Abijah Murray Junior: 1852-1912

1885, By this time Abijah and his sister Maria were living with their father at 15 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh. On 19 February his father, Abijah Senior, died; followed on 16 March by the death of his brother, Ebenezer.

1887, aged 35 - He received a hand-written letter dated 3 August (addressed to Abijah Murray Esq, 125 George Street, Edinburgh) from John Earle MA, Professor of Anglo Saxon at the University of Oxford, writing from Swanswick Rectory in Bath where he was the Rector. He was the author of a book called "The Philology of the English tongue", the first edition of which had been published in 1871.

1888, aged 36 - Appointed as an Officer with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Volunteer Forces with effect from 7 January. The official document from the Court of St James's (shown here in two halves [1] and [2]) carries the seal of Queen Victoria and is dated 31 December 1887. He joined the newly designated Queens Rifle Volunteer Brigade, Edinburgh.

1889, aged 37 - Married Grace McDiarmid on 27 June 1889. There is a Registrar's Certificate signed by R W Charlton, Assistant Registrar of the District of Newington in the city of Edinburgh, and dated 14 June 1889, giving notice of the intended marriage of Abijah Murray, Bachelor and Clerk to the Board of Supervision, 5 Meadow Place, Edinburgh, to Grace McDiarmid, Spinster, Morenish Farm, Killin, Co Perth.

There is a Certificate of Proclamation of Banns dated 25 June 1889 for Abijah Murray, Clerk, of 5 Meadow Place, Edinburgh and Grace McDiarmid of Morenish Farm, to be married in the parish Church of Kenmore.

There is a Certificate of Marriageat Morenish, Killin, on 27 June 1889. We know from the wedding notice published in the Scotsman that the marriage took place at Morenish Farm and that the Minister was the Rev Alex McDiarmid MA, Free Church, Grantown, a cousin of the bride. He was assisted by the Rev John McBean MA, Free Church, Killin.

1890 - Birth of Abijah and Grace's first child, Margaret Campbell Murray, on 14 August.

1891, aged 38 - We know from the 1891 Census that Abijah junior was now the head of the household and residing at 5 Meadow Place, Edinburgh - a house of 7 rooms with one or more windows. He was still working as a CS Clerk (2^ndClass) at the Board of Supervision. His eldest child, Margaret, was 7 months old. Also living with him was his wife, Grace, and his unmarried sister, Maria aged 36, who worked as a tutor in English language and literature.

1892 - Birth of Abijah and Grace's second child, William Murray on 5 April 1892.

1894 - Birth of Robert McDiarmid Murray on 11 January.

Also in 1894 the Local Government (Scotland) Act was passed which abolished the Board of Supervision, where Abijah worked, and established the Local Government Board for Scotland instead. Abijah was appointed Staff Clerk in charge of the Local Government branch of the Department, where he was responsible for working with the Board to implement the new Act.

Three years later in 1897 on the appointment of Mr George Falconar-Stewart to be Secretary to the Board, Abijah was promoted to the position of Chief Clerk to the Local Government Board. According to the obituary which the Scotsman ran on his death he discharged his duties "with conspicuous ability and success. to a wide knowledge of the principles underlying the numerous questions which the Board are called upon to consider, he added clear and sound judgement and his help and advice were invaluable to the Board, while his kindly and sympathetic nature endeared him to all those with whom he came in contact."

1897: I have a photo dated 24 March 1897 showing Captain Abijah Murray of the Queen's Edinburgh Rifle Volunteer Brigade, sporting a long service medal. He had joined the Brigade as a 2nd Lieutenant on 7 January 1888. On 19 December 1891 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant having that year passed the Examination in Tactics laid down for lieutenants in the Army. In 1892 he obtained his Certificate of Proficiency and became a Captain on 14 January 1893. He continued to serve at this rank until March 1897. He also used to shoot for the Scottish Twenty Club at Wimbledon, using a Martini Henry Rifle.

Later on, a Reuter's telegram announcing his death included the following: "Deceased was for long a well-known member of the Queen's Edinburgh Volunteers, and was one of the most enthusiastic shooting men of the boys of the old brigade". He was one of the founders, and was for long the Secretary, of the Queen's Rifle Club, one of the first such combinations to be formed in the country, and one which in no small degree contributed to the shooting superiority of the "premier Brigade". As a Volunteer he was held in great respect and esteem by his comrades, and his quiet and effective management of the affairs of the club made the gatherings at Malleny and elsewhere days to be looked back upon with pleasure. He was for long a sergeant in the Civil Service Company, but latterly took a commission which he held for some years. He retired shortly before the Volunteers were transformed into the Territorials."

