MURRAY'S ACCOUNT OF THE AMERICAN MID WEST AND INDIAN LIFE AND CUSTOMS WAS WIDELY ADMIRED DURING HIS LIFETIME BY FELLOW WRITERS FAMILIAR WITH THE AMERICAN PLAINS AND ITS NATIVE PEOPLES, AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SOURCE MATERIAL FOR WRITERS DOWN TO THE PRESENT DAY. MARK TWAIN, IN HIS OWN "LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI” (PUBLISHED 1883) NOTED WITH APPRECIATION MURRAY’S DESCRIPTION OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, IN PARTICULAR HIS DESCRIPTIONS OF ST LOUIS, MISSOURI. MORE RECENTLY, MURRAY'S LENGTHY DESCRIPTIONS OF THE LIFE AND CUSTOMS OF THE PAWNEE INDIANS PROVIDED SOURCE MATERIAL FOR DOROTHY M. JOHNSON'S 1950’s SHORT STORY "A MAN CALLED HORSE", THE TALE OF AN ENGLISH ARISTOCRAT CAPTURED BY SIOUX INDIANS, WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED INTO A MULTIPLE OSCAR WINNING MOVIE OF THE SAME NAME, STARRING RICHARD HARRIS. MURRAY'S DESCRIPTIONS OF LIFE WITH THE PAWNEE INDIANS ALSO PROVIDED THE SOURCE MATERIAL FOR MICHAEL BLAKE'S DEPICTION OF THEM AS THE "ENEMY TRIBE" OF THE LAKOTA SIOUX IN HIS 1988 AMERICAN CIVIL WAR NOVEL "DANCES WITH WOLVES", LATER ADAPTED INTO ANOTHER MULTIPLE OSCAR WINNING MOVIE "DANCES WITH WOLVES”.
AFTER RETURNING TO ENGLAND MURRAY’S ARISTOCRATIC CONNECTIONS LED TO HIM BEING APPOINTED GROOM-IN-WAITING AT THE COURT OF QUEEN VICTORIA IN 1838, AND A FEW MONTHS LATER TO HIS BEING APPOINTED MASTER OF THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD, A POST THAT HE HELD UNTIL 1844. SUBSEQUENTLY MURRAY JOINED THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE, HIS POSTINGS AT VARIOUS EMBASSIES IN EUROPE AND ASIA, INCLUDING A TROUBLED APPOINTMENT AS AMBASSADOR TO PERSIA, 1854-59. WHILST AMBASSADOR TO PERSIA, A DISPUTE ERUPTED BETWEEN MURRAY AND A SENIOR OFFICIAL AT THE COURT OF THE SHAH OF PERSIA, WHICH CAUSED A SERIOUS RUPTURE IN ANGLO-PERSIAN RELATIONS, ULTIMATELY LEADING TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE ANGLO-PERSIAN WAR OF 1856-57.
MURRAY EARNED THE NICKNAME “HIPPOPOTAMUS" MURRAY FOR HIS HAVING, IN 1849, WHILST CONSUL-GENERAL IN EGYPT, IMPORTED INTO BRITAIN THE FIRST HIPPOPOTAMUS TO BE EXHIBITED IN THE COUNTRY AND THE FIRST HIPPOPOTAMUS SEEN IN EUROPE FOR OVER 1,500 YEARS (SINCE ROMAN TIMES), AND FOR THE ATTENTION THAT MURRAY SUBSEQUENTLY LAVISHED ON THE HIPPOPOTAMUS WHILST IT WAS HOUSED IN LONDON ZOO.
IN RETIREMENT MURRAY, WHO READ AND SPOKE FIFTEEN LANGUAGES, DEVOTED HIMSELF TO THE STUDY OF ORIENTAL LANGUAGES, PHILOLOGY AND THEOLOGY. MURRAY'S FINAL YEARS WERE SPENT AT THE GRANGE, OLD WINDSOR, BERKSHIRE AND HE DIED IN PARIS ON 3RD JUNE 1895.
