John Archibald Murray

Sir John Archibald Murray, Lord Murray FRSE (1778–1859) was a Scottish judge.

He was born in Midlothian on 8 June 1778. He was the second son of Alexander Murray, Lord Henderland, Lord of Session and Justiciary. His mother was Katherine Lindsay, daughter of Sir Alexander Lindsay of Evelick, Perthshire, and a niece of the first Lord Mansfield. His brother was William Murray of Henderland FRSE.

He was educated successively at the Edinburgh High School, at Westminster School, and at the University of Edinburgh. At Edinburgh he was a member of the Juvenile Literary Society, of which Henry Brougham and Francis Horner were the leading spirits, and of the Speculative Society.

He constantly corresponded with Horner till the latter's death in 1817, and his letters form a chief part of the Memoirs of Horner, 1843.

In 1799, Murray passed to the Scottish bar. On the establishment of the Edinburgh Review, Sydney Smith, F. Horner, Francis Jeffrey, Dr. Thomas Brown, and he, met for a time as joint editors in Jeffrey's house, and he long continued a frequent contributor. His early career at the bar was distinguished, but being in easy circumstances he latterly relaxed his efforts.

In 1826, he married Mary, the eldest daughter of William Rigby of Oldfield Hall, Cheshire. An ardent liberal, Murray threw in his lot with the brilliant band of young Edinburgh whig lawyers, and took a prominent part in the agitation which led to the passing of the Reform Bill of 1832. In December 1832, he was returned unopposed for Leith Burghs, which had been enfranchised under the bill, and was appointed recorder of the great roll and clerk of the pipe, a sinecure in the Scottish exchequer which he did not long hold.

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