George Matheson Murray

George Matheson Murray (27 July 1889 – 19 August 1961), known publicly as George Murray, was a publisher and politician in British Columbia in the first half of the 20th century. He played a role in the founding of the Boy Scouts of Canada. Murray is best known as the husband of Margaret Lally "Ma" Murray.

Early life and career Murray was originally a reporter for the Ottawa Citizen. her campaign and her support for W.A.C. Bennett ruined George's political career and cemented her reputation for eccentricity. George lost his federal seat in 1953 to a Social Credit candidate in the wake of the embarrassment and retired from politics, returning to Lillooet (where the family regained the Bridge River-Lillooet News, which Margaret continued to edit and publish after his death in 1961.

Political career

Election results

1933 Lillooet riding Carson, Ernest Crawford (NPIG): 705 votes, 33.51% Murray, George Matheson (Lib.): 927, 44.06% Smith, John Morrison (CCF): 472, 22.43% Rejected ballots: 96 Total votes: 2,104

1937 Lillooet riding Armstrong, Robert Purvis (CCF): 855, 28.92% Carson, Ernest Crawford (Cons.): 925, 31.29% Murray, George Matheson (Lib.): 1,176, 39.78% Rejected ballots: 57 Total votes: 2,956

1941 Lillooet riding Archibald, Harry Grenfell (CCF): 841, 31.75% Carson, Ernest Crawford (Cons.): 1,017, 38.39% Murray, George Matheson (Lib.): 791, 29.86% Rejected ballots: 29 Total votes: 2,649

1945 Lillooet riding Carson, Ernest Crawford (Coal.): 1,143, 51.42% Jacobsen, John Fossmark (SCA): 196, 8.82% Murray, George Matheson (Pro. Lib.): 61, 2.74% Radcliffe, Charles (CCF): 823, 37.02% Rejected ballots: 21 Total votes: 2,223

1949 Cariboo federal riding Murray, George Matheson (Liberal): 7,330 Irvine, William (CCF): 5,870

1952 Yale riding Gillis, John (Lib): 1,067, 33.9% Corbett, Irvine (SC): 1,024, 32.5% MacIsaac, Angus (CCF): 659, 20.9% Cherry, Bernard (PC): 338, 10.7% Murray, George Matheson (Ind.): 60, 1.9% Total votes: 3,148

1953 Cariboo federal riding Leboe, Bert Raymond (Social Credit): 5,562 Murray, George Matheson (Liberal): 5,160 Irvine, William (CCF): 4,314

Legacy Georgina Keddell, Murray's daughter (and biographer) said that if he were not eclipsed by the high political and publishing profile in politics and publishing of her mother, her father would be better known for his political career and as a historical figure.

Murray is commemorated on the British Columbia landscape with the Murray Range (in the Hart Ranges, on the southern edge of the Peace River Country) and with his wife by Mount Murray, in the heart of the Clear Range midway between Lillooet and Spences Bridge.