Ernest William Murray

(1884.03.20 – 1962.11.01)
B.A.Sc, CE, DLS, SLS
Commission #029
(1911.03.15)

A gentleman who gave his time to the younger surveyors and to articled pupils.

Born in Seaforth, Ontario, in 1884 where he took his early education. He attended the University of Toronto and in 1907 graduated from the faculty of applied science. Shortly thereafter he apprenticed on a Dominion Land survey party near the Yellowhead pass in Alberta for a year, returning to the University of Toronto to take a post graduate course in civil engineering. Following his graduation in 1910, he qualified as a Dominion Land Surveyor and joined the Saskatchewan Department of Public Works. While there he obtained his Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Commission number 29 in 1911. Later he went with the Saskatchewan Department of Highways as a district engineer and land surveyor for many years. When Mr. M. B. Weekes, S.L.S. retired in 1940 Mr. Murray was appointed Director of Surveys, which he held until his retirement from the Government in 1947, at age 63.

Not content with sitting around, he went into private practice and was most happy doing subdivision and road surveys in the Qu’Appelle, Regina, Regina Beach, Lumsden and other areas near Regina.

When Ernie finally retired he is quoted as saying “I am one of those who thinks that despite the rigours of it’s winters, Saskatchewan is still a good place in which to live and I don’t intend leaving.”

He still remains here as he was placed to rest in the Riverside Memorial Park in Regina.

Mr. and Mrs. Murray were well known in Regina circles. They were blessed with two daughters, Mrs. Eileen Smith, California and Mrs. Harvey Dryden, Regina.

In his youth, Mr. Murray was very athletic, being captain on a soccer team when they played New York and Philadelphia in 1905 and 1906, and winning the intercollegiate soccer championship of America.

In Regina he played with the old National Football team along with being active in hockey, tennis and badminton. Mr. Murray was President of the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association in 1924. In the late 1960’s the then Controller of Surveys Mr. A. I. Bereskin, honoured Ernie by naming “Murray Rapids” after him on the Churchill River near Missinipi, Saskatchewan.

His daughter Annabel Dryden did an article about her dad called “From the Membership. Early Surveyors. The shaping of a Province.” I assume it was published in a Regina magazine or paper after Mr. Murray passed away. (It is on file in the S.L.S. Office).

Compiled by J. H. Webb, May 2001