The Murrays were close friends with the Diston family.
Alfred Diston was born on 8 January 1793 in Lowestoft, England and arrived in the commercial centre of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife in 1810.
Here he married María Soledad de Orea, with whom he had a daughter, Soledad "Solita" Diston y Orea.
He was named an Honorary Academic of RACBA on 24 October 1851, possibly sponsored by French naturalist and ethnologist Sabin Berthelot.

His relationship with the Murray family is reflected in Diston's diaries.
Elizabeth Murray also painted a portrait of Diston and was in charge of his daughter Solita's artistic education.
Solita's first exhibition was with RACBA in 1854, and she later went to England with Murray to continue her studies.
The Murrays were close friends with the Diston family. Alfred Diston was born on 8 January 1793 in Lowestoft, England and arrived in the commercial centre of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife in 1810. Here he married María Soledad de Orea, with whom he had a daughter, Soledad "Solita" Diston y Orea. He was named an Honorary Academic of RACBA on 24 October 1851, possibly sponsored by French naturalist and ethnologist Sabin Berthelot. 
His relationship with the Murray family is reflected in Diston's diaries. Elizabeth Murray also painted a portrait of Diston and was in charge of his daughter Solita's artistic education. Solita's first exhibition was with RACBA in 1854, and she later went to England with Murray to continue her studies.
Elizabeth Murray (painter)