George Murdoch (Lord Provost)
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George Murdoch (1715–1795) was an 18th century Scottish merchant who twice served as Lord Provost of Glasgow: 1754–1756 and 1766–1768.
Life
He was born in Glasgow on 23 January 1715{{Cite web|url=https://www.pglglasgow.org.uk/index.php/glasgow-freemasons-of-interest/141-george-murdoch-past-master-lodge-glasgow-kilwinning-no-4|title = George Murdoch Past Master Lodge Glasgow Kilwinning No.4}} the son of James Murdoch and his wife Elizabeth Wingate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/George-Murdoch-secundus-merchant-in-Glasgow/6000000029557869982|title = George Murdoch, secundus, merchant in Glasgow| date=23 January 1715 }} As a merchant he was primarily involved in the importation of Madeira wine and in connection to this was joint founder of the Glasgow Bottle Works in 1742. He also was partner in the Murdoch & Warroch company who built and operated the Anderston Brewery from around 1762.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSB00047|title = TheGlasgowStory: Anderston Brewery}}
An active freemason Murdoch was Master of Lodge Glasgow Kilwinning no.4 and rose to be regional Grand Master.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pglglasgow.org.uk/index.php/glasgow-freemasons-of-interest/141-george-murdoch-past-master-lodge-glasgow-kilwinning-no-4|title = George Murdoch Past Master Lodge Glasgow Kilwinning No.4}}
In 1754 he succeeded John Brown as Lord Provost of Glasgow being succeeded in 1756 by Robert Christie. He served a second time, in 1766 he succeeding John Bowman as Lord Provost of Glasgow. After this second term he was succeeded in 1768 by James Buchanan of Drumpellier.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=16556|title = Provosts of Glasgow|date = 5 May 2017}} In his role as Lord Provost he laid the foundation stone of Jamaica Bridge in September 1768 (the second bridge over the River Clyde in the city). He was chastised for not informing his fellow masons in advance of this action.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pglglasgow.org.uk/index.php/glasgow-freemasons-of-interest/141-george-murdoch-past-master-lodge-glasgow-kilwinning-no-4|title = George Murdoch Past Master Lodge Glasgow Kilwinning No.4}}
In 1775, during his control of Anderston Brewery, they began brewing Glasgow porter which became a national success.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSB00047|title = TheGlasgowStory: Anderston Brewery}}
He died at [https://gsaarchives.net/catalogue/index.php/db-269 Frisky Hall] on the banks of the Firth of Clyde, at Bowling Dunbartonshire on 19 September 1795.{{Cite web|url=http://emco.swansea.ac.uk/emco/person/1031/|title = George Murdoch, Lord Provost of Glasgow}}
Family
He married three times: Amelia Campbell, Janet Bogle and Margaret Leitch. He had at least eleven children.{{Cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/George-Murdoch-secundus-merchant-in-Glasgow/6000000029557869982|title = George Murdoch, secundus, merchant in Glasgow| date=23 January 1715 }}
Artistic recognition
He was portrayed by both Sir Henry RaeburnIllustrated Catalogue of the Exhibition of Portraits in the New Galleries of Art in Corporation Buildings
and David Martin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.15728550|title = George Murdoch, Lord Provost of Glasgow|last1 = Martin|first1 = David (British}}
References
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Category:Businesspeople from Glasgow