User:Localhistoryhero/sandbox/James Murray (Special Constable)

James Murray (1778 - 1858) was a British confectioner and Special Constable of No.3 District Manchester, known for his actions during August 1819, in the days leading up to the Peterloo Massacre. Called 'Gingerbread Jack' by the reformers on account of his confectionary business in Withy Grove (near present-day Corporation Street), Murray spoke at the trial of Henry Hunt at York in 1820, the trial of Hugh Hornby Birley at Lancaster in 1822 and is remembered in the memoirs of Samuel Bamford.

Early life, family and business

Murray (alternatively spelt as 'Morrey' in early documentation) was born in 1778, near Wynbunbury, Cheshire. He was the son of a farmer and yeoman, Edward Murray (born c.1734). Edward had two other sons - John (1785 - 1856) and Edward (1780 - 1813) who also settled in Manchester.

In 1798, Murray married his first wife, Mary Peel, at Bolton le Moors. Together they had 5 children: Jane, Eliza, Mary, Ann, and James.

Beginning around 18??, Murray began operating a confectionary business out of Manchester's city centre, at Number 2 Withy Grove. Trade directories record his shop here up until 18??, and Murray was well known for his 'wholesale trade' and baking of gingerbread

The Peterloo Massacre

On the evening of the 14th of August 1819, Murray, accompanied by a police clerk, John Shawcross (and Rhymer?) to White Moss on the outskirts of Manchester.

As follows:

"Examination of James Murray, of No. 2, Withy Grove, Manchester, Confectioner, who, on his Oath, saith that on Sunday last, the 15th instant, he was at White Moss, near Middleton, about five miles from Manchester, between three and four o'clock in the morning, and saw there assembled between fourteen and fifteen hundred men, the greatest number of whom were formed in two bodies, in the form of solid squares; the remainder were in small parties of between twenty and thirty each; there were about thirty such parties, each under the direction of a person acting as a drill serjeant, and were going through military movements; that Examinant went amongst them, and immediately one of the drill serjeants asked him to fall in.  He said he thought he should soon, or gave some such answer; he then began to move away, upon which some persons who were drilling cried out, 'Spies!'  This Examinant, and William Shawcross, and Thomas Rymer and his son (all of whom had accompanied this Examinant from Manchester) continued to retire; the body of men then cried out, 'Mill them!—murder them!'  Near one hundred men then pursued this Examinant and his companions; they overtook them near a lane-end, at the edge of the Moss, and began to pelt them with clods of earth.  They at last came up to the Examinant and his companions, and beat them very severely.  Examinant begged they would not murder him; but the general cry was, 'Damn him! kill him! murder him!'  Examinant said, 'You treat me very differently to what nations treat each other's prisoners when they are at war.  Suppose that I am an enemy, you ought to treat me as a prisoner.'  They said, 'How will you treat us if you take us prisoners when we come to Manchester?'

   "Examinant knew at the time that a meeting was appointed for the next day (Monday) at Manchester.

   "The men kept beating Examinant all the time; at last they debated among themselves whether they would kill Examinant or forgive him, and they determined to forgive him provided he would go down upon his knees and beg pardon to them, and swear never to be a king's man again, or to mention the name of a king. Examinant complied to save his life, they standing over him with sticks, as he apprehended, to murder him, provided he had objected.  They afterwards went away.  Examinant was not previously acquainted with any of the persons assembled that he saw, but is certain that he should know again two of those who beat him.

   "The greatest part of the number assembled had stout sticks from three to four feet long.

   "In consequence of the ill-treatment received by Examinant as above, he was confined to his bed for three days.

The Trial of Henry Hunt

Au

Later life

- Declining trade

- 1841 census

-1851 census

-Any in-between years

Murray remarried on the 13th of February 1851, to Frances Hammersly, at St John's Church in Deansgate.

Death

Murray died on the 12th of April 1858, and was buried at St Luke's Church in Cheetham with his second wife, Frances (nee Hammersly), who had predeceased him the year prior.

Their tombstone reads as:

'In the memory of James Murray of Manchester who departed this life April 12th 1858 aged 80 years. Also Frances Murray who departed this life Oct 28th 1857 aged 42 years.'

St Luke's has since fallen into ruin and closed, with many tombs having been destroyed. James Murray's grave no longer exists, but was located on Row 43, G75.

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