John George Stewart-Murray


(8th Duke of Atholl)

1871 - 1942

Military commander and politician. Born at Blair Castle (Perth and Kinross), Stewart-Murray was educated at Eton and joined the army in 1892. He fought as a junior officer under Lord Kitchener in the Sudan and in the Boer War in South Africa. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1903. He fought in Gallipoli during the First World War and was promoted to Brigadier-General in 1918. He had succeeded his father as Duke of Atholl the previous year and his career now focussed on politics, although he maintained a position as Honorary Colonel of the Scottish Horse until his death. He had been elected Conservative Member of Parliament for West Perthshire in 1910, but now took his seat in the House of Lords. He was appointed Lord Chamberlain in the administration led by David Lloyd George (1921-22)

Atholl was appointed Grand Master of Scottish Freemasons (1908-13), served as Lord Lieutenant of Perthshire (1917-42), Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (1918-20) and the first Chairman of National Trust for Scotland in 1931.

His wife was the feisty Katherine, Duchess of Atholl (1874 - 1960)


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