Their son was named John George (Kit) Grey Rea and lived at Berrington. He was awarded the DSO and CBE. He was born on 31 May 1886 at Glendale. He went to Rugby School, and married Lavinia Lambert 1881-1957 in 1919. Her parents were Major General George Craster Lambert of Glanton and Isabella Browne whose father (of Doxford Hall) was born in Rochester. Jack and Vinnie Rea lived and farmed at Berrington House, Ancroft, near Berwick on Tweed.  Jack died on 25 August 1955 and Vinnie in 1957. They are both buried at Kirknewton. He was the godfather of Angela Grey who was the daughter of Ivar Grey of Milfield.

Mary Grey was marrying a first cousin twice removed when she married George Grey Rea. George's grandmother was Frances Grey 1782-1871, and their common ancestor was John Grey of Longhorsley.

The old family tree from the Milfield scrapbook has a descendant of Jas Grey of Berrington, a Jas Grey of Kimmerston with a sister marrying J. Rea of Yeavering. James Grey of Kimmerston can be found umarried at Kimmerstone on the 1841, 61 and 71 censuses. It is possible that he may be the child of William Grey said to be of Nesbit and later Kimmerstone on the published Grey family tree. William had a son called James and daughter called Frances. Berrington was the home of the Rea family at least untill the 1940s. In the 1828 directory for Kirknewton parish, there is a Mr. James Rea of Yeavering and a John Rea of Yeavering.

George Grey Rea CBE 1858-1931 went to Jesus College Cambridge and later became a JP, Alderman, Member of the Council of R.A.S.E and President of the Board of Agriculture Advisory Committee. In 1918 he was awarded a CBE. He was born at Middleton House, and his father farmed 14,000 acres.”

Thanks to David Thompson for this information.

 RASE is the Royal Agricultural Society of England .

Mary was the ninth child of George Annett Grey and Elizabeth Boyd Neil.

Mary Grey born at Milfield
10 Nov 1856

Married 2 Aug 1883 to
George Grey Rea of
North Doddington.

Died in 8 October 1935

Buried with her husband at Kirknewton.

Frances Grey married James Rea on 28 April 1808 at St Gregory's Kirknewton. Frances's parish was Ford. The two witnesses were John Grey and John Rea. Kimmerston is in Ford parish, although by 1808 Frances' father William was dead. Her brother James would have been aged about 21.

Frances and James had a large number of children. Records for Wooler show the baptisms of Alithea Frances, 2 May 1809, Eliza, 17 May 1812, William Grey Rea, 4 January 1814, Frances Isabella, 6 April 1815, John, 24 September 1816, George, 26 Dec 1817, Isabella Margaret, 7 July 1819, Margaret, 31 January 1822, Charles, 2 June 1823, and Eleanora, 1 August 1826. There must also have been a James born in 1811 since he appears on the grave stone at Kirknewton, dying at the age of 14 in 1825.

In 1833 John Rea was articled as a clerk to lawyer William Dickson in Alnwick. Charles went to Edinburgh University.

The family can be found on the 1841 census at Middleton: James 55, farmer, Frances, 50, Eliza, 25, George, 21, Isabella, 20 and Margret 15. Alithea had married in 1827 and her brother John Rae is on the 1841 census as an attorney, with Alithea and her husband William Campbell, a sugeon, in Manchester. A Frances Rea aged about 20, born about 1821 is staying with John Grey at Berrington.

William Grey Rea is recorded as farming at Lilburn Hill in the 1841 poll book, George Rea is at Readsford. There is a John Rea at Yeavering aged 65 with an Elizabeth aged 40 who could be his daughter farming at Yeavering.

By 1851 James had died and the census for Middleton House shows Frances widowed, age 66 with her daughter Margaret, 28, and Charles Rea 27, landowner farming 2700 acres employing 32 people and Ellen aged 24. Also staying is Frances M. Campbell aged 22 granddaughter. She was the daughter of Alithea Frances Rea.

A 1852 poll book has a Charles Rea living at North Middleton farming Way to Wooler, with George Grey at North Middleton.

In 1861 Frances is living at 15, St Mary's Terrace, Newcastle on Tyne, aged 79, with her daughter Frances unmarried aged 45, and Ellen unmarried aged 34. Her son William married aged 47 is visiting. They are all living on an annuity. Eleanora Grey the widow of John Grey of Berrington can be found at Alithea's house 118, Bloomsbury, Chorlton on Matlock, Manchester in 1861.

Charles had married, he is 37 and a landowner living at Doddington. His wife Elizabeth was born in Norham and they have two sons, James and John. By 1871 he is farming at Doddington North Side and has a third son called Charles, who settled in Canada. His son John went to N.S.W., Australia.

George Rea is living at Middleton Hall with his wife Ellen (nee Fair) and two of their two children George Grey Rea, born in 1858 and John Marcus Beaumont Rea, born in 1860. His eldest son James was born in 1857. They had two more children Frances Elizabeth in 1862 and Mabel Helen in 1866. His wife Ellen was born in Knowsley, Lancashire.

