John Murdoch of Rosebank (1709–1776) was an 18th-century Scottish tobacco lord who served as
Lord Provost of Glasgow
The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Glasgow is the convener of the Glasgow City Council. Elected by the city councillors, the Lord Provost serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city. The office is equiv ...
three times: 1746–1748, 1750–1752 and 1758–1760, with his brother-in-law
Andrew Cochrane
Andrew Cochrane of Brighouse (1693–1777) was an 18th-century tobacco lord and a slave trade owner who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow three times, more than any other person: 1744/5, 1748/9, and 1760/1.
Cochrane Street in central Glasgow w ...
serving in the intervening years. Murdoch Avenue in
Cambuslang is named after him.
Life
John Murdoch was born on 4 October 1709 the son of
Peter Murdoch of Rosehill (1670-1761), a Glasgow merchant and sugar refiner (owner of the King Street Sugar Works) who later served as
Lord Provost of Glasgow
The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Glasgow is the convener of the Glasgow City Council. Elected by the city councillors, the Lord Provost serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city. The office is equiv ...
(1730-1732), and his wife, Mary Luke, daughter of John Luke of Claythorn.
He lived at Rosebank House in the
Cambuslang district.
In 1744 he became a
Bailie in Glasgow Town Council (under
Andrew Cochrane
Andrew Cochrane of Brighouse (1693–1777) was an 18th-century tobacco lord and a slave trade owner who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow three times, more than any other person: 1744/5, 1748/9, and 1760/1.
Cochrane Street in central Glasgow w ...
) and two years later succeeded him as
Lord Provost.
In 1750 he built the first house on Argyle Street (standing on the corner of Dunlop Street) and long-known as the Buck's Head Inn.
He died in Glasgow on 30 June 1776.
Rosebank House passed to
John Dunlop who himself became Lord Provost in 1794 and in 1801 was purchased by
David Dale
David Dale (6 January 1739–7 March 1806) was a leading Scottish industrialist, merchant and philanthropist during the Scottish Enlightenment period at the end of the 18th century. He was a successful entrepreneur in a number of areas, m ...
. The house was demolished in 1937.
Family
His sister, Janet Murdoch, married
Andrew Cochrane
Andrew Cochrane of Brighouse (1693–1777) was an 18th-century tobacco lord and a slave trade owner who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow three times, more than any other person: 1744/5, 1748/9, and 1760/1.
Cochrane Street in central Glasgow w ...
.
In 1732 he was married to Margaret Lang, daughter of William Lang.
Their only child, Ann Murdoch, who married John Wallace of Cessnock but died before 1754.
Margaret Lang died in 1734 (possibly in childbirth) and John then married Margaret Bogle by whom he had one further daughter, Margaret Murdoch, who married
Thomas Miller, Lord Glenlee
Sir Thomas Miller, 1st Baronet FRSE (3 November 1717 – 27 September 1789), known as Lord Barskimming (1766–88) and Lord Glenlee (from 1788) during his judicial service, was a Scottish advocate, judge, politician and landowner. He was a foun ...
. Their daughter Jessy married
John Dunlop of Rosebank.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murdoch, John
1709 births
1776 deaths
Lord Provosts of Glasgow
Cambuslang
Scottish merchants