1901, aged 48 - By now the family had gone up in the world. We know from the Census that they were living at 50 Fountainhall Road, in the parish of Newington, Edinburgh. That house had 15 rooms with one or more windows and Abijah was still Chief Clerk at the Local Government Board, Scotland. His sister Maria was still unmarried and living with him. She continued to work from the family home as an English language and literature tutor. By now there were three children: Margaret aged 10, William aged 8 and Robert aged 7. All three were scholars.

1903, aged 51 - Appointed by King Edward the Seventh as a Companion of the Imperial Service Order. This Order was instituted in August 1902 and was awarded for meritorious service in the clerical and administrative grades of the Civil Service throughout the British Empire. It was no doubt a significant honour to achieve this award so soon after its institution, and it allowed Abijah to use the letters ISO after his name.

Among the family documents that have been handed down to me is an A5 scrap of paper with a hand-drawn sketch of the medal and a diagram effectively showing the stage directions for the ceremony at which Abijah received his insignia from the King. The sketch of the medal describes the star as silver, the centre and crown as gilt, and the letters "For Faithful Service" as blue enamel. The ribbon has a centre blue stripe with red stripes on either side. The diagram of the award ceremony shows a cloakroom at the foot of some stairs. Abijah evidently went up the stairs, along a corridor into a long narrow room with a piano at one end and a table at the other. He had to wait for one hour in this room, by the table. He then had to cross a picture gallery to enter the room where the medals were presented. At one end of this room was a dais. The King sat, or stood, on this dais, flanked on his right side by the Lord Chamberlain and on his left stood an officer with a red velvet cushion. Behind these three, on the dais, were various officers and members of the King's household. In front of the King, facing him was a line of Gentlemen at Arms; and behind them, half-filling the room, were several rows of Officers. Abijah had to walk between the line of Gentlemen on his right and the King on his left. After receiving his medal from the King he had to walk down to the end of the room to enter another where there were 3 Gentlemen "taking hooks out of coat and putting insignia into cases". He then had to return down the steps he'd climbed up at the beginning back to the cloakroom. I wonder if he made this sketch so he could describe events in detail to his folks back home. Or if he simply wanted to remember it himself in years to come. Perhaps it was both. Either way, though, it's quite amazing - and very pleasing - that such a small scrap of paper has survived in the family for over 100 years for us still to treasure.....more about the investiture.

In 1906 there was an exchange of correspondence between a Mr R C Tombs and Lord Knollys, Private Secretary to Kind Edward VII about the position the ISO should occupy in the order of precedence. Mr Tombs wrote on 15 May and by 24 May the matter had been resolved: the ISO was to come "direct after the DSO and immediately in front of the 5th class of the Royal Victorian Order".

1909, aged 57 - There is a letter dated 12 June 1909 from the Scottish Office, Whitehall (ref 9630 7406), appointing Abijah Murray as Secretary to the Local Government Board for Scotland, Edinburgh on the retirement of George Falconar-Stewart. This was a Commission approved by the Secretary of State for Scotland under the Royal Sign Manual. The letter of appointment reads: "Sir, I am directed by the Secretary of State for Scotland to transmit to you the accompanying Commission under the Royal Sign Manual dated the 11th instant, appointing you to be Secretary to the Local Government Board for Scotland. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, M Dodds."

The Commission itself carries the signature of Edward VII - who signs Edward Rex - and reads as follows:

1912, aged 59 - On 29 January 1912 Abijah wrote to his son Willie from Ravensdale*, Mellor Road, Ashton-under-Lyne the following letter:

It seems likely that it was during this visit to England, in connection with the work of his office, that he caught the chill which three weeks later led to his untimely death on 19 February 1912, aged 59.

His death was reported by his younger son, William, and registered in the district of Newington, Edinburgh, on 20 February. The registry entry records the time of death as 3.25am on 19 February at 50 Fountainhall Gardens, his Edinburgh home. The stated cause of death was Diabetes Mellitus (3 years) and Osteo-myelitis (21 days), as certified by John L Green MD.....more

*Ravensdale was the home of the Rev Henry Parnaby, Minister of Albion Congregational Church, Ashton-under-Lyne and formerly Minister of Augustine Church, Edinburgh - which explains the link to Abijah.

I also learned from the address given by Brian Bailey, the Minister of Augustine Church Edinburgh, at the funeral service of my great uncle William Murray that Abijah was a founding member of the church and that he watched over the construction of the building on George IV Bridge. He was evidently steeped in a liberal and scholastic theology with a strong biblical basis.

Notwithstanding his busy official life he found time for much beneficent work, done quietly and unostentatiously. As well as taking an active part in the management of Augustine Congregational Church, and long before Boys' Brigades were heard of, as a teacher at the Simon's Square Mission School, he had organised the boys into classes for physical drill, swimming and out-of-door exercises.

.....census information

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