The John R. Murray Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £7,114,925 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: UK, particularly Scotland and literary heritage sites
• Registered Charity Number: 1100199

Contact Details

Address: 50 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BD

Note: The trust does not have publicly listed contact details for grant applications as they do not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The John R. Murray Charitable Trust was established from the proceeds of the 2002 sale of the historic John Murray publishing house, one of Britain's oldest independent family-operated publishers (founded 1768). The trust was formally registered as a charity in 2003. The trustees possess “absolute uncontrolled discretion” to distribute funds to charities or charitable purposes they determine. While the trust's principal stated aim is “the continued support of the National Library of Scotland,” particularly in caring for and promoting access to the John Murray Archive, the trust also supports other literary and cultural heritage organizations across the UK. The trust operates with substantial assets, having distributed over £7 million in charitable expenditure in 2024.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust does not operate formal grant programs with defined application cycles. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees, typically to organizations with connections to the Murray publishing legacy or literary heritage.

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants, the trust prioritizes:

• Literary Archive Preservation: Conservation, cataloguing, and accessibility of literary collections, particularly those connected to the Murray publishing house
• National Library of Scotland: Ongoing operational support, staff funding for conservation projects, and major acquisitions related to the John Murray Archive
• Historic Literary Sites: Support for literary heritage organizations such as the Wordsworth Trust and Brontë Parsonage Museum
• Manuscript Acquisitions: Funding significant acquisitions of literary manuscripts, particularly those connected to authors published by John Murray (including Byron, Jane Austen, Charles Darwin, and the Brontës)

What They Don't Fund

The trust's focus is clearly on literary and cultural heritage. They appear not to fund:

• General charitable causes unrelated to literary heritage
• Organizations outside the cultural/literary sector
• Projects without connection to British literary history or the Murray publishing legacy

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is governed by five family trustees:

• Mr John R. Murray (John Murray VII)
• Mr Hallam Murray
• Mr Charles John Grey Murray
• Mr John Octavius Grey Murray
• Mrs Virginia Gwendoline Murray

The trustees receive no remuneration from the charity. The trust has no employees with benefits over £60,000 and no trading subsidiaries.

John Murray VII sold the publishing house to Hodder Headline in 2002, ending a 234-year family publishing dynasty. The trust was subsequently established to support literary heritage causes, particularly the National Library of Scotland which acquired the John Murray business archive for £31.2 million in 2006 (funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Government, and private donations).

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This trust does not have a public application process. Grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees. The trust operates on an invitation-only basis, with trustees identifying beneficiaries through their own networks and knowledge of the literary heritage sector. Organizations cannot submit unsolicited grant applications.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable, as there is no formal application process. Grants appear to be made as opportunities arise and trustees identify projects aligned with the trust's mission.

Application Success Factors

While there is no application process, understanding what attracts the trust's support is valuable:

• Connection to Murray Publishing Legacy: Organizations or projects connected to authors published by John Murray (1768-2002) appear most likely to receive support. Murray published Byron, Jane Austen, Charles Darwin, Patrick Leigh Fermor, and many other significant British authors.

• Literary Conservation and Access: The trust has specifically funded conservation staff positions at the National Library of Scotland to work on the Byron Papers, and supported the cataloguing of the Patrick Leigh Fermor archive, demonstrating commitment to making literary materials accessible.

• Significant Acquisitions: The trust has supported major acquisitions including the Patrick Leigh Fermor archive (presented to NLS by the trust, with connection through Leigh Fermor being published by Murray) and contributed to the Brontë Society's €600,000 acquisition of a rare Charlotte Brontë manuscript.

• Partnership Funding: The trust appears willing to participate as one of several funders in major campaigns, as demonstrated by the Brontë manuscript acquisition which involved multiple trusts and a crowdfunding campaign.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No unsolicited applications accepted: This is a private family trust operating by trustee discretion only. Organizations cannot apply for funding.

• Focus on Murray publishing connections: Projects related to authors published by John Murray during its 234-year history are most aligned with the trust's mission.

• Primary beneficiary is National Library of Scotland: The bulk of the trust's funding supports NLS, particularly the John Murray Archive. Organizations should not expect this trust to be a general funder.

• Literary heritage emphasis: All documented grants relate to literary manuscripts, archives, historic literary sites, and cultural preservation.

• Substantial capacity: With £7.1 million in charitable expenditure in 2024, this trust has significant resources, though most are committed to NLS.

• Long-term relationship approach: The trust's grants suggest ongoing relationships with beneficiaries (NLS, Wordsworth Trust) rather than one-off support to numerous organizations.

• Not a realistic funding prospect for most organizations: Unless your organization has direct connections to the Murray publishing legacy or has been approached by the trustees, this trust should not be included in funding strategies.

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, “The John R. Murray Charitable Trust - Charity 1100199,” https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1100199&subid=0

• National Library of Scotland, “Sir John Murray VII - John Murray Archive,” https://digital.nls.uk/jma/who/john-murray-vii/

• Patrick Leigh Fermor Archive, "Patrick Leigh Fermor's archive acquired by the National Library of Scotland," August 13, 2012, https://patrickleighfermor.org/2012/08/13/patrick-leigh-fermors-archive-acquired-by-the-national-library-of-scotland/

• Fine Books & Collections, "Charlotte Brontë's 'Little Book' Will Return Home to Haworth," https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-news/charlotte-brontes-little-book-will-return-home-haworth

• National Library of Scotland, “The John Murray Archive: Pioneering British publishing,” https://www.nls.uk/collections/john-murray/

• Wordsworth Trust Annual Review, listing The John R. Murray Charitable Trust among supporters