Kenneth_Murchison

Kenneth Murchison

Kenneth Murchison

Colonial Administrator

For the American architect, see Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison.

Kenneth Murchison (1794 - 1 August 1854) was the Resident Councillor of Penang and Resident Councillor of Singapore, as well as the third Governor of the Straits Settlements.[1]

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Early life

Murchison was born in Scotland in 1794 to Barbara (née Mackenzie) and Kenneth Murchison.[2] His elder brother was geologist Roderick Murchison.[3] The family moved from Ross-shire in Scotland to Bathampton in Somerset England for his father to recuperate from an illness, but he would die there in 1796. His mother then took the family to Edinburgh and remarried.[4]

Career

He began his working career with the East India Company. He was appointed the Resident Councillor of Penang on 29 November 1827, he was also appointed the Resident Councillor of Singapore.[1] While he was Resident in Penang, he conducted a geological survey of Penang on behalf of his brother Roderick Murchison, who was President of the Geological Society.[5] He became the Governor of the Straits Settlements on 7 December 1833,[6] however, he spent much of his time as Governor outside of Southeast Asia, and the administrative duty was performed by his deputy George Bonham. Bonham took over as Governor on 18 November 1836.[1]

Personal life

Murchison was married to Charlotte Pryce in 1815 and had a daughter Charlotte. His first wife died in 1816, and he married Anne Nesham in 1826 with whom he had two surviving sons, Kenneth-Robert and Roderick.[7]

He died on 1 August 1854.[2]

References

  1. [1]
    Corfield, Justin (2 December 2010). Historical Dictionary of Singapore. Scarecrow Press. p. 180. ISBN 9780810873872.
  2. [2]
    "Kenneth Murchison". Geni. 1794.
  3. [3]
    Stafford, Robert A. (12 October 2010). Scientist of Empire: Sir Roderick Murchison, Scientific Exploration and Victorian Imperialism. Cambridge University Press. p. 4. ISBN 978-0521528672.
  4. [4]
    Geikie, Archibald (2 June 2011). Life of Sir Roderick I. Murchison: Based on His Journals and Letters. Cambridge University Press. pp. 12–13. ISBN 978-1108072342.
  5. [5]
    Robert A. Stafford (12 October 2010). Scientist of Empire: Sir Roderick Murchison, Scientific Exploration and Victorian Imperialism. Cambridge University Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-0521528672.
  6. [6]
    "Government Notification". Singapore Chronicle and Commercial Register. 12 December 1833. p. 1.
  7. [7]
    Burke, Bernard (1868). A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire: Part 2. p. 794. ISBN 9780810873872.
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