Keith Murray

MC RDI FRIBA
Keith Murray at work
Born(1892-07-05)5 July 1892
Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand
Died16 May 1981(1981-05-16) (aged 88)
Dorset, England[1][2]
OccupationArchitect
SpouseMary Beatrice de Carteret Malet (m. 1948)[3]
Children1
PracticeMurray & White
Ramsey, Murray & White
Ramsey, Murray, White & Ward
Murray, Ward & Partners
BuildingsWedgwood factory, Barlaston (1940)
BEA hangars, London Airport (1953)
Terminal building, Hong Kong Airport (1962)[4]

Keith Day Pearce Murray MC RDI FRIBA (5 July 1892 – 16 May 1981) was a New-Zealand-born British architect and industrial designer, known for ceramic, silver and glass designs for Wedgwood, Mappin & Webb and Stevens & Williams in the 1930s and 1940s. He is considered to be one of the most influential designers of the Art Deco / Modern age.

Early life and education

Murray was born in the Auckland suburb of Mount Eden on 5 July 1892. His father, Charles Henry Murray, from Peterhead, Scotland, and his mother, Lilian Day George, from New Plymouth, New Zealand, had married in New Plymouth in March 1889.[5] Charles, a printer and commercial stationer in Auckland for fifteen years, passed away after a long illness, aged 43, at home in Cheltenham Road, Devonport, on 2 February 1898.[6][7] In January 1900, his mother, Lilian, married Dr William Chisholm Wilson McDowell at St Mary's Church, New Plymouth. Younger sister Evelyn was a bridesmaid to their mother.[8]

Murray was educated at Prince Albert College, Auckland.[9] When he was 13 years old, his stepfather received 12 months leave from the University Board to attend to medical studies at Edinburgh University.[10] In consequence, the family moved to Britain in March 1906, where Murray attended Mill Hill School in London. After returning to New Zealand in April 1907,[11] he attended King's College in Remuera,[12] by which he passed the December 1908 University of New Zealand matriculation examinations.[13]

Career

Architecture and aero club

Manurewa No. 1 at Glenora Park, Papakura, 1911; Murray is right of the tail group

By 1910–11 Murray was working as a draughtsman for the architect Arthur Pollard Wilson / Wilson & Moodie in Victoria Arcade, Queen Street, Auckland.[14][15]: 35  In 1910 he took on the office of secretary for the newly formed Aero Club of New Zealand, with Leo Walsh as club president.[16][15]: 37  That year the club entertained Frederick Walker Baldwin and Alexander Graham Bell during their tour of Australia and New Zealand, they having expressed a great interest, on hearing of the club, to meet with club members and inspect their flying machines.[17] Murray promoted the progress of the Walsh Aeroplane Syndicate's Howard Wright biplane, and club activities.[18][19] In addition to designing the club's winged emblem badge,[15]: 74  he also designed a glider for the club's in-house glider design competition, in which he gained second place out of the six entrants.[20] He worked for Wilson & Moodie until 1914, when, it appears, he moved to England to study architecture.[14]

First World War

Murray served as an officer of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Great War. Having gained Aviator's Certificate No. 1290 in a Maurice Farman biplane at the Brooklands Military School and confirmation as second lieutenant on 1 June 1915,[21][22][23] trained at Joyce Green and Dover from 16 June,[14][24] advanced to rank of flying officer, No. 15 Special Reserve, on 18 August[25] and lieutenant on 1 December,[26] the squadron was deployed to France on observation and reconnaissance duties in December 1915. On 1 March 1916 he was appointed to flight commander and temporary captain,[27][28] posted to No. 2 Squadron flying Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c.[14][29][30]