Frances Rea nee Grey died in Manchester on 9 February 1871.

in 1871 George, land Agent and farmer is on his own at North Middleton, occupying 2000 acres and employing 80 men, 45 women and 17 boys. His wife Ellen and four of the children are at the lodging House of the Collinson family, at 9, West Beach, Lytham. Lancs. : James, 14, George 12, Frances Elizabeth 8 and Mabel Helen, 5.

In 1876 George Grey Rea went to Jesus College, Cambridge.

On the 1881 census at Middleton House, George Rea 63, farmer of 14,320 acres, George Grey Rea 22, farmer, Frances E. Rea 18, daughter, all born at North Middleton, Charlotte A.D. Carr 42, relative born Lytham, Llancs., Eleanor C. Fair 30, visitor, unmarried, 30, born Lytham, Lancs., and four servants, a waitress, cook, housemaid and kitchen maid.

In 1883 George Grey Rea married his cousin Mary Grey the daughter of George Annett Grey of Milfield. He can be found on his own farming at Doddington in 1891, while his wife Mary and their son John George Grey Rea visits the Fair family at "Haighlands" Haigh Lancashire.

His father George Rea of Middleton House died on 27 December 1893. The executors of his will were James Grey Captain in the Kings Own Scottish Borderers and George Grey Rea farmer and John Marcus Beaumont Rea, Land Agent.

In 1901 George Grey Rea is at Middleton House: George Grey Rea aged 42, Mary Rea aged 44, born at Milfield. They have four servants a cook, a table maid, a housemaid and a kitchen maid. John George Rea aged 14 is at Rugby school in 1901.

1911 at Middleton Hall, there is George Grey Rea, married 52, farmer and estate agent, John George Rea 24, farmer single and three servants. His wife Mary is visiting her sister Hannah Mary Tweddell in Meopham, Kent. They only had one child.

John George Grey Rea served in WW1 as a Captain, then Major in the Northumberland Hussars. He married Lavina Lambert in 1919. In 1947 he was High Sheriff for Northumberland. He was awarded the CBE in 1953. John George was called "Jack" by the descendants of the Tweddell family and "Kit" by the Milfield Greys. He died at Berrington House on 25 August 1955. Lavina died on 30 July 1957. They are both buried at Kirknewton.

Above: This appears to confirm the fact that Frances Grey, James Rea's wife was the daughter of William Grey of Berrington. Although all the evidence found so far suggests that a John Grey lived at Berrington. It is possible that John was Frances's brother; but this has yet to be confirmed. From United Kingdom County Families.

Above: Monument inside the church and below the grave of James and Frances Rea. St Gregory's Kirknewton.

In loving memory of George Grey Rea C.B.E. of North Doddington. Born 17 May 1858 Died 30 December 1931. Also of Mary his wife who died 8 October 1935 aged 79. Kirknewton.
Section B Row 4 - 7 - Rea

In loving memory of John George Grey Rea D.S.O., C.B.E. of Berrington. Born 31 May 1886 Died 25 Aug 1955. And his beloved wife Lavinia Rea. Born 14 June 1886 Died 30 July 1957.
Kirknewton Section B Row 4 - 8

Also in Loving memory Ellen wife of George Rea who died April 18th 1909 aged 81 years. Then they are glad because they are at rest and so he bringeth them into the haven where they would be.

In loving memory of Helen Mabel Rea who died at Middleton House December 1st 1890 aged 25 years Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

In memory of James son of James and Frances Rea of North Middleton who died on 14th April 1825 aged 14 years Also the above James Rea who died at North Middleton on 1st July 1849 aged 60 years Also the above Frances Rea who died on the 9th February 1871 aged 89 years Also Eleanor daughter of the above James and Frances Rea born August 1st 1826 died at Lytham July 29th 1894.

To the glory of God and in loving memory of Elizabeth wife of Charles Rea J.P. who died at Doddington March 29th 1873 aged 37 years John Rea her second son who died at Bourke, Australia May 7th 1899 aged 39 years.

Sacred to the memory of Elizabeth Laing wife of Charles Rea of Doddington born 9th October 1835 Died 29th March 1873 Sacred --Charles Rea J. P. of Halterburn Head Roxburghshire who passed away at Bemerton Torquay 26th October 1902 aged 79 years Come ye bless--- my father inherit the kingdom prepared you from the foundation of the world. Also in memory of their sons James Francis Rea of Doddington Caterham Vally died---London 21st July 1914 aged 55 years buried at Tone----John Rea died at Bourke N. S.W. 7th May 1899 Charles Arthur Rae ?14 Feb 1913 Victoria B. C. aged 50 years.

There are many other Rea family graves at Kirknewton. One of the oldest is dated 1716. "Herewith lie the bodies William and Thomas Rea children of James Rea of Lanton Mill William died March 24th 1716 aged --- Thomas ---"

"Death of a Border Landlord. - Death is announced as having taken place at Torquay on Sunday, