Peter Murdoch of Rosehill (1670–1761) was an 18th-century Scottish sugar merchant and refiner who served as

Lord Provost of Glasgow The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Glasgow is the convener of the Glasgow City Council. The Lord Provost serves both as the chair of the city council and as a figurehead for the entire city, and is elected by the city councillors from among i ...

from 1730 to 1732.

Life

He was born in Glasgow in 1670, the son of Patrick Murdoch (1627–1681) and his wife, Margaret Gemmill. He was owner of the King Street Sugar Works in Glasgow. This was probably built by his father around 1660/1670 and was one of the first sugar-houses in Scotland. It was financially damaged from 1707 onwards when the

Treaty of Union The Treaty of Union is the name usually now given to the treaty which led to the creation of the new political state of Great Britain. The treaty, effective since 1707, brought the Kingdom of England (which already included Wales) and the Ki ...

started taxing sugar. In 1711 he joined Glasgow Town Council as a Bailie. In 1730 he succeeded John Stirling as

and was himself succeeded by Hugh Rodger in 1732. Peter Murdoch died in 1761. He is buried against the south wall of

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral () is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the cathedral church of the Archbishop of Glasgow, and the mother church of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the province of Glasgow, from the 12th ...

burial ground. In 1765 the bulk of sugar interests transferred from Glasgow to

Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...

Family

His brother Zacrie Murdoch married Elizabeth Rodger, daughter of Robert Rodger, Lord Provost in 1707 and 1712. In 1696 he was married to Mary Luke of Claythorn, daughter of John Luke of Claythorn. His eldest son, Peter Murdoch (1704-1734) died young. His son, also Peter Murdoch (1734-1817) was born just after his death. Peter Murdoch (b.1795), the original Peter's great grandson, served at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...

. He was father to John Murdoch of Rosebank, three times Lord Provost of Glasgow. His daughter Janet Murdoch married

Andrew Cochrane Andrew Cochrane of Brighouse (1693 – 1777) was a Scottish merchant who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow three times, more than any other person: 1744/5, 1748/9, and 1760/1. Cochrane Street, Glasgow, Cochrane Street in central Glasgow was ren ...

of Brighouse, also three times Lord Provost. His daughter Martha Murdoch married Archibald Buchanan, 1st Baronet of Auchentorlie. They lived at Hillington House in Refrewshire. He is thought to be uncle to George Murdoch Lord Provost from 1754 to 1756 and from 1766 to 1768.

References

1670 births 1761 deaths Businesspeople from Glasgow Lord provosts of Glasgow Burials at Glasgow Cathedral 18th-century Scottish merchants Sugar merchants {{Scotland-business-bio-stub