Further postings back to No. 15 Special Reserve, from 14 June 1916,[14] and No. 52 Squadron as squadron commander with the rank of major from 21 September 1917,[14][31] led to command of No. 10 Squadron from 22 October 1917,[14] which had been re-equipping with Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 and moving to Abeele aerodrome, Belgium. From there the squadron took part in the Battle of Cambrai from 20 November 1917 and the German spring offensive from 21 March 1918.[32] Murray said of the aircraft in relation to the reconnaissance work: "The big A-W was slow, but my pilots liked it for the particular job they had to do, and never regarded themselves as 'cold meat'. Owing to the nature of their work, they were rarely in a position to attack, but when attacked, as they were frequently enough, they gave a good enough account of themselves."[33]

Murray was mentioned three or four times in General Sir Douglas Haig's despatches,[34][35][36][37] and conferred the Military Cross in September 1917:[38] "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on numerous occasions. He has displayed the utmost skill and fearlessness in ranging our batteries on hostile battery positions. Most of this work he had to carry out at a very low altitude and under very heavy fire, owing to the fact that the target was very well camouflaged, but, in spite of being repeatedly attacked and his machine several times damaged by anti-aircraft and machine gun fire, he was invariably successful."[39] After the war ended he was permitted to retain rank of major[14]and conferred the Belgian Croix de Guerre.[40] Since joining the RFC, he had flown Avro, Royal Aircraft Factory BE, Grahame-White and Bristol Fighter aircraft.[14]

The transport NZSC RMS Remuera landed Murray and the New Zealand troops to an enthusiastic Auckland welcome on 5 May 1919,[41] but he returned to London by the NZSC RMS Ruapehu on 23 August, to continue his studies in architecture at the Architectural Association School of Architecture.[42][43]

Industrial design

Following the war, Murray graduated from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London in 1921 and that year was elected an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects. However a lack of work forced him to make a living as an illustrator for magazines. In 1928 he held his own show at the Lefevre Gallery in London but this was not to prove his passion.

His visits to exhibitions such as the 1925 Paris Exposition and the 1931 Exhibition of Swedish Industrial Art in London inspired Murray to seek out opportunities to design vases and tablewares for factory production, and as the depression of the early 1930s further reduced the demand for architecture he became a full-time designer.[44]

Murray first approached Arthur Marriott Powell about the possibility of working in Whitefriars Glass in London. Though his ideas proved unsuitable for their style of glass, he worked as a freelance designer at Stevens & Williams of Brierley Hill in the West Midlands in 1932.[45] The trial pieces were shown in London that year and the 'Keith Murray range' was produced. Between 1932 and 1939 he produced over 1200 designs though many were only issued in quantities of six or twelve.

In 1932 he also began working 2–3 months a year for Josiah Wedgwood and Sons. Josiah Wedgwood invited him to visit the Wedgwood Factory. He was then employed to produce designs for dinner and teaware. It is here that Murray's famous ribbing designs began to form. His first range was entitled 'Annular'.[46]

In 1934 the royal silversmiths Mappin & Webb approached him and asked if he could produce bowls and vases in silver working to the same designs as his Wedgwood pieces.[46]

Most of his work was with vases, bowls and similar cylindrical ware, executed in a clean and restrained style with decoration often limited to deeply incised lines or smooth steps in the shape. The whole piece is usually one colour without applied decoration. From the beginning Murray's stature as a designer was recognised as every piece bore his signature above the Wedgwood mark.

In 1935, Murray was consulted on the design of glassware for the Orient Line's new liner, RMS Orion, of which, Brian O'Rorke was architect responsible for interior design.[47] The following year, Murray was appointed architect in charge of designing the new Wedgwood factory at Barlaston, Staffordshire.[45]

Second World War

In February 1939, some seven months before the outbreak of the Second World War, Murray returned to the RAF as a commissioned officer assigned to the Administrative and Special Duties Branch.[48] Ill health required him to relinquish his commission in January 1942.[49] In the 1942 New Year Honours he was again mentioned in despatches.[50][51]

Architecture

Following the war he returned to architecture and left the field of industrial design.

Murray's work sold well at the time and has become increasingly sought after.

