William Murray, 8th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield

The Right Honourable The Earl of Mansfield & Mansfield
Born	7 July 1930
Died	21 October 2015
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford
Occupation	Barrister, politician
Title	8th Earl of Mansfield and 7th Earl of Mansfield
Spouse(s)	Pamela
Children	2 sons, 1 daughter
Parent(s)	Mungo Murray, 7th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield Dorothea Helena Carnegie
Relatives	Lancelot Carnegie (maternal grandfather)

William David Mungo James Murray, 8th Earl of Mansfield, 7th Earl of Mansfield DL, JP (7 July 1930 – 21 October 2015), styled Lord Scone until 1970, was a Scottish nobleman and Conservative politician.

Biography

William Murray was born on 7 July 1930. He was the only son of Mungo Murray, 7th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield, and his wife Dorothea Helena, younger daughter of Sir Lancelot Carnegie. He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. He served with the Scots Guards in Malaya from 1949 to 1950. He was called to the bar, Inner Temple, in 1958.

Murray was a barrister from 1958 until 1971, when he succeeded his father as Earl of Mansfield.

He was a member of the British Delegation to the European Parliament from 1973 to 1975 (prior to the direct election of Members of the European Parliament), and was an opposition spokesman in the House of Lords from 1975 to 1979. He was a Minister of State in the Scottish Office from 1979 to 1983 and in the Northern Ireland Office from 1983 to 1984.

He was appointed an Honorary Sheriff for Perthshire in 1974, a Justice of the Peace in 1975 and a Deputy Lieutenant for Perth and Kinross in 1980.

Murray has also held a number of business and charitable appointments, such as serving as first president of the Federation of Hunting Associations of the European Communities (FACE) from 1977 to 1979.

He was the first President of the Scottish Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders and from 1985 to 1996 served as First Crown Estate Commissioner.

Marriage & Children

Murray married Pamela Joan Foster on 19 December 1955. They had three children:

• Alexander David Mungo Murray, 9th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield (born 17 October 1956)
• Lady Georgina Dorothea Mary Murray (born 10 March 1967)
• Hon James William Murray (born 7 June 1969)

The Countess is a Patroness of the Royal Caledonian Ball.

Death

Murray died on 21 October 2015 and his funeral and memorial service were held at St John's Kirk of Perth on 30 October 2015, with a reception at Scone Palace. He was succeeded by his son Alexander David Mungo Murray.

Ancestry

Family of William Murray, 8th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield

16. William Murray, 4th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield               8. William Murray, Viscount Stormont                       17. Louisa Ellison               4. Alan Murray, 6th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield                             18. Sir John Murray-MacGregor, 3rd Baronet, of Lanrick               9. Emily MacGregor                       19. Mary Hardy               2. Mungo Murray, 7th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield                                   20. Sir John Murray-MacGregor, 3rd Baronet, of Lanrick               10. Sir Malcolm Murray-MacGregor, 4th Baronet, of Lanrick                       21. Mary Hardy               5. Margaret MacGregor                             22. Hugh McDonnell, 4th Earl of Antrim               11. Lady Helen McDonnell                       23. Lady Laura Parker               1. William Murray, 8th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield                                         24. Sir James Carnegie, 5th Baronet, of Pittarrow               12. James Carnegie, 9th Earl of Southesk                       25. Charlotte Lysons               6. Hon. Lancelot Carnegie                             26. Alexander Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore               13. Lady Susan Murray                       27. Lady Catherine Herbert               3. Dorothea Carnegie                                   ?               14. Henry Barclay                       ?               7. Marion Barclay                             30. Samuel Gurney               15. Richenda Gurney                       31. Elizabeth Sheppard

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield
• genealogics.org
• thepeerage.com

Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by Mungo Murray	Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield 1971–2015	Succeeded by Alexander Murray