Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Murray, Robert (1635-1725)
MURRAY, ROBERT (1635–1725?), writer on trade, born in 1635 in the Strand, London, was son of Robert Murray, 'civis et scissor Londini.' In 1649 he was entered as an apprentice on the books of the Clothworkers' Company, and took up his freedom in 1660. He is subsequently spoken of as 'milliner,' and again as 'uphosterer,' but describes himself in his publications as 'gent.,' possibly having retired from the trade.
For several years from 1676 he wrote on matters of banking and national revenue. He was the inventor of ruled copybooks for children, and in 1681 or, according to Wood, in 1679, he is said to have originated the idea of the penny post in London, 'but to Dockwra belongs the credit of giving it prac- tical shape' (Joyce, History of the Post Office, p. 36). The earliest instance of a stamped penny letter is dated 9 Dec. 1681. Two years later he assigned his interest in this to William Docwra [q. v.], merchant, of London, but in 1690 it was adjudged to pertain to the Duke of York as a branch of the general post office (cf. Wood, Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, iii. 726). He is questionably identified by Wood with the Robert Murray who was 'afterwards clerk to the general commissioners for the revenue of Ireland, and clerk to the commissioners of the grand excise of England.' In August 1697 he had been active in the 'malt and other' proposals in parliament, and was then in custody in a sponging house near St. Clement's Church. In 1703 he offered to the Lord High Treasurer 'a scheme for tin,' and asked for the royal bounty. Some time before July 1720 he succeeded George Murray as 'comptroller and paymaster of the standing orders of the lottery of 1714,' and in this capacity had transactions with the South Sea Company. By the act 10 & 11 Will. III c. 17 lotteries had been prohibited, but from 1709 onwards the government resorted to them as a means of raising money. In 1714 exchequer bill shad been issued to the amount of 1,400,000l, but lottery prizes were offered in addition to interest in the shape of terminable or perpetual annuities. In 1721, after a memorial from Murray, the South Sea Company proposed to discharge the unsubscribed orders into their own capital stock (for Murray's part in this transaction see Treasury Papers, vol. ccxxxiii. passim).
Murray was superseded as paymaster of this lottery in 1724, and in February 1726 is spoken of as the 'late Robert Murray, Esq.' His will is not in the prerogative court.
He published: 1. 'A Proposal for the Advancement of Trade, &c.,' London, 1676 (a proposal for the establishment of a combined bank and Lombard or mont de piété for the issue of credit against 'dead stock' deposited at 6 per cent. interest). 2. 'Composition Credit, or a Bank of Credit made Current by Common Consent in London more Useful than Money,' London, 1682. 3. 'An Account of the Constitution and Security of the General Bank of Credit,' London, 1683. 4. 'A Proposal for the more easy advancing to the Crown any fixed Sum of Money to carry on the War against France,' &c. (a noticeable proposal to establish negotiable bills of credit upon security of some branch of the royal revenue; Murray's credit bank proposals presage the greater scheme of Law, but it does not show the remarkable grasp of theory which characterises Law). 5. 'A Proposal for the better securing our Wool against Exportation by working up and manufacturing such' (a proposal to revive the law of the staple, and to establish a royal company of staplers). 6. 'A Proposal for translating the Duty of Excise from Malt Drinks to Mast, whereby may be advanced to the Crown 15 Millions for the War against France.' 7. 'An Advertisement for the more Easy and Speedy Collecting of Debts.' The last four publications are without place or date.
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. iii. 726, 1264; Haydn's Dict. of Dates; Cal. of Treasury Papers, vols. i. ii. and iii.; Lascelles's Liber Mun. Publ. Hib.; Commons' Journals, ix. 331 seq.; Hist. MSS. Comm. 10th Rep. iv. 125; Brit. Mus. MS. 5755; Harl. MS. 1898; information from Sir Owen Roberts, clerk to the Clothworkers' Company.]