List of works

  • Murray, Keith (June 1925). "Studies in Madiera". The Architectural Review. Vol. 57, no. 343. pp. 222–227.
  • Murray, Keith (June 1933). "The Designer and His Problem II: The Design of Table Glass". Design for To-day. pp. 53–56.
  • Murray, Keith D. P. (1935). "II.—Some Views of a Designer". Journal of the Society of Glass Technology. 19 (73): 10–17.
  • Works by Keith Murray from the collection of Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
  • Works by Keith Murray from the collection of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Keith Murray.
  1. ↑ "Royal Designers for Industry & Britain Can Make It, 1946: Keith Murray". University of Brighton Design Archives. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837–2077: Keith Day P Murray 1981". FamilySearch.
  3. ↑ "Obituaries: Mary Beatrice de Carteret Murray". The Times. No. 65398. 14 October 1995. p. 23.
  4. ↑ Henry, J. K. M. (Christmas 1962). "The Opening of the Terminal Building at Hong Kong Airport" (PDF). Pontifact: Scott & Wilson Kirkpatrick & Partners, House Magazine. No. 7. London. pp. 31–34.
  5. ↑ "Marriages". The Auckland Star. Vol. 20, no. 64. 16 March 1889. p. 8.
  6. ↑ "Deaths". The Auckland Star. Vol. 29, no. 28. 3 February 1898. p. 8.
  7. ↑ "Unititled". The Auckland Star. Vol. 29, no. 28. 3 February 1898. p. 4.
  8. ↑ "Personal Items". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. 37, no. 11265. 8 January 1900. p. 6.
  9. ↑ "Prince Albert College". The Auckland Star. Vol. 33, no. 299. 17 December 1902. p. 2.
  10. ↑ "Personal". The Auckland Star. Vol. 37, no. 71. 23 March 1906. p. 5.
  11. ↑ "Personal Items". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. 44, no. 13465. 18 April 1907. p. 6.
  12. ↑ Fairburn, A. R. D. (1967). The Woman Problem & Other Prose. Auckland: Blackwood and Janet Paul. p. 185.
  13. ↑ "New Zealand University Exams". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. 46, no. 13963. 20 January 1909. p. 5.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 AIR 76/366/42, Murray, Keith Day Pearce, 05 July 1892, 1918–1919 – via National Archives, Kew
  15. 1 2 3 Moyle, Terry (2019). The First: The Walsh Brothers and the Aeroplane Days of Edwardian New Zealand. Auckland: New Holland Publishers.
  16. ↑ "Aero Club of Auckland". Progress. Vol. 5, no. 12. 1 October 1910. p. 21.
  17. ↑ "N.Z. Aero Club. Some Auckland Experiments. Distinguish Visitors". The Auckland Star. Vol. 41, no. 219. 5 September 1910. p. 2.
  18. ↑ Murray, Keith Day (1 June 1911). "Aero Club of New Zealand: The Walsh Aeroplane Syndicate". Progress. Vol. 6, no. 8. p. 682.
  19. ↑ Murray, Keith Day (1 August 1911). "Mastery of the Air. Aero Club of New Zealand". Progress. Vol. 6, no. 10. p. 755.
  20. ↑ "Flyers for Auckland: Advent of the Glider". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. 48, no. 14626. 11 March 1911. p. 8.
  21. ↑ "The Royal Aero Club". Aeronautics. Vol. 8, no. 88 (New Series). 23 June 1915. p. 428.
  22. ↑ "The Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom". Flight. Vol. 7, no. 24. 11 June 1915. p. 414.
  23. ↑ "Supplementary to Regular Units or Corps, Royal Flying Corps". The London Gazette (Supplement). No. 29194. 15 June 1915. p. 5843.
  24. ↑ "Personal". The Auckland Star. Vol. 46, no. 189. 10 August 1915. p. 4.
  25. ↑ "War Office". The London Gazette (supplement). No. 29291. 10 September 1915. p. 9050.
  26. ↑ Ledeboer, John H, ed. (12 January 1916). "Aircraft in Action: Appointments". Aeronautics. Vol. 10, no. 117. London. p. 42.
  27. ↑ "War Office". The London Gazette (fifth supplement). No. 29511. 14 March 1916. p. 2916.
