John (Jack) George Grey. Eldest son of George Annett Grey. Land Agent and Cricketer. Born 31 March 1844 at Milfield Hill. He married Anna Maria Fawcus on 26 June 1872. He died on 30 March 1879 at the age of 35 at Biarritz. His father George Annett Grey had his body brought home to be buried at Kirknewton.

Marigold Coke aged 6. Possibly the daughter of Beatrice Neil Grey, whose husband Major Coke was the youngest of a very large family which lived at Brookhill Hall, Prinxton, Derbyshire. Photo from John Thompson.

John George was George Annett's oldest son. He was originally at Harrow but started at Cheltenham on 27 January 1860 at the age of 16, as a boarder. He may have been sent there because George Butler, his uncle was the vice principal from 1858 to 1865. Butler married his Aunt Josephine. John George won trophies at the school races including the ladies prize of a pistol in 1862. Left, his letter to his father describing his success. He had also won a challenge cup presented by the ladies of Cheltenham College.

John George was the third child of George Annett Grey and Elizabeth Boyd Neil.

John George and Anna Maria's three children were born at Lanercost, Brampton, Cumberland. After their father died their mother Anna Maria moved back to Northumberland and the family can be found living at Milfield Demesne on the 1881 census. Anna was 32, and the children were 7, 6 and 4 years old. A ?Halligida Fawcus is a visitor, aged 16, born at Bambrough. They were sharing the house with Wilhelmina F. Pringle, a teacher, and have a domestic cook and a housemaid. Anna Maria married James Shield in 1883 and moved to Cheltenham, where they can be found on the 1891 census in a house called Milfield at 73 Christchurch Road. James Shield is aged 52, living on his own means, and was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. Sybil now 17, and Annette aged 16 are both scholars. The household has a cook and a housemaid. James died in 1895. By the 1901 census Anne Maria Shield , a widow again , aged 53, is living on her own means , at ?Overside Law, Chatton, aged 53, with Sybil Anna aged 27, Beatrice Neil aged 24, and Roland Webster Booth, a visitor, single, aged 21, born in Durham, living on his own means, and two servants a cook and a groom. By 1911 Anna is living at 4, The Wynding, Bambrough, with her son in law, Algernon John Parker Coke, aged 35, captain in the 22nd Cavalry, Indian Army, born in Lyme Regis , Dorset, her daughter, Beatrice Neil Coke, 34, granddaughter Margery Sacheveral Coke, born in Kohat , India, and her brother George Fawcus, with a nurse a cook and a nursemaid. Anna died in 1932 in Rochester. Sybil Anna died in Newcastle at the age of 69 on 16 May 1942, Beatrice in 1957 in Devon. George Keys studied at medical school in Newcastle and there is a record of a George J. G. Keys returning from India in April 1931, who is an army medical officer with an address of 18 Henley Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle on Tyne. A George John Grey Keys, Medical Practitioner, was going to Ceylon from Southampton on 24 Dec 1946, aged 41. His address is 64, Queens Way, Bayswater. This may be him. Another record shows a George John Keys , physician returning to London from Colombo in 1951, with an address of Kentford House, Kentford, Newmarket accompanied by Dorothy Keys, 35. His permanent residence is Ceylon.

"An elder brother, Mr Jack G. Grey, who died at a comparatively early age in the lifetime of his father, was also closely associated with agricultural and factorial concerns. Like the other members of his family he enjoyed rural sporting pursuits, and was a notable cricketer at a time when the game was in great predominancy. When Kelso Cricket Club was in the zenith of its fame, under the active and sprightly captaincy of the late Major Dickins, Jack Grey was its most distinguished batsmen, his free, easy, and wonderful hitting powers to all points of the compass presenting a spectacle which excited the admiration and roused the enthusiasm of the spectators who in those days thickly fringed the cricket ground." From an obituary for John George's brother George in 1915.

