John Murray III (1808–1892) was a British publisher, third of the name at theJohn Murray company founded in London in 1777.
The eldest son ofJohn Murray II (1778–1843) by Anne Elliott, daughter of Charles Elliot, the Edinburgh publisher, he was born on 16 April 1808. When he was four years old his father moved the firm to 50 Albemarle Street, which became a meeting-place for men of letters. He was educated atCharterhouse School andEdinburgh University, where he graduated in 1827. He completed his education by foreign travel, inWeimar delivering the dedication ofLord Byron'sMarino Faliero toGoethe.[1]
There resulted the research for a series of books for tourists, theMurray's Handbooks for Travellers. In 1836 Murray saw through the press the first of the handbooks, his ownHolland, Belgium, and the Rhine; and three more were written by himself. Subsequently, he enlisted specialists:Richard Ford (A Handbook for Travellers in Spain),Sir Gardner Wilkinson (Egypt), andSir Francis Palgrave (North Italy).[1]
From 1830 to 1843 Murray helped his father run the firm. His own publishing projects included:[1]
Darwin'sOn the Origin of Species was published by Murray in 1859. An enterprise of a different kind wasThe Speaker's Commentary (1871–81), prompted byJohn Evelyn Denison.Murray's Magazine, started in 1887, ran to 1891. The firm published numerous illustrated books of travels.[1]
Murray had been well-connected in the literary world since his early days. He was a magistrate forSurrey, a fellow of theSociety of Antiquaries of London, and known as a member of theAthenæum Club. He died at 50 Albemarle Street on 2 April 1892. After a preliminary service inSt. James's, Piccadilly, he was buried on 6 April in the parish church atWimbledon, where he had resided for nearly 50 years.[1]
Murray published anonymously in 1877 (2nd edit. 1878)Scepticism in Geology.[1]
Murray married in 1847 Marion, youngest daughter of Alexander Smith, banker, of Edinburgh, and sister of David Smith,writer to the signet. He left two sons, John and Hallam, who ran the family business, and two daughters.[1]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1894). "Murray, John (1808-1892)".Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 39. London:Smith, Elder & Co.