Mary Grey

Born 6 November 1788.

Died at Edinburgh 12 MAY 1877

She married twice, firstly in 1813 to the Reverend Robert Lundie of Kelso, secondly on 24 October 1836 to Henry Duncan D.D. of Edinburgh.

 

Mary was the younger sister of John Grey of Dilston. Her reminiscences of their childhood and that of her sister Margaretta are contained in the early part of Josephine's Butler's book about her father .

Her brother John.

Her mother Mary

Both Mary and her sister Margaretta were sent away to a school near London called Flint House.

Mary is buried in Kelso Abbey.

IN MEMORIAN: THE REV ROBERT LUNDIE WAS BORN IN KELSO MANSE 1774 ORDAINED MINISTER OF GORDON 1801 INDUCTED TO HIS NATIVE PARISH IN 1807 ABOUNDING IN BENEVOLENT LABOURS PREACHING CHRIST TO THE LAST HONOURED BELOVED MOURNED HE SUDDENLY DEPARTED THIS LIFE APRIL 16th 1832 THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE HAD IN EVERASTING REMEMBRANCE PSALM 112.6

SUSANNAH HIS DAUGHTER DEAD AT KELSO AGED 9 YEARS

MARY HIS DAUGHTER WIFE OF THE REV W. W. DUNCAN AWAITS THE RESURRECTION AT GLEISH JAN 5th 1840 AGED 25

HIS SON GEORGE ARCHIBALD DIED AMID CONVERTED HEATHEN AT THE MISSION STATION LEONE TUTUILA SOUTH SEAS SEPTEMBER 1841 AGED 21

MARY GREY WIFE OF REV R LUNDIE ALSO OF REV Dr H DUNCAN BORN AT MILFIELD NORTHUMBERLAND 6 NOVEMBER 1788 DIED AT EDINBURGH 12 MAY 1877 AWAKE AND SING ME THAT DWELL IN DUST ISAIAH 26:19

The bottom stone block contains names James Born ? Died ?, Marjory Emily Born ? Died ? children of Rev Horatius Bonar and his wife Jane Catherine Lundie.

Mary Grey Lundie Duncan's probate record : "26 July. The Confirmation of the Commissariot of the County of Edinburgh dated 18 July 1877 of Cornelius Lundie of Cardiff and the Reverend Robert Henry Lundie of Birkenhead the Sons and the Reverend Horatius Bonar of 10 Palmerstone-road Edinburgh Minister of Chalmer's Memorial Free Church Grange Edinburgh as Executors Nominate of Mary Grey Lundie Duncan formerly of Kelso but late of Broughton House, 10 Palmerstone-road Widow who died at Edinburgh 12 May 1877.

Mary and Henry Duncan can be found on the 1841 Scottish census at Ruthwell Manse in Dumfreisshire, with Jane Lundie,19, Robert Lundie,16, Lucy Duncan, 30, Jane Johnstone, 30 Mary Lottimer , 19 and and Agnes Moffat, 17.

In 1881 , at the age of 81 she was living at 10 Palmerstone Road in Edinburgh with her daughter Jane C. Bonar, 48, who had married Horatius Bonar, 62, and their children, Mary L., 26, Eliza M. 13, Horatius H. 11, and Emily H. aged 8. Two of their children appear to be buried with their grandmother at Kelso.

In a letter written by John Grey of Dilston in June 1838 he says: " C. Lundie has left us to go to Manchester but should he fall in with no employment there, will proceed to London directly." Cornelius was called Corie by both families. More on Cornelius here

"Duncan's second wife was Mary Grey, daughter of George Grey of West Ord, sister of John Grey of Dilston, a well-known Northumbrian gentleman (see Memoir by his daughter, Mrs. Josephine Butler), and widow of the Rev. R. Lundie of Kelso. She was a lady of considerable accomplishments and force of character, and author of several books: 1. ‘Memoir of the Rev. M. Bruen.’ 2. ‘Memoir of Mary Lundie Duncan’ (her daughter, author of several well-known hymns for children). 3. ‘Missionary Life in Samoa, being the Life of George Archibald Lundie’ (her son). 4. ‘Children of the Manse.’ 5. ‘America as I found it.’"

From: Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 16, p 166, Duncan, Henry by William Garden Blaikie.

Mary's son George had wanted to become a clergyman but contracted TB in Glasgow and was sent to Sydney, Australia during the time his brother Cornelius was working there. He later died in Samoa and Mary published his letters in a book called "Missionary Life In Samoa". It was published in Edinburgh by William Oliphant and Sons in 1846. Mary's daughter Mary, a teacher and writer of hymns also died young and she wrote a memoir of her life. (Above right) This edition was published in Edinburgh by Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier in 1884. Having educated remarkable children she was requested " from both sides of the Atlantic" to write about their early training and then wrote "The Children of the Manse" which gives an interesting insight into her views and methods. The edition (above left) was published in New York by Robert Carter and brother in 1850.

She was photographed in the mid 1840s in Edinburgh by the famous photographer and artist duo Hill and Adamson See below. From the University of Glasgow Library, Special Collections Department. See here and here for good quality images. There are also photographs of her husband Henry and his son George.

A portrait from the hymtime website suggesting that this is Mary Duncan, her daughter, but this seems unlikely as Mary died aged 26.

In memory of Robert Henry Lundie, M.A., D.D. Born in Kelso Manse, 5 November 1824 Died at Fairfield Manse, Liverpool 1895. Buried in Toxteth Park Cemetery. His life was spent in the service of the Presbyterian Church of England of which he was Moderator in 1865 and 1884. He was minister at Birkenhead from 1850 to 1889 and at Fairfield Liverpool from 1868 until his death. As a minister and as a Citizen he worked for the coming of God's Kingdom in the hearts of men and in the social and moral life of the community.

Mary's son the Rev. Robert Henry Lundie was friends with the Birrells in Liverpool and the Butlers while they lived there. His book on Alexander Balfour can be read online here. Digitised by Google from Harvard Library. A reproduction of his book "Seed-Corn in Belgium, a Visit to the Belgian Churches" can be bought here. There is a memorial plaque for him at Kelso.