The insignia comprising Neck Badge, in 18 carat gold, London hallmarks for 1860 and maker’s mark “RG” crowned (for Robert Garrard), width 36.5mm, with full neck cravat and gold buckle; Breast Star, circa 1860, reverse engraved ‘R.&S, Garrard & Co., Goldsmiths, Jewellers &c. to the Queen, His Royal Highness Prince Albert and all the Royal Family, Panton Street London’ with "WN" maker's mark below for William Neal, 72mm wide, with stout gold hinged pin to reverse; with the original green velvet display pad from the case of issue for the insignia. Minor rubbing to high points of breast star, otherwise Extremely Fine and virtually as issued.
Insignia accompanied by an important archive of original correspondence and documents, including:
(1)An original 4 page manuscript letter on mourning notepaper from Sir Charles to his "sister" Emmeline, dated 26th August 1852, the letter also "signed" by Sir Charles's 9 month old son, Charles James Murray.
(2)An original 4 page manuscript letter from Sir Charles to his son "little Charlie"
(3)An original 3 page manuscript letter from D.W. Mitchell, Secretary, Zoological Society of London, to Sir Charles, thanking him for bringing the first hippopotamus to England "for 1,500 years" (i.e. since Roman times), for preserving the life of the hippopotamus in Cairo during the winter of 1849-50, and for "the skill with which you finally conveyed him to this country", and describing Murray's services with regard to the delivery of the hippopotamus to London Zoo as being "by far the most difficult which has even been undertaken since the foundation of the Society, and it seems scarcely possible that it can ever be excelled", Mitchell forwarding the Zoological Society's silver medal to Murray in gratitude
(4) A clipping from The Times of 17/1/1859:
"Mr Murray in Persia, the Teheran Gazette, which is as voracious and perhaps more so than its London namesake makes the following ‘amende’ to Mr Murray in one of its recent numbers - When his Excellency Mr Murray, the British Minister at this Court, first came to Persia, only a short time elapsed before a coolness arose between him and the chief servant of the Government and certain unsuitable imputations were then directed at his Excellency. This even went so far as to be published in the Gazette, and in a Book of History which has been circulated in the country. On inquiry being made and the facts re-examined it has become clear that these statements were entirely without foundation and that they were pure inventions and calumnies. Therefore, for the purpose of clearing up this matter, we have now caused this statement to be published in the Gazette of this week, so that it may be evident and known to all its readers that his Excellency Mr. Murray and the opposite party (this refers to the wife of Hashem Khan) are entirely free from these charges and imputations. This announcement will also be published in the History of Persia, in order to remove all doubts."
(5) An original 4 page manuscript letter on Buckingham Palace mourning notepaper dated May 1861, with its original Buckingham Palace mourning envelope, written on behalf of Queen Victoria following the death of the Duchess of Kent, the Queen Mother, and addressed to Murray at the British Legation in Dresden:
”The Queen is graciously pleased to wish that you, as one of Her Majesty's lamented mother's old friends in her household should receive as a remembrance something belonging to her Royal Highness." and forwarding to Murray a "memento" formerly in the possession of the Queen Mother, the letter signed by Augusta Bruce (1821-1876), who in April 1861, following the death of the Queen Mother, had been appointed by Queen Victoria as Resident Woman-of-the-Bedchamber.
(6) An original 1 page detailed manuscript financial account from Murray's publishers, William Blackwood and Sons, addressed to his wife, Lady Murray
(7) A typed letter dated 18/1/1991 addressed to a Mrs E. Murray, the wife of Murray's grandson, thanking her for donating various original 19th century photographs, daguerrotypes, stereoscopic daguerrotypes, etc from the Murray Family archives, including various photographs of Murray and his son, Charles James Murray.
(8) An undated (circa 1991) 20 page typed schedule of various papers and documents from Sir Charles Murray's archive that had been donated to the Scottish National Archives.
