The 11th Duke of Atholl, centre, in his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Atholl Highlanders

John Murray, the Chief of the Murray clans and 11th Duke of Atholl has died in a South African hospital on Tuesday, 15th May after suffering a stroke. He was 83.
The Johannesburg born Murray became Clan Chief and inherited the Dukedom after his cousin George Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl passed away unmarried in 1996.

Murray, the 4x great-grandson of John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl, was born in South Africa in 1929, the only child of Major George Murray and his wife Joan Eastwood. His father was killed in 1940 in active service during the Second World War.
A land surveyor by profession, John married Margaret ‘Peggy’ Leach in 1956 and had three children together: Lady Jennifer Murray; Bruce Murray, Marquess of Tullibardine; and Lord Craig Murray. The eldest son, Bruce, will now become the 12th Duke of Atholl.

A spokesperson at the Atholl Estates in Perthshire announced the death of the Duke and said that his standard would be flown at half-mast out of respect. He added,

“The Duke was Colonel-in-Chief of the Atholl Highlanders and over the years had become a well known figure on Atholl Estates. He visited Scotland every year for the Atholl Highlander’s parade and gathering held at the end of May.
“As he would have wished, the parade will be held this year as usual, at Blair Castle on Saturday May 26 and the Gathering on Sunday 27.
“A service of remembrance will be held at Blair Castle when the Atholl Highlanders and local friends will have a chance to remember the Duke.”

Andrew Bruce Wooton, the general manager at Blair Castle said,

”He was in his 80s and had a full and fantastic life. His family are feeling the sorrow but are thankful he had such an interesting and varied life. He was such a happy and joyful man.”

Apparently, it has been confirmed that Bruce Murray, the new Duke, will visit Blair Atholl to inspect the Highlanders at the next coming parade and gathering.

The 11th Duke was well liked around the estate, and made many friends. Edna Mackay, a former employee at Blair Castle, and good friend, who spent much time with Duke and Duchess, both in Scotland and South Africa, was very saddened by the news of Murray’s death. She went on to say,

“He was proud to be the Duke of Atholl and he carried out his duties very well. We are a small community and he will be greatly missed by the many friends he made here.”

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Blaze at Blair Castle

Atholl Estates, which runs the castle, said that the actions of firefighters preveneted the blaze from having catastrophic consequences.

A statement released on Friday noted: “The swift action of the emergency services to a fire at Blair Castle averted a near catastrophe last night.

“Flames were spotted rising from the clock tower at the south end of the castle at around 8.45pm where a chimney fire had broken out above the castle’s wood chip boiler.

“Thankfully the castle was empty at the time and the few residents were quickly evacuated.

“Fears that the fire would spread to the rest of the castle failed to materialise and fire fighters had fully extinguished the blaze by 10pm.”

The interior of the clock tower was gutted in the blaze, while the roof also collapsed.

Power supply to the main castle offices was also cut off during the fire, however management are in discussions with insurers and emergency services to get this damage repaired as quickly as possible.

Six fire engines and an aerial platform battled the the flames.

Around 50 firefighters tackled the fire using breathing apparatus, while the roof of the clocktower fell into the building during the incident.

Atholl Estates also confirmed on Friday that the castle would be open from 9.30am to 2.30pm on Saturday.

Andrew Bruce Wootton, general manager of Atholl Estates that runs the castle, said: “The roof of the clocktower was substantially on fire, flames were rising quite high with sparks flying everywhere because of the strong winds.

“The area where the fire started is a contained part of the building and it did not spread any further. No one was injured and nothing of historical significance was damaged.”

The clock tower was built at the castle in the 19th century after a blaze ripped through the structure.

Rab Middlemiss, group manager of Tayside Fire and Rescue, said: “Our fire crews stopped the fire from spreading into the residential wings adjacent to the clocktower.

“Everybody got out of the building fine and after we extinguished the fire our crews went into the clocktower to assess the damage.

“We will now be carrying out a full investigation into the cause of the fire, but it does not appear to be suspicious.”

Blair Castle

Blair Castle is the ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl and its history dates back around 740 years.

