Record

CodePX408
Dates1841-1914
Person NameMurray; Sir; John (1841-1914); Knight; Oceanographer
SurnameMurray
ForenamesJohn
PreTitleSir
TitleKnight
EpithetOceanographer
ActivityAttended the Public School of London, Ontario. Attended Victoria College, Cobourg. Aged 17 left Canada for Scotland, travelling across the ocean for the first time which made a great impression on him. Demonstrated great interest in Science at the High School, Stirling, Scotland. Attended the University of Edinburgh to study Science. Main areas of study were; Zoology, Anatomy, Chemistry and Natural History. He never graduated, missing examinations as he felt reward stemmed from learning what he wanted to learn. In 1868 accepted role of surgeon on the whaler 'Jan Mayen' after attending medical classes in Edinburgh. In 1872, under recommendation from Professor Tait, Murray was employed as the Naturalist aboard 'H M S Challenger'; a surveying ship embarking on an oceanic expedition under the direction of Charles Wyville Thomson. A subject unexplored, Murray was in charge of bottom sediment analysis operations, studying ocean currents and depth. He made various instruments to measure temperature and pressure to carryout investigations along the ocean floor. The expedition lasted until 1876. On returning to England Murray was in charge of collating the research for publication. 1880 and 1882 explored the Faroe Channel in 'H M S Knight Errant' and 'H M S Triton'. 1883 - 1894 established marine laboratories at Granton, Firth of Forth and Clyde at Millport. Cumbrae. Made a fellow of the Royal Society of London 1896 and member of the fishery board for Scotland 1896 - 1898. In 1897 he began a bathymetric survey of Scottish Lochs. 1897 forms a company to develop mineral resources on Christmas Island. 1897 - 1898 first expedition to Christmas Island. Knighted in 1898. In 1899 he was the British delegate to the International Hydrographic Conference, Stockholm. 1908 the second expedition to Christmas Island. 1910 pays for and participates in expedition to the North Atlantic on the 'Michael Sars'. [http://people.wku.edu/charles.smith/chronob/MURR1841.htm]
RelationshipsFather Robert Murray an accountant. Moved from Scotland to Upper Canada seven years before Murray was born. Grandfather John Macfarlene who Murray lived with in Coneyhill, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
Catalogue
RefNoTitle
DF/ZOO/200/185Murray Oceanographical Collection: acquisition and delivery
DF/PAL/100/57/118Challenger Office
DF/ZOO/200/57/46Murray, Sir J (oceanographer) (Edinburgh, Scotland)
DF/ZOO/213/113/2John Murray Expedition: correspondence of J S Gardiner, R B Seymour Sewell and others
DF/ZOO/252/1/9/55Murray, John (Bolivia & London)
DF/ZOO/200/72/17Murray (Sir J) Collection
DF/MIN/10/2/17Oceanographic and ocean bottom deposit collections, including the Challenger and Murray
DF/MIN/10/1/43Letters to William T Calman on John Murray Collection of ocean bottom specimens
DF/ADM/1004/227Collections: Sir John Murray's oceanographical collection
DF/MIN/13/15Maintenance of the war room containing the Murray Library and oceanographic collection
DF/PAL/100/57/114Challenger Office
DF/ZOO/213/113Keeper of Zoology's John Murray Expedition Files
DF/ADM/1004/749/1Whales
DF/ADM/1001/42Outgoing Letterbook
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