Major Edward Croft-Murray (1 September 1907 – 18 September 1980) was a British antiquarian, an expert on British art, and Keeper of the Department of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum from 1954 to 1973. He was born in

Chichester Chichester ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester District, Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher ...

and educated at

Lancing College Lancing College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school) for pupils aged 13–18 in southern England, UK. The school is located in West S ...

and

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College ( ) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and ...

, and rose to the rank of Major in World War II. He was descended from the Croft baronets of

Croft Castle Croft Castle is a English country house, country house in the village of Croft, Herefordshire, Croft, Herefordshire, England. Owned by the Croft family since 1085, the castle and estate passed out of their hands in the 18th century, before bei ...

and related to a cousin of the

Empress Josephine The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

. He worked at the British Museum from 1933 as a volunteer then assistant keeper and became keeper of Prints and Drawings in 1954. During WW2 he served as one of the

Monuments Men The Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Section Unit (MFAA) was a program established by the Allies in 1943 to help protect cultural property in war areas during and after World War II. The group of about 400 service members and civilians worked ...

. He was also interested in music and studied the violin at school. After his war service he founded ‘The New Mellstock Band’ comprising amateur and professional musicians who played Church Band and Georgian music. He composed music for Petersham church as 'an unknown pupil of J. C. Bach'. He was appointed CBE in

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

. He lived at 4 Maids of Honour Row,

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

and is buried at St Peter's Church, Petersham.

Selected publications

* Catalogue of British Drawings, volume I: XVI-XVIIc, Edward Croft-Murray, Paul Hulton (1960) * Decorative Painting in England 1537 to 1837, 2 Volumes, Edward Croft-Murray (1962)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Croft-Murray, Edward 1907 births 1980 deaths Burials at St Peter's, Petersham Monuments men People educated at Lancing College Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford People from Chichester Employees of the British Museum Commanders of the Order of the British Empire