  28. ↑ "Personal". The Auckland Star. Vol. 47, no. 89. 13 April 1916.
  29. ↑ Ledeboer, John H, ed. (22 March 1916). "Aircraft in Action: Appointments". Aeronautics. Vol. 10, no. 127. London. p. 202.
  30. ↑ "WWI Aircraft Serial Number: 1729". The Aerodrome. 1997–2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  31. ↑ "War Office". The London Gazette (third supplement). No. 30327. 5 October 1917. p. 10383.
  32. ↑ Jones, Henry Albert (1934). The War in the Air; Being the Story of the Part Played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force. Vol. 4. London: Oxford University Press. pp. 428, 494.
  33. ↑ Jackson, Robert (1988). Aces' Twilight: The Air War in the West, 1918. London: Sphere Books Limited. p. 17. ISBN 9780747401216.
  34. ↑ "War Office". The London Gazette (second supplement). No. 29623. 13 June 1916. p. 5925.
  35. ↑ "War Office". The London Gazette (third supplement). No. 30691. 17 May 1918. p. 5943.
  36. ↑ "War Office". The London Gazette (fifth supplement). No. 31089. 27 December 1918. p. 15234.
  37. ↑ "No 10 Squadron Association Celebrate RAF100". 51˚ North: The Magazine of Royal Air Force Brize Norton. No. 5. Rushden, Northamptonshire: Forces and Corporate Publishing Ltd. 2018. p. 11.
  38. ↑ "War Office". The London Gazette (fifth supplement). No. 30308. 25 September 1917. p. 9978.
  39. ↑ "War Office". The London Gazette (supplement). No. 30466. 8 January 1918. p. 632.
  40. ↑ "Conferred by His Majesty the King of the Belgians". The London Gazette (supplement). No. 31457. 11 July 1919. p. 8987.
  41. ↑ "New Zealand Abroad". The Dominion. Vol. 12, no. 203. 22 May 1919. p. 5.
  42. ↑ New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839–1973 – via FamilySearch
  43. ↑ "A.A. Annual Prize Distribution". The Builder's Journal and Architectural Engineer. Vol. 52, no. 1334. 28 July 1920. p. 110.
  44. ↑ "Keith Murray". Collecting the 20th Century. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2007.
  45. 1 2 Campbell, Gordon, ed. (2006). The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts. Vol. 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-19-518948-3.
  46. 1 2 Tracy, Martin (30 August 2011). "Keith Murray: Design for Life". World Collectors Net. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  47. ↑ "Decoration of New Liner". The Evening Star. No. 22154. 8 October 1935. p. 2.
  48. ↑ "No. 34600". The London Gazette. 21 February 1939. p. 1217.
  49. ↑ "No. 35416". The London Gazette. 13 January 1942. p. 239.
  50. ↑ "No. 35399". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1941. p. 45.
  51. ↑ "New Years Honours: Dominion Airmen". The Evening Post. Vol. 133, no. 2. 3 January 1942. p. 8.

Further reading

  • Campbell, Gordon, ed. (2006). The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts. Vol. 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-19-518948-3.
  • Cunningham, Helen (1999). Clarice Cliff and Her Contemporaries: Susie Cooper, Keith Murray, Charlotte Rhead, and the Carlton Ware Designers. Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0764307061.
  • Matthew, H.C.G.; Harrison, Brian, eds. (2004). Murray, Keith Day Pearce (1892–1981). Vol. 12. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. vol 12, 76–77, vol 39, 968–970. ISBN 019861411X. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • Moyle, Terry (2019). The First: The Walsh Brothers and the Aeroplane Days of Edwardian New Zealand. Sydney · Auckland: New Holland Publishers. ISBN 9781869665418.
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