Harry Raymond Gray
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Harry Raymond Gray was the son of Thomas Crow and Mary Hannah Gray (née Devening). His father Thomas Crow was born in 1852 in Donington-on-Bain, Lincolnshire, the son of William, a carpenter, and Betsy Gray. His mother Mary Hannah Devening was born in 1855 in Woburn Green, Buckinghamshire. Thomas and two of his brothers, George Ericson and Jesse, moved from Donington-on-Bain to Nottingham. In 1881 Jesse, a builder employing six men, was living with his wife and son together with his brother Thomas, also a builder, on Goodhead Street, Meadows, Nottingham. Their brother George, a joiner and wheelwright, his wife and their two children were still living in Donington but had moved to Nottingham by 1891. Thomas and Mary were married in 1881 (reg. Nottingham O/N/D) and had eight children, two of whom, Arthur and Rupert, died young. Their eldest child was born in Nottingham and the seven youngest in West Bridgford: Marion Lucas b. 1883, Edith Anne birth registered 1885 (J/F/M), Wilfrid John b. 1886, Arthur Thomas b. 1880 d. 1891, Leila Sara b. 1889, Rupert Charles birth registered 1891 (J/F/M) d. 1893, Harry Raymond birth registered 1894 (J/F/M) and Elsie Devening b. 1895. In 1891, ten years after their marriage, Thomas, an assistant overseer and rate collector for the Basford Board of Guardians, his wife and their five surviving children, Marion, Edith, Wilfrid, Leila and Rupert (3m d. 1893) were living in West Bridgford. In 1901 the family was living at 29 Stratford Road, West Bridgford, but had moved to 38 Millicent Road by 1911. Only four of the children were still living at home: Marion a certificated general nurse working on her own account (trained at Guys Hospital London 1907-1910), Edith (no occupation given), Harry, a student of building construction and Elsie a chemist's clerk (trained as a nurse, London Guys Hospital 1917-1920). Wilfred, a civil engineer, was a boarder at Alexandra Road, Cleethorpe, Lincolnshire but later emigrated to Canada where he was recorded on the 1916 Census (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta). Leila was working in London as a shorthand typist, boarding with a family in Highbury. Harry's parents continued to live at 38 Millicent Road until their deaths. Mary Hannah, died in 1929 and Thomas on 6 March 1933. Their daughter, Sara Leila predeceased them. She married Lewis Gordon Bradley in 1916 and they had two children, Margaret L. b. 1919 d. 1919 and Kenneth George b. 1922. Sara died on 13 August 1923 at the Maternity Hospital, Te Puke, Bay of Plenty district, New Zealand, and was buried in Te Puke Cemetery. The probate record gave her home address as 38 Millicent Road, West Bridgford. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled Marion was living on Davies Road, West Bridgford, while Elsie was a hospital matron at the West Somerset Hospital, Minehead. The sisters later lived together in Alcombe, Minehead; Marion died in 1962 and Elsie in 1976. Their widowed sister Edith (m. 1917 Alexander Thompson) was also living in West Bridgford in 1939; she died in 1967.
Harry Raymond Gray served with the 7th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Field Companies provided a range of technical skills in support of Division’s fighting units. On the outbreak of war, the 13 Field Companies at home on a peacetime establishment were reorganised into 12 Field Companies. Two Companies were attached to each of the six Divisions of the BEF, an allocation soon increased to three per Division, although with the expansion of the army after the formation of Kitchener’s New Armies, more Field Companies had to be established. One of the original 12 Field Companies, the 7th was allocated to the 4th Division from August 1914-April 1915, to the 48th Division from April to June 1915 and then to the 50th Division. The 50th Division's major headquarters were established at Kemmel, 6-14 July 1915, Armentières 15-19 July 1915, Poperinghe 19 July-27 September 1915 and Armentières 28 September-6 December 1915 Harry Raymond Gray served with the BEF France from 6 July 1915 and was killed in action four months later on 12 November 1915. He is buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France (grave ref. IX.D.39). He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery (extract): Armentieres is on the Belgian frontier, 14.5km from Lille. 'Armentieres was occupied by the 4th Division on 17 October 1914 and it remained within the Allied lines until its evacuation ahead of the German advance on 10 April 1918 ... It was occupied by the Germans next day, and was not recovered until 3 October 1918. Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery was begun (Plot IX) in October 1914 and during the winter of 1914-15 it was used for civilian burials (later removed), the town cemetery at Le Bizet being too greatly exposed. The cemetery continued to be used by field ambulances and fighting units (particularly the 4th, 6th, 21st, New Zealand, 17th and 57th (West Lancashire) Divisions and the Australian Corps) until April 1918.' (www.cwgc.org)
'Roll of Honour', 22nd November 1915, Nottingham Evening Post: 'Gray. Killed at the war, Sapper Harry R. Gray, R.E., aged 21 years, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Gray, Millicent-road, West Bridgford.' Courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 There is a record that Harry made a Will (British Armed Forces-Soldiers' Wills); the Registers of Soldiers' Effects named his mother as his legatee. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 14 August 1923: ‘Bradley. On the 13th inst. Leila Sara, wife of Lewis Bradley, New Zealand, daughter of TC Gray, Bridgford. (By cable).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 7 March 1933: 'Gray. On March 6th, suddenly, at 38 Millicent-road, West Bridgford, Thomas Crow Gray, Service 2.0, Musters-road Methodist Church, Interment 2.30 Wilford Hill, Thursday.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, 7 March 1933 (with photograph): 'Sudden Passing of Mr Thomas C Gray. 40 Years Servant of West Bridgford. Mr Thomas C Gray, one of West Bridgford’s best known and most highly respected residents passed away last night with tragic suddenness at his residence, 38, Millicent-road … Born at Donington-on-Bain in 1852, Mr TC Gray was educated at Louth Grammar School. He came to Nottingham more than 50 years ago, and with his two brothers [George and Jesse] was engaged in the building trade. Like them. He took up residence in West Bridgford and for more than 40 years took an active part in the development and administration of the community. He was the first surveyor and sanitary inspector to the district, and afterwards for many years rate collector and assistant overseer … A life-long Wesleyan Methodist, he took an earnest but unobtrusive part in Church matters … His wife predeceased him three years ago, and his passing is mourned by three daughters [Marion, Edith and Elsie] and a son [Wilfrid], who has been for the last 20 years a prominent citizen of Calgary, Alberta. One son was killed during the war.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Harry's cousin, Jesse Gray, the son of George Gray, was educated at Nottingham High School and atended Nottingham University College. He was a school teacher for over forty years and became head teacher at Trent Boulevard School, West Bridgford. Jesse Gray was also a member of the Urban District Council and chairman of its education committee. When the new Musters Road Primary School in West Bridgford was built in the early 1950s it was renamed Jessie Gray Primary School when it was officially opened in 1953.