(1879) THE LATE MR JOHN GEORGE GREY.- Many of our readers will read with regret the announcement of the death of Mr J.. G. Grey, at Biarritz, at the early age of 33. He was the eldest son of Mr G. A. Grey. of Milfield, Northumberland, and grandson of Mr John Grey, of Dilston. He was educated at Harrow and Cheltenham, where he distinguished himself in the cricket field and in other athletic pursuits. His score a few years later against the All England Eleven, made on the Northumberland cricket ground at Newcastle-on-Tyne, is still remembered as one of the largest on record. For some years he lived at Milfield, where he had the benefit of the advice and assistance of his father, who is well known as an agriculturist. At an early age he obtained the appointment of agent to Earl Grey, and some time afterwards he accepted also a similar appointment under the trustees of the Earl of Carlisle. On his marriage in 1872 he went to live at Naworth, in Cumberland, where, during his seven years’ residence, he became very popular with all classes on account of his sound judgement in all business affairs, especially as to the relations between landlord and tenant, while as a country magistrate for Cumberland he brought strong common sense to bear on his decisions. As a master of the Irthing Vale hounds he proved himself a thorough sportsman, not only a first-rate rider, but also an excellent shot and a good fisherman. Last autumn he was ordered abroad on account of his health, which necessitated the severance of his connection with Cumberland. On their departure Mr and Mrs Grey were presented by a number of the neighbours with their portraits, as a tribute for the able manner in which he had conducted the Irthing Vale Hunt. Unhappily, the hopes of his friends that the change would benefit his health were doomed to disappointment, as he died on Sunday, March 30, at Biarritz. His father brought his remains to England, and he was buried at Kirknewton, in Northumberland, on the eighth inst. Mr Grey leaves a widow and three daughters.

Extracts from the Index to the Howard Family Papers held at Durham University Library from the records of the Howard family of Naworth Castle, Earls of Carlisle, relating to their property in Northumberland. Lists the appointment of George Annett Grey and his son John George as agents and holds a number of letters from that role.

N122/Du Cane, R To G.A. Grey, 6 April 1872 (appointment of his son as agent). Also 10 April 1872. To W. Armstrong of Lanercost, 19 November 1878. Copy letter, with eight signatures, to the Trustees in favour of J.G. Grey, n.d.N121/1(x) Draft appointment of J.G. Grey as agent under 1875 Agricultural Holdings Act, 1876.N121/1(xii) Appointment of G.A. Grey as agent under the 1875 Agricultural Holdings Act, 1876.

Correspondence N122/Grey, J. G To R. Du Cane: 3 March 1866 18 June 1873, with note on Banks Coal 21 March 1874 20 October 1875 6 November 1875 16 February 1876 25 February 1878 J.G. Grey to Mr Howard , 15 November 1872 J.G. Grey to Hon. C. Howard, 25 November 1872 J.G. Grey to Mr Howard , 28 November 1872 J.G. Grey to Mr Howard , 5 December 1872 J.G. Grey to George Howard , 4 January 1873 J.G. Grey to Hon. Mrs. Howard, 6 November 1873 J.G. Grey to George Howard , 29 December 1874 J.G. Grey to Mr Howard , 9 June 1876 Grey, J. G., to George Howard : 21 October 1877 17 February 1878 one letter undated [1878]. J.G. Grey to Edward Holmes, 11 December 1872, with Holme's letter of 9 December. Note as to T. Warwick, 14 February 1877,N122/Griffen, F. W To John Grey, 30 May 1872.N122/Whitley, C.T To R. Du Cane, 3 April 1882.

Nomination of Pupil Cheltenham College.

John George Grey.

Born 31st day of March 1844.

Father. George A. Grey Esq. Milfield Northumberland.

Profession J.P.

When Pupil will join the College. 27 Jan 1860. Boarder.

Where pupil was last at school. Harrow. Rev. W. Oxenhams.

Signed G. A. Grey.

 

Thanks to Pete Warmington-Gardner for the copy of this certificate.

In memory of John George GREY the beloved son of George Annett GREY of Milfield who died at Biarritz, France 30th March 1879 aged 35 years. His sun is gone down while it is yet day
Kirknewton Section B Row 8 - 17