Dalbeattie Town History

Murdoch of the 'Titanic' :
Donations to the Murdoch Memorial Prize Fund

Lieutenant William McMaster Murdoch Royal Naval Reserve	Memorial Plaque, Dalbeattie Town Hall

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On the night of the 14/15th April 1912, Lieutenant William McMaster Murdoch, Royal Naval Reserve, was First Officer on the R.M.S. 'Titanic'. The ship sank with the loss of around 1,507 lives, including that of William Murdoch himself.

The career and last hours of this courageous officer are given elsewhere on this website. He died saving others' lives at no thought of his own.

In the August of 1912, the Town Council of Dalbeattie erected a granite and bronze memorial to Lieutenant Murdoch on the outside of the Town Hall. The money was paid for by public subscription, with many of the donations coming from townspeople themselves.

A Murdoch Memorial Prize Fund was established at the same time, to provide a prize of £ 4 in perpetuity to the best scholar aged 14 at Dalbeattie High School (the Junior Dux). This was in memory of Murdoch's brilliant school career, as an encouragement to others. Sadly, inflation has eroded the value of the Prize, so it has been decided to re-open the fund to take donations. This will allow the Prize Trustees to fund an annual medal and offer a more substantial Prize to the School.

The recent donation of £ 5,000 Pounds Sterling by 20th Century Fox has allowed the Fund to pass its original £ 1,000 target, but there is still a need to develop the Fund further. The writer is discussing with the administrators (Mr. Colin Brown and Mr. Alec Haswell) the possibility of increasing the Prize to an annual bursary, and this will mean raising maybe a further £ 5,000.

Please Help us to Reach the Amended Target of £ 10,000

The Murdoch Memorial Prize is administered by the Board of Governors of the Stewartry Educational Trust, which is one of a number of educational endowments administered by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

If you wish to send a donation to enhance the Murdoch Memorial Prize Fund, please send cheques to :-

The Bank of Scotland,
15, St. Mary's Street,
Kirkcudbright,
DG6 4AD.

Cheques should be made payable to : 'Stewartry Educational Trust (MMF)'.
The Account Number is : 00876215. The Sort Code is : 80-08-63.

Those wishing to have their donations acknowledged, or to correspond with the Stewartry Educational Trust about the Murdoch Memorial Prize Fund should contact :-

Mr. Alec Haswell,
Clerk, Stewartry Educational Trust,
Dumfries and Galloway Council,
Darr Road,
Kirkcudbright,
DG6 6AJ.

Please do not send Memorial Prize fund donations to any other address. These addresses are the only ones recognised by the Stewartry Educational Trust.

All amounts welcome, whatever they may be.

This website was written to state the truth about Lieutenant William McMaster Murdoc, RNR. Information and editorial assistance came from the maritime historian, Mr. Ernest Robinson, and Samuel Scott Murdoch, the nephew of the First Officer of the RMS 'Titanic'.

The White Star Line	Life of W.M. Murdoch	RMS Titanic	Collision and Aftermath	The Board of Enquiry

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