Years of service 1797–1830 | Rank Major General Name James Murray | |
Born 21 January 1782Leghorn, Italy ( 1782-01-21 ) Battles/wars War of the Second CoalitionHelder CampaignFerrol ExpeditionPeninsular War | ||
Major General James Patrick Murray (21 January 1782 – 5 December 1834) was a British Army officer who served briefly as a Member of Parliament (MP), despite being under age.
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Family and early life
Murray was born in Leghorn, the oldest son of General James Murray (1721–1794) of Beauport Park. His mother was Ann Witham, his father's second wife. His father was the fifth son of Alexander Murray, 4th Lord Elibank.
He was educated at Westminster School, and in 1803 he married Elizabeth Rushworth, daughter of Rev Edward Rushworth of Freshwater House. They had 6 sons and 6 daughters.
Career
Murray joined the British Army in 1797, rising to the rank of major general before he retired in 1830. He served with his relative Sir James Pulteney in the Helder Campaign and the Ferrol Expedition. He lost the use of his right arm during the Peninsular War, and retired to his home at Killenure near Athlone in Ireland.
At the general election in July 1802, Murray was elected to the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the rotten borough of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. At the time he was only 20 years old, even though the minimum age for MPs was 21 until 2006. His election appears to have been only as a place-holder on behalf of Lord Holmes, the clergyman-peer who was patron of the borough. Murray resigned his seat in early 1803, by the procedural device of accepting appointment to the sinecure of Steward of the Manor of East Hendred.