George Murdoch, secundus, merchant in Glasgow

GEORGE MURDOCH secundus

Merchant in Glasgow; Burgess and Guild Brother of Glasgow; Bailie of Glasgow, 1743-48; Dean of Guild, 1750-51; Provost of Glasgow, 1754-55 and 1766-67; Provincial Grand Master of the Masonic Lodges of Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, Dumbartonshire and Argyllshire.

Date and Place of Birth

George Murdoch, merchant in Glasgow, is the second son of James Murdoch, merchant in Glasgow. Glasgow Burgesses, 1573-1750, p. 425 His mother is said to be Elizabeth Wingate. Geneanet: Murdoch The date and place of his birth is not known but he was evidently born before 23 January 1715, the date upon which his baptism was registered at Glasgow in Lanarkshire, Scotland. It seems quite likely, probable even, that George was born in Glasgow. [OPR.644/1/9]

MURDOCH GEORGE
JAMES MURDOCH/ELIZABETH WINGATE M
23/01/1715 644/1 90 235 Glasgow

Merchant Burgess and Guild Brother of Glasgow

George Murdoch, merchant in Glasgow, was enrolled as a burgess and guild brother of Glasgow on 26 September 1737. He was admitted in right of him being the second son of James Murdoch, merchant, burgess and guild brother of Glasgow. Glasgow Burgesses, p. 425

Bailie of Glasgow

George Murdoch is noticed as one of the Bailies of Glasgow on 20 December 1745 Glasgow Burgesses, 1753-1750, p. 458 again on 21 February 1746 Ibidem, p. 459 and again on 7 October 1748. Ibidem, p. 468

First Marriage

Second Marriage

Third Marriage

Children

Evidence from the Records of the Burgh of Glasgow

                   1

6 October 1741:Election of provost and baillies . . . . . Extracts from the Records of the Burgh of Glasgow with Charters and Other Documents, Vol. VI. A.D. 1739-59, edited by Robert Renwick, Depote-Town Clerk (Scottish Burgh Records Society, Glasgow, MCMXI), p. 101

                   2

14 May 1742: Committee on Richard Oswald and others, his partners, in a glass work . . . . . Ibidem, p. 114

                   3

23 June 1742: A piece of ground to be given to the glassary company . . . . . Ibidem, p. 117

                   4

27 January 1744: Disposition subscrived to the partners in the glasserie . . . . . Ibidem, pp. 164-65

                   5

2 October 1744: Election of provost and baillies . . . . . Ibidem, p. 187

                   6

6 October 1747: Election of provost and baillies . . . . . Ibidem, p. 268

                   7

10 October 1750: George Murdoch, dean of Guild . . . . . Ibidem, p. 328

                   8

9 October 1751: George Murdoch, dean of guild . . . . . Ibidem, p. 348

                   9

1 October 1754: George Murdoch, provost . . . . . Ibidem, p. 405

                  10

30 September 1755: George Murdoch, provost . . . . . Ibidem, p. 446

Evidence from the Records of the Merchants House of Glasgow

                   1

6 January 1755: View of the Merchants House of Glasgow; Containing Historical Notices of the Origin, Constitution, and Property, and of the Charitable Foundations which it Administers (Bell & Bain, Glasgow, MDCCCLXVI), presented to the House by Archibald Orr Ewing, Esquire, of Ballikinrain, Lord Dean of Guild,1866, pp. 175-77

Short Biographical Account from the Glasgow Story

Murdoch was Provost of Glasgow from 1754-1755 and again from 1766-1767. He was a merchant primarily trading in wines from Madeira, but became involved in related enterprises such as becoming a partner in a glass bottle works in 1742, and forming Murdoch & Warroch to build and operate the famous Anderston Brewery. He had children only by the first of his three wives. One of his sons, James, went to work in Madeira at the age of thirteen and another, George, ended up in Grenada. In 1767, while in his second term as Provost, Murdoch laid the foundation stone for the new Jamaica Street Bridge. A mason, in 1769 he became "Provincial Grand Master over the Counties of Lenrick, Renfrew, Air, Dumbarton and Argyle". The Glasgow Story

Genealogy

1. Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy: George Murdoch
2. Geneanet: Murdoch
3. Stirnet: Murdoch 01