Rupert Murdoch's media realm saw an unexpected newcomer rise to prominence: a woman formerly known as a tailor's daughter from Estonia.
In an intriguing turn of events, the British daily The Telegraph has reported a possibility of Anna Murdoch's return to News Corp, following Lachlan Murdoch's appointment as chairman. This news sparked interest in a lesser-known aspect of Anna Murdoch's background - her potential connection to Estonia.
Anna Murdoch, the ex-wife of media magnate Rupert Murdoch, was born Anna Maria Torv in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1944. Her grandfather, Jakob Tõrv, was a village tailor in Estonia, hailing from the Tõrvanõmme farm in Tõstamaa borough in Estonia's Pärnu County. However, there is no recognized link or historical record connecting Murdoch's lineage to an Estonian tailor by that name.
Jakob Tõrv boarded a ship to Scotland and anglicised his name to Jacob Torv. He married the Scottish shop owner's daughter, and their daughter, Anna Maria Torv, was born. Anna left Scotland for Australia at a young age and finished her high school education there.
Anna's life took an interesting turn when she landed a job as a reporter for The Daily Mirror, the very same newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch. The two met and married in 1967. After their divorce, Anna remarried twice - first to William Mann and then to Ashton dePeyster.
In 1992, Anna donated $10,000 to ESTO, a global Estonian diaspora festival, in memory of her father who had passed away two years prior. Reports suggest that Anna visited Estonia for the first time in 1980, but this has not been verified. There is also a report that Anna visited Estonia with her father in 1986.
Anna and Rupert Murdoch visited Estonia together in November 1991, just a few months after Estonia regained independence from the Soviet Union. During the visit, they met with Arnold Rüütel, then the Chairman of the Supreme Council. Rupert Murdoch met with journalists from the weekly Eesti Ekspress and business paper Äripäev during the visit, but the meeting was reportedly not a business trip, but a trip to Anna's father's birthplace.
Anna expressed regret at not being able to attend ESTO 92 due to other commitments. In 1997, she published a novel called "In the Name of Family", which is said to be dedicated to all the founding fathers of newspapers.
As for Lachlan Murdoch, the eldest son of media magnate Rupert Murdoch, he is set to become the chairman of News Corp. The question remains whether Anna Murdoch's potential return to News Corp is connected to her Estonian roots or simply a coincidence. The mystery continues to unfold as more details emerge.
- Anna Murdoch's father, Jakob Tõrv, was a village tailor in Estonia, hailing from the Tõrvanõmme farm in Tôstamaa borough in Pärnu County.
- Despite the unverified reports, Anna visited Estonia for the first time in 1980 and is said to have visited again with her father in 1986.
- In 1992, Anna donated $10,000 to ESTO, a global Estonian diaspora festival, in memory of her father who had passed away two years prior.
- Anna and Rupert Murdoch visited Estonia together in November 1991, just a few months after Estonia regained independence from the Soviet Union.
- Amidst the news of Lachlan Murdoch's appointment as chairman of News Corp, there is speculation about a potential connection between Anna Murdoch's return and her Estonian roots.
- Tallinn, Estonia, serves as the birthplace of Anna Murdoch's father, and Anna expressed regret at not being able to attend ESTO 92 due to other commitments.