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HARDEN GLEN

Thus young William was a member of one of the more illustrious Scottish Border clans, the Scotts. Indeed to this day they are one of the premier landowners in Great Britain. In the Border Lands of the 16th century they were a great force, their exploits many and legendary.

Auld Wat joined forces with Walter Scott of Buccleuch in the raid on Carlisle castle in 1596 to rescue William Armstrong of Kinmont who had been imprisoned illegally by the English. It was a deed of derring-do and is remembered with pride by the Border Scots to this day.

The lands of the Harden Scotts bordered and abutted those of the Murrays of Elibank. The two families were constantly at ‘feud’ whereby each took every opportunity to steal from the other. Both families suffered from the endless reprisals.

The animosity and hatred which prevailed between the two families was to be overcome when young William was married. What began as yet another of the endless raids between the two families would have a novel outcome.

Muckle Mouthed Meg was the daughter of Sir Gideon Murray of Elibank. She was one of many daughters who blessed the union of Sir Gideon and his wife. Where some of the others were comely and attractive wenches, Meg was ugly. Her most notable feature was her mouth. Set in a face that invited derision from its angular and protruding jaw, it was wide, oh so wide; her lips were thick and full and, though conscious of the effect they had on any onlooker, Meg was a happy lass and could not refrain from smiling at any given opportunity. When she smiled or laughed her mouth seemed to cover her face from ear to ear. Embarrassed she might be but she could not refrain from giving vent to her disposition for happiness. A smile was a wonder to behold. The eligible young men of the district of Elibank were uneasy in her presence and gave its walls a wide berth.

IIt seemed that Meg, or to be more exact, Lady Agnes Murray, would remain unmarried much to the concern of her parents who were proud of the endearing qualities of their unfortunate daughter. She was loving, considerate and gentle, a source of great content to her doting parents. They had, however, grown resigned that their daughter would be with them until it was time for them to die.

Elibank castle, the ruins of which can still be seen, stands on the banks of the river Tweed. Fifteen miles to the south in the Ettrick valley, at another fortified tower of the Border Reiving days, Aikwood or Oakwood, lived the Scotts of Harden. (Oakwood is still lived in to this day by the former leader of the Liberal Party, and Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Sir David Steel).

One day he his avarice overcame his common-sense and he set off with a raiding party intent on lifting Murray’s cattle. The foray went badly awry and young William soon found himself held at Sir Gideon’s pleasure. The dungeons of Elibank were dark, damp and inhospitable.

Sir Gideon was intent on making a great show of the punishment he would dole out to William and advertised to neighbours and friends far and wide that there was to be a hanging. There were all cordially invited to attend.

Lady Murray had other ideas. She was well taken by the appearance of the handsome young man and ventured the proposition to her husband that his life should be spared if he would agree to marry their daughter Meg.

Initially Sir Gideon would have none of it, but on reflection his wife’s proposal had more than one advantage. He would marry off his daughter and cement a relationship with the House of Harden. The wiles of women are sometimes hard to estimate, he thought, but this was a first-rate idea.

The handsome William knew well of Muckle Mouthed Meg. Her ugliness was renowned throughout the valley of the Ettrick water. When he was approached by Sir Gideon and offered marriage to Meg as an alternative to standing the drop that would end his life, he asked for time to consider the proposal. Eventually, though he loved life to the full, he declined the offer and resigned himself to the noose. Hanging would be quick. The thought of a life-time with Meg a far greater punishment.

On the next day he was taken up from the dungeons and out into the woods beyond Elibank. As he approached the tree from which hung the rope that would end his life he saw that Meg was standing there, tearful, ready to intercede for his life even should he spurn her. He was much taken by her solicitude and woeful appearance. As he approached the tree, the rope swinging lazily in the slight breeze, he stopped dead in his tracks. The burly men, who stood at each side of him as escorts to his death, grappled with him and tried to force him forwards. William resisted and looked at the pitiful face of the young woman, ugly as she was. She was clearly tormented by the action that was unfolding. His heart melted at the sight of her distress. He threw off his warders with a mighty and determined show of strength and ran to her open arms.

Meg and young Wat were married within a short space of time. History tells us that it was a loving union, full of happiness and respect.

Border Reivers

The Houses of Harden and Elibank , so long at each others’ throats, would be united at last… if only for a while.

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