Murray House is located in the University of South Australia’s Magill campus.
Here, explorer John McDouall Stuart was extended hospitality and welcomed by the Murray family, after his successful 1861–62 South Australian Great Northern Expedition.
The MH Building, an abbreviation of Murray House, is the historical building that welcomes students at the front of the campus. It is used for the Division of Education, Arts, and Social Sciences (EASS) offices.
Today it is the administrative centre of the University of South Australia, Magill Campus.
Murray House, a fifteen-room stone house, was acquired by the Department of Education in 1968 from its last owner, Mrs Ellinor Doris Bush, who trained and bred show horses on the property. Ref: Murray Park House/Campbelltown City Council
Magill Campus is seven kilometres from the centre of Adelaide and is easily accessible by bus and car. The campus is on stunning grounds, with Third Creek running through, and huge eucalyptus trees bordering open grassy spaces. The campus has a gym and swimming pool for student use, and is a short walk from restaurants, takeaway shops, and a pub.
*A Scot, David Cowan, arrived in South Australia in 1839 and leased, then purchased 22 acres of Section 327. In 1842 he began building the fine home on the land that became known as Murray Park.
Alexander Borthwick Murray acquired the property in 1862. He added 100 acres to the west and greatly extended the home.
The Murray home was later acquired by the South Australian government and it became the core of the Wattle Park Teachers’ College in 1957, and eventually a campus of the University of South Australia. Ref: Magill Historic Review
*Death at 78 of Sir George Murray
Sir George John Robert Murray, KCMG, Lieutenant-Governor and Chief Justice of South Australia, and Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, died today at the age of 78, after a brief illness.
He was in his office at the Supreme Court on Friday. On Sunday he was taken suddenly ill with appendicitis, and was operated on at a private hospital immediately. About 18 months ago Sir George was taken ill and for several months was away from his office, but he made a fine recovery and resumed his full share of court work.
Sir George, who succeeded to his offices on the death of Sir Samuel Way, in 1916, was one of South Australia's most distinguished citizens. in both legal and administrative spheres. He was born at Murray Park, Magill. and had lived there all his life. except for periods spent abroad and as occupant of Government House in his capacity as Lieutenant-Governor. He was unmarried.
He was the first Adelaide University graduate to attain the rank of King's Counsel. He took his arts degree in Adelaide, and proceeded to Cambridge, where he obtained his BA and LL.B. degrees in 1887, being called to the Inner Temple, London, in the following year. He then returned to Adelaide, and was called to the Bar 12 months later. He was made a KC in 1906, and was raised to the Supreme Court Bench in 1912. He was knighted in 1916, the year in which he was appointed to the high offices he held at his death.
Courts adjourn
When the Criminal Court opened this morning Mr Justice Richards said that it was with very great regret that he had to report that after a serious operation a few days ago, the Chief Justice passed away at 6.30 am.
It was impossible for any judge to go on sitting at such a time, and it was too early for any more to be said with regard to the deeply lamented loss to the court and to the country. He would leave that to a later occasion and a more senior judge.
Mr Justice Cleland also adjourned his list of cases set down for this afternoon.
Premier’s tribute
South Australia had lost its foremost and most distinguished citizen, said the Premier (Mr Playford). His long and honourable career had rightly placed him in the category of one of the greatest men in South Australian history.
"Sir George was noted for his high integrity. In every way he was an upright man," added the Premier. "Although he lived a somewhat lonely life, he had a great interest in human affairs and kept himself thoroughly conversant with all phases of the life of the people of this State.
"He was singularly kind-hearted and a thorough gentleman."
Life-long insistence on the utmost precision in all he did was an outstanding characteristic.
"He was always intent on doing precisely the right thing," Mr Playford said. "In writing his signature there was always a line drawn underneath. It was always of exactly the same length. If the ink in his pen ran out when that line was an eighth of an inch short of the proper length, he would dip his pen into the inkwell to put the end on to the line. "As Lieutenant-Governor he exercised the functions of the King's representative here for an aggregate term longer than any Governor has ever held office." Ref: News (Adelaide SA) Wednesday 18 February 1942.
*Chief Justice Dead
Sir George Murray's Notable Career
The death occurred on Wednesday morning of the Lieutenant-Governor and Chief Justice (Sir George Murray), in his 79th year.
Sir George, who became Lieutenant-Governor and Chief Justice in 1916, had an operation for appendicitis a few days ago.
A courtly gentleman of the old school, he was a charming personality. Born in 1863, he was the son of Mr A B Murray, a noted pioneer sheep breeder and member of the South Australian Parliament. In his early schooldays he was a fellow-student with the late C C Kingston at the school conducted by Mr J L Young. Then he went to Scotland, and for several years attended the High School of Edinburgh. On returning to South Australia he was enrolled at St Peter's College, where his where his brilliancy gained him the Prankherd, Wyatt, Christchurch, and Farrell scholarships, and in 1881 he took a university entrance scholarship, thus beginning his law course. He won the first John Howard Clark scholarship in 1882. He gained his BA in 1883, and with it the highest scholarship then offered— the South Australian— which he divided with Walter (later Sir Walter) Kingsmill. It was valued at £200 a year.
The Chief Justice-to-be was then 20. The scholarship took him to Cambridge, where he won his law degree, and was called to the bar of the Inner Temple in 1888.
Returning to South Australia, he was admitted to the bar here in 1889, and became associate to Chief Justice Way. Subsequently he became a partner of Mr W A Magarey, and quickly established a high legal reputation. He was the first graduate of the Adelaide University to take silk (1906). In 1891 he became a member of the University Council. He was raised to the bench in 1912, and on the death of Chief Justice Way in 1916 was appointed his successor, and also Chancellor of the University.
In his capacity of Lieutenant-Governor he frequently discharged viceregal duties pending the arrival of Governors or during their absence from the State.
On the news of the Chief Justice's death becoming known all courts adjourned.
Ref: Chronicle (Adelaide SA) Thursday 19 February 1942.
*Chief Justice Murray is buried in the Magill St George’s Anglican Church graveyard. His sister, Margaret Tinline Murray, is also buried there. They are mentioned together on the same headstone.