(9) An original 1 page typed letter on Buckingham Palace notepaper to the wife of Sir Charles Augustus Murray's grandson, informing her that there was no need for her to return Sir Charles Augustus Murray's KCB insignia, signed by Jonathan Spencer, Assistant Secretary, Lord Chamberlain's Office
(10) An American valuation report for Sir Charles Augustus Murray's KCB insignia, dated December 1999, carried out for the American medal collector Harry Bendorf
(11) an original copy of Sir Charle's Murray's obituary from "The Atheneum" of 28/6/1895
"In the last week two men have passed away who were emphatically links with the past. If Sir James Bacon was the doyen of the legal profession, Sir Charles Murray was the doyen of diplomacy. Until the last-named died unexpectedly in his eighty-ninth year last Monday, there was one living who could as an undergraduate of Oriel, remember John Henry Newman in the college as a tutor; who was beyond question a type of the old-world fellows of All Souls; who could recall several days spent in friendly intimacy with Goethe at Weimar; who had a standing invitation to Rogers's breakfast party in that historic room overlooking the Green Park; who had more than once crossed swords with Sydney Smith; who had passed six months among the Pawnees, a tribe that for many years has lived only in the pages of Fenimore Cooper; who has served at court as Master of the Household for several of the early years of the Queen's reign and could remember the days of the Prince Consort's coming to England; who had "seen many men and many cities" and had recorded some of his varied experiences in pages which are still read. His eye was not dimmed by his many years, nor did his memory fail. Unhappily, much of what he had seen and learnt and known must die, it is feared, with him. If ever the recollections of a man were worth writing and printing, those of Sir Charles Murray would be."
The following biographical details have been extracted from the Dictionary of National Biography (2004 edition).
Sir Charles Augustus Murray (1806-1895), diplomatist and author, was the second son of George Murray, fifth earl of Dunmore (1762-1836), and his wife, Lady Susan Hamilton (died 1846), the daughter of Archibald, ninth duke of Hamilton, was born on 22 November 1806. He was educated at Eton College and at Oriel College, Oxford, where he matriculated on 21 May 1824, and graduated BA, subsequently being elected to a fellowship of All Souls in 1827 (MA 1832). While an undergraduate Murray had John Henry Newman as his tutor. He never inspired me', wrote Murray, 'Or my fellow-undergraduates with any interest, much less respect; on the contrary, we disliked, or rather distrusted, him. He walked with his head bent, abstracted, but every now and then looking out of the corners of his eyes quickly, as though suspicious. He had no influence then; it was only when he became vicar of St Mary's that the long dormant power asserted itself'. Murray's chief undergraduate friend was Sidney Herbert (later Baron Herbert of Lea), but it was in company with Lord Edward Thynne, son of the second marquess of Bath, that Murray, who was a great athlete, performed his most famous feat of endurance. Having been 'gated' for a minor offence, Murray made a bet that he would ride to London, 60 miles, and back in one day. Having left Oxford shortly after 8 a.m., he and Thynne rode to London, changed their clothes, mounted two hacks and rode in the park, dined at a club, saw the first act of a play, and were back at the gate of Oriel College three minutes before midnight, having accomplished their feat by riding a relay of horses, with changes of mount at Henley and Maidenhead. After taking his degree Murray was admitted student of Lincoln's Inn in 1827 and read for the bar with Nassau Senior. His mother's house was a favourite rendezvous of literary and political characters, and Murray, a very handsome and charming young man with a strong interest in literature, and an excellent classical scholar, formed many friendships with people distinguished in both fields. He became a frequent guest at Samuel Rogers's breakfast table, and left numerous notes of scenes and incidents which he witnessed there. When travelling in Germany in 1830 he met Goethe, at that time minister of the grand duchy of Weimar. In 1834 Murray visited the United States and in 1835 he joined a group of wandering Pawnees: his three months in the wilds, with many exciting adventures and narrow escapes, were afterwards described, together with his visit to Cuba, in his Travels in North America (1839). During his stay in America, Murray fell in love with Elise, daughter of James Wadsworth, a wealthy gentleman living near Niagara, who disapproved of their betrothal, and forbade all communication between them. Their only contact between 1835 and 1849 was through the indirect means of a novel written by Murray, “The Prairie Bird” (published 1844), in which he managed to convey the assurance of his unalterable constancy. In 1849. however, the father died, and the couple were able to marry in 1850. Elise died a vear later in childbirth: the son, Charles James, later became MP for Coventry. In 1838 Murray was appointed groom-in-waiting at the court of Queen Victoria, and a few months later he became master of the household, an office which he held until 1844, when he was eased out in Prince Albert's reform of the household. He then entered the diplomatic service as secretary of legation at Naples. In 1846 he became consul-general in Egypt during the vicerovalty of Mehmet Ali (of whom he wrote a memoir, published in 1898) He remained there until 1853, when he was appointed to Bern as minister to the Swiss confederation. Murrav's official connection with Egypt was memorable for his success in securing, in 1849, for the Zoological Society the first hippopotamus ever to be imported into Britain. The animal was safely lodged in the gardens in May 1850, and lived there until its death in 1878. In 1854 Lord Clarendon selected Murray to go as envoy and minister-plenipotentiary to the court of Persia, which turned out an unfortunate mission for him. The shah was entirely under the control of his grand vizier, Sadr-i-Aszam, who, suspecting Murray of interference with his ascendancy, made allegations against the British envoy, and threatened to ally with Russia in the Crimean War, with the aim of expanding Persian influence and perhaps gaining territory in Afghanistan. When Murray tried to employ Mirza Hashim Khan as a newswriter in the British mission, the Shah captured Khan's wife. Murray issued an ultimatum and on 19 November 1855 struck his flag and withdrew from Tehran to Baghdad. Once there, he was sidelined by the Foreign Office, which dealt with Persia through Stratford Canning at Constantinople. When Persia intervened at Herat on the Afghanistan frontier in July 1886, an ultimatum was issued and war followed in December, in which the Persian army was fairly quickly defeated. Murray was much blamed in the Commons and in The Times for this course of events, but he was defended by Clarendon, the foreign secretary, and by Palmerston. The peace treaty negotiated with Persia in 1857 was based on a commercial treaty which Murray had drawn up in 1856; Murray exchanged the ratified treaty on 2 May 1857 and returned to Tehran in July 1857, being ceremonially received and the quarrel of 1855 set aside. Murray himself attributed the disfavour he incurred from the shah's government to a novel policy initiated by the British cabinet, under which the custom of giving presents, an immemorial part of oriental diplomacy, was strictly prohibited, and the queen's representative had to go empty handed before the shah and the sadr, while the French and Russian ministers came with their hands full of gifts. In 1859 the Persian mission was transferred to the India Office, and Murray, preferring to serve under the Foreign Office, was appointed minister at the court of Saxony. On 1 November 1862 he married the Hon. Edythe Susan Esther Fitzpatrick (died 1906), daughter of the first Baron Castle- town. They had one son, Cecil, who died tragically on the anniversary of his father's death. In 1866 Murray was appointed KCB, having been a companion of the Bath since 1848, and was appointed minister at Copenhagen. The climate of Denmark proved too severe for his wife, however, and he applied for and obtained the British legation at Lisbon, which he kept until his final retirement from the service in 1874. He was sworn of the privy council on 13 May 1875. Murray's remaining years were spent in cultivated leisure. His charming manner, immense and varied store of reminiscences, and strikingly handsome appearance combined to make him a very well known figure in society. An excellent linguist, he devoted much study to oriental languages and philology, on which (along with theology), he left numerous notes and fragmentary treatises. He read and spoke fifteen languages. Murray lived during his later years at the Grange, Old Windsor, Berkshire, spending the winter months in the south of France. He died in Paris on 3 June 1895 His intellectual gifts and singular versatility deserved a greater eminence than he attained; no doubt he would have achieved this, had less affluent circumstances compelled him to concentrate his energy on a single object."
Insignia also accompanied by various copied research, including extracts from "Murray's Travels in North America", describing his experiences whilst travelling and living with the Pawnee Indians.
