Biography

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William David Murray, 4th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield (1806-1898)

William David Murray, 4th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield was born on 21 February 1806. He was the son of David William Murray, 3rd Earl of Mansfield and Frederica, daughter of Archbishop Markham. He succeeded his father in 1840 to the Earldom of Mansfield (the 1792 creation). He also succeeded his grandmother, Louisa Murray, 2nd Countess of Mansfield, in 1843 as Earl of Mansfield (1776 creation). In 1829 he married Louisa, daughter of Cuthbert Eddison of Hebburn Hall, Durham. They had one daughter and one son. In 1840 the Earl of Dunmore sold his estate of Taymount to Lord Mansfield.

Murray was Tory Member of Parliament for Aldborough in 1830; for Woodstock in 1831; for Norwich from 1832–1837, and for Perthshire from 1837–1840. He served as a Lord of the Treasury in Sir Robert Peel's short first administration from 1834–1835.

Murray was appointed Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1852, 1858 and 1859. He was Lieutenant-Colonel of the Stirlingshire Militia from 1828–1855, Lord Lieutenant of Clackmannanshire from 1852, hereditary keeper of Scone Palace, and Senior Member of the Carlton Club. He was appointed a Knight of the Thistle in 1843 and was for a time Senior Knight.

He died on 1 August 1898 and was succeeded by his grandson, Lord Balvaird.