Murray Memorial And Enclosure Railings

SE2932 714-1/42/852 09/03/87

LEEDS

ST MATTHEW'S STREET, Holbeck (East side) Murray Memorial and enclosure railings (Formerly Listed as: ST MATTHEW STREET, Holbeck (East side (off)) Murray Memorial & railings approx 60m W of Meynell Heights, Cemetery etc)

GV II

Memorial in railed enclosure. c1830. Commemorates Matthew and Mary Murray; cast-iron and stone. Rectangular enclosure has low chamfered stone wall supporting pointed-finialed bars; stone flags inside. The central obelisk has 4-step stone and iron podium, iron plinth block with raised stone panels in iron architraves bearing inscriptions, and iron obelisk above. The south panel is inscribed: 'IN A VAULT UNDERNEATH/ ARE DEPOSITED THE REMAINS OF/ MATTHEW MURRAY/ CIVIL ENGINEER OF HOLBECK/ WHO DIED THE XX OF FEBRUARY/ MDCCCXXVI, AGED LX YEARS/ ALSO OF MARY HIS WIFE/ WHO DIED THE XVIII/ OF DECEMBER MDCCCXXXVI/ AGED LXXII YEARS.' The N and W panels commemorate other members of the Murray family including a grandson, William Murray Jackson c1882, and a great grandson, Matthew Murray Jackson who were engineers also. HISTORICAL NOTE: Matthew Murray was important as a designer and builder of both stationary and locomotive engines, supplying Middleton tramway with four of the latter in 1812-13, more than a decade before the opening of Stephenson's Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 and the building of his 'Rocket' in 1829. Murray's foundry was a short distance away from the cemetery, on Water Lane, now No.99 (qv).

Listing NGR: SE2912932333