Gray (Other old documents which mean nothing at the moment).
There are other old papers and documents which may be of interest to others but at this stage I cannot connect them to my Gray ancestors although no doubt they will all be related in some way. Some of the pieces of paper I can only make out a few names on and cannot read a lot of the writing at all as it is too faded or I just cannot decipher it. If anybody is interested in any particular document I can take a digital photo and forward it to you. Any assistance in deciphering what is written would be greatly appreciated.
There are several old hand written pedigrees of Sir James Gray which seems to indicate a very strong interest in the man for some reason?
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An old piece of paper has the following written on one side of it :-
1445 Gray-Brown John Gray 16 Baron in the ????age of Scotland, born 1798 ?????ed his Father 1842. Married 1833 Mary Anne Daughter of the late Lt Col ? ? ???????? ??????? ???? his sister Hon Madelina Gray Born 1799. Carlton Club ?????? ???? ?????? Castle Perthshire.
Your Father George Gray was next heir to this title and estate, consequently you are the next claimant to this title when the present old man and his old sister dies.
On the back of this old piece of paper is written :-
Sent a copy of this to General (Maybe George?) Gray (by this mail Sept?) 1878.
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There is a letter written which appears to be written to Caroline Birch Gray from what appears to be a Gray relation in Melbourne which I can only make out a few names etc.
Melbourne
155? Collins St ??
23/10/65(1865 no doubt)
My D Mrs Smith
Your very welcome letter I received which ?????????????????????????????? My father was George ?????????? Gray Captn 67th foot. My mother ???? Sexton of Limerick Ireland. I have an aunt residing at Norwood England. ??????????? my father's brother late Captn 44 foot. ?????????????????????????????????????? I am in practice here. Married having a ?????? family (3 daughters) ???????????????????????????? Caroline.
Older family members have told me that there was a Dr Gray in Collins St, Melbourne who was a relation of Caroline Birch Gray's but up until now I have not been able to make contact with any of his descendants either.
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James Clarke Charnock Gray's obituary
For several years I felt this man had to be the brother of Caroline Birch Gray (My g-g-grandmother) from a hand written copy of his obituary amongst the old documents and his movements in India match some of the letters written by James Digby Smith. James Digby Smith was the son of John Davison Smith & Caroline Birch Gray and he makes reference to "Uncle" on several occasions in his letters from India to family members here in Australia in the 1840's and 1850's. I felt this was virtually confirmed in James Digby Smith's letter from India dated Feb 19th 1848 to his brother John Digby Smith at "Lindenow Station" here in Australia. One sentence reads "I suppose you know by now that "Uncle" has just got his Lt. Col. and is posted to the "Illustrious 35th" at Barrackpore."
OBITUARY FROM "THE TIMES" 20th MARCH 1891. (Some of this I couldn't decipher but this is what I made out of it).
The death is announced of General James Clarke Charnock Gray who entered the service of the Hon. East India Company as a cadet of infantry Bengal Presidency in the year 1811. He first saw active service in the Napaul war 1814-15 under Sir David Achterlong?, ?ast at Gureah? Kotah? in1819, under Colonel W. Brookes, and in 1825-26 at the siege of Bhurtpore?, under Lord Combermere?, when the brigadier commanding the storming column issued a complimentary order testifying to the gallant conduct of his regiment in ascending the breach?. This regiment was the late 21st Bengal Native Infantry, now the 1st Native Infantry, one of the few regiments of the Bengal Presidency which remained loyal in the great Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. On the formation? in 1837? of the Oade? Auyiary? Force?, the deceased then only a Captain was appointed by Lord Auchland? to ?aide, organise and command the 1st Regiment of that force, and he held the command for ten years until promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1847.
In the period from 1847 to 1855 General Gray commanded the 34th & 35th Native Infantry and was selected to ?ai?e, organise and command the 3rd? European Regiment now the 107th or Royal Sussex Regiment. In January? 1856, Lord Dalhoutie?, then Governor General in India, in a letter conched? in complementary and appreciative terms, communicated to the deceated? the new policy? about to be adopted in relation to the kingdom of Onde?, including the organisation of an irregular force, consisting of three field batteries, three regiments of cavalry and eight regiments of infantry. "My first care for this force", wrote his Lordship, "Must be to place it under the command of an officer with the ability, energy, and experience, in whose knowledge, discretion and soldierly qualities the Government may place full reliance. I feel confident that, acting in that view?, I cannot do better than select you for this command. It? will be agreeable to you to know that your acceptance of this offer will be very satisfactory to General Autham? as well as to myself." But before this force could be thoroughly organised and disciplined unmistakable indications of the Great Sepoy Mutiny had become widespread, and that the force in due course disestablished? itself after a very brief existence, and General Gray and such officers of his force as escaped the first hostile intentions of their men found themselves interred? in the residency? at Lucknow in the successful defence of which they participated from first to last until relieved by Havelock? & Outram? in September and by Lord Clyde in November 1857 and March 1858.
Born under the sound of Bow Bells on the 19th August 1794 the third son of the late Captain James Gray of the Royal Navy and a grandson of the Right Hon. Sir James Gray, K.C.B.P.? Ambassador at the Courts of Naples and Madrid, the deceased General, the father of the Indian Army commenced his Indian career in 1812 and remained in India uninterrupted for 54 years, 46 of which were passed? in the plains?, but with a very short term, but once only in the hills. He went out as a boy of 17, and returned to England at the ripe old age of 71 establishing his home in London in 1866. As a boy he witnessed the funeral of Lord Nelson in 1806, and the jubilee of George 111 in 1810 and that of the queen in 1887 at the age of 93. He remained in full possession of all his mental faculties to the very last.
This document was the initial possible connection I found between myself and the children of Sir James Gray "Knight of the Bath" and would explain why his portrait has been handed down through the family for generations and is here in Australia now.
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OTHER KNOWN INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:-
Further research into the Dr Gray at Collin's St, Melbourne has indicated that it is Andrew Sexton Gray the founder of the Eye & Ear Hospital?