major landowner in Scotland. Declared insane at the age of twenty, he never sat in the House of Lords
.
He held the office of Sheriff of Perthshire from 1830 until his death. His titles included Duke
, Marquess and Earl of Atholl
, Marquess and Earl of Tullibardine, Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle, Viscount of Balquhidder, Glenalmond and Glenlyon, Lord Murray of Tullibardine, Lord Gask and Balquhidder, all in the peerage of Scotland; Baron Strange
in the peerage of England
, and Earl Strange and Baron Murray in the peerage of Great Britain
.
Lord John Murray was born on 26 June 1778 at Dunkeld
, Perthshire
, the second son of the 4th Duke
by his marriage to the Hon. Jane Cathcart, daughter of Charles Cathcart, 9th Baron Cathcart, and baptized
on 17 July 1778. However, his older brother died in childhood, leaving him as heir to the family titles and estates, and from then until his father's death in 1830 he was known by the courtesy title
of Marquess of Tullibardine. He was educated at Eton
and in 1797 was commissioned as an ensign
into the 61st Regiment of Foot
. However, in 1798 he was declared of "unsound mind".
The Duke never married and died childless and insane at Greville Place, St John's Wood
, London
, on 14 September 1846 at the age of sixty-eight. He was succeeded by his nephew George Murray
, the son of the Duke's younger brother James Murray, 1st Baron Glenlyon
(1782–1837).
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
in the Peerage of Scotland
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
, a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and a major landowner in Scotland. Declared insane at the age of twenty, he never sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
He held the office of Sheriff of Perthshire from 1830 until his death. His titles included Duke
Duke of Atholl
Duke of Atholl, alternatively Duke of Athole, named after Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray...
, Marquess and Earl of Atholl
Earl of Atholl
The Mormaer of Earl of Atholl refers to a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl , now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is reported from the Pictish period. The only other two Pictish kingdoms to be known from...
, Marquess and Earl of Tullibardine, Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle, Viscount of Balquhidder, Glenalmond and Glenlyon, Lord Murray of Tullibardine, Lord Gask and Balquhidder, all in the peerage of Scotland; Baron Strange
Baron Strange
Baron Strange is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of England. Two creations, one in 1295 and another in 1325, had only one holder each, upon the death of whom they became extinct. Two of the creations are still extant, however...
in the peerage of England
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
, and Earl Strange and Baron Murray in the peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
.
Lord John Murray was born on 26 June 1778 at Dunkeld
Dunkeld
Dunkeld is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is about 15 miles north of Perth on the eastern side of the A9 road into the Scottish Highlands and on the opposite side of the Tay from the Victorian village of Birnam. Dunkeld and Birnam share a railway station, on the...
, Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, the second son of the 4th Duke
John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl KT, PC, FRS , styled Marquess of Tullibardine 1764 and 1774, was a Scottish peer.-Background:...
by his marriage to the Hon. Jane Cathcart, daughter of Charles Cathcart, 9th Baron Cathcart, and baptized
Infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
on 17 July 1778. However, his older brother died in childhood, leaving him as heir to the family titles and estates, and from then until his father's death in 1830 he was known by the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Marquess of Tullibardine. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and in 1797 was commissioned as an ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
into the 61st Regiment of Foot
61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot
The 61st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, created in 1758 and amalgamated into The Gloucestershire Regiment in 1881....
. However, in 1798 he was declared of "unsound mind".
The Duke never married and died childless and insane at Greville Place, St John's Wood
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
, London
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...
, on 14 September 1846 at the age of sixty-eight. He was succeeded by his nephew George Murray
George Murray, 6th Duke of Atholl
George Augustus Frederick John Murray, 6th Duke of Atholl KT, DL was a Scottish peer and freemason....
, the son of the Duke's younger brother James Murray, 1st Baron Glenlyon
James Murray, 1st Baron Glenlyon
Lieutenant-General James Murray, 1st Baron Glenlyon FRS KCH was a British Army officer, member of parliament and peer. Before being granted the title of Baron Glenlyon in 1821, he was known from birth as Lord James Murray.-Life:Murray was born in 1782 at Dunkeld, Perthshire, the son of John...
(1782–1837).