Elizabeth Murrey
Date made: n.d.
Artist: unknown artist
Description: Elizabeth Murrey demonstrates her high social status, in a striking blue satin dress. She was the granddaughter of John Murrey, famous for minting the Isle of Man’s first penny. The Murrey family of Douglas were leading members of the merchant class. She and her brother John were both born in Douglas, although she spent much of her life in Venice after marrying a high raking diplomat, John Smith.
Her brother, John Murrey, was an ambassador based in Constantinople. Whilst visiting Elizabeth in Venice in 1770 he sadly died, leaving three silver boxes containing the seals of his appointment as ambassador under King George I, II and III. These seals are now in the British Museum.
The Murrey family of Douglas in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were leading members of the merchant class. The most famous was John Murrey (Elizabeth’s grandfather), who had a lease of all the Manx lead and copper mines from the Lord of Mann. He issued the Island’s first modern coinage, which had the legend : John Murrey 1668 His Penny. I.M., and Quocunque Gesseris Stabit on the reverse. The family resided in Murrey’s Court close to the old Market in Douglas.
Measurements: unframed artwork: 66 cm x 63.5 cm
Materials: oil on canvas
Object name: painting
Collection: Art Collection
ID number: 1959-0141
Subject tags : #artgallerypeople