Preceded by Sir Spencer Walpole Died April 4, 1936 Role Civil servant | Name George Murray | |
Education Harrow School, Christ Church, Oxford | ||
Succeeded by Henry Babington-Smith | ||
Sir George Herbert Murray GCB GCVO ISO PC (27 September 1849 – 4 April 1936) was a British civil servant.
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Early life and career
Murray was born in Southfleet, Kent, England, the son of the village's rector. He was educated at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. He entered the Foreign Office in 1873 and transferred to HM Treasury in 1880. From 1892 to 1894 he was private secretary to Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone in his role as First Lord of the Treasury, and remained private secretary to his successor, Lord Rosebery, until 1895.
Later career
In 1897, Murray was appointed chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue. In 1899 he became secretary to the General Post Office and in 1903 returned to the Treasury as Joint Permanent Secretary, in charge of administrative matters while Sir Edward Hamilton handled the financial affairs. On Hamilton's retirement in October 1907, Murray became sole permanent secretary. In 1909, Murray was involved in lobbying various Crossbench peers in the House of Lords to reject the Chancellor of the Exchequer's proposed budget. He retired on 23 July 1911.
From 1914, Murray played a prominent part in the management of the Prince of Wales's Fund. In 1915 he became chairman of the committee on the employment of soldiers and sailors disabled in the war. He was also a member of the Haldane Committee, which reported on the machinery of government in 1918
Murray was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1894 and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1899 Birthday Honours, shortly after joining the Post Office. He was appointed to the Imperial Service Order (ISO) in 1904, and was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1908. On 19 July 1910 he was appointed to the Privy Council, entitling him to the style "The Right Honourable". He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) in the 1920 New Year Honours.
Murray's son, Sir Evelyn Murray, also became secretary to the Post Office, the last person to hold the office.