Basil Andrew Murray (1902–1937), was a British editor, journalist and Liberal Party politician.

Background

Murray was the second son of the scholar Gilbert Murray and Lady Mary Howard, daughter of the 9th Earl of Carlisle. He was educated at

Charterhouse School (God having given, I gave) , established = , closed = , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , president ...

and

New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...

(Classical Scholarship and Charles Oldham Prize). In 1927, he married Pauline Mary Newton, daughter of the artist of

Algernon Newton Algernon Newton (1880–1968) was a British landscape artist known as the "Canaletto of the canals". Biography Newton was born in Hampstead in 1880, a grandson of Henry Newton, one of the founders of the Winsor & Newton the art materials co ...

.''The Liberal Year Book, 1929'' Their daughters were writers Ann Paludan (1928–2014) and

Venetia Murray Venetia may refer to: Places * Veneto or Venetia, a modern Italian region * Veneția, a tributary of the Olt River in Romania * Venetia, Pennsylvania, United States, an unincorporated community * 487 Venetia, an asteroid Arts and entertainment * ...

(1932–2004). His sister, the writer Rosalind Murray (1890–1967), was the first wife of

Arnold J. Toynbee Arnold Joseph Toynbee (; 14 April 1889 – 22 October 1975) was an English historian, a philosopher of history, an author of numerous books and a research professor of international history at the London School of Economics and King's Colleg ...

Professional career

Murray was Editor of ''Oxford Outlook'' from 1920–23. He was

Equerry An equerry (; from French ' stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually up ...

to H.I.H. Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu of Japan during his visit to Europe. As a journalist, he covered the Spanish Civil War from the Republican side, making radio broadcasts from Valencia. His biography of David Lloyd George, ''L. G.'' was published in 1932.

Political career

Murray was employed at the Liberal Campaign Department in 1927. He was Liberal candidate at the 1928 St Marylebone by-election. He was Liberal candidate for the

Argyllshire Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...

division at the

1929 This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholic ...

and 1935 General Elections. Murray became involved in

anti-fascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...

activism after Hitler's rise to power and in 1936 managed to incite riot by heckling the British fascist Oswald Mosley during a speech at Oxford. He was subsequently tried and convicted of breach of the peace in a proceeding described by the philosopher

Isaiah Berlin Sir Isaiah Berlin (6 June 1909 – 5 November 1997) was a Russian-British social and political theorist, philosopher, and historian of ideas. Although he became increasingly averse to writing for publication, his improvised lectures and talks ...

as a disastrous miscarriage of justice.

Electoral record

Death and legacy

While the Valencia correspondent for the International News Service, he died on board the British hospital ship '' Maine'' on the way to Marseilles, purportedly of pneumonia. A scandalous account in which he caught the pneumonia from close contact with a female ape, is given by Sefton Delmer, who devotes six pages to it. Murray provided Evelyn Waugh with the model and first name for his anti-hero, Basil Seal, star of the novels ''

Black Mischief ''Black Mischief'' was Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous ...

'' and '' Put Out More Flags''. He was the model for Jasper Aspect in ''

Wigs on the Green ''Wigs on the Green'' is a 1935 satirical novel by Nancy Mitford. A roman à clef, it is notable for lampooning British fascism, specifically political enthusiasms of Mitford's sisters Unity Mitford and Diana Mosley. Background Using her sis ...

'' by Nancy Mitford.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Basil Andrew 1902 births 1937 deaths Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates People educated at Charterhouse School Alumni of New College, Oxford British male journalists British anti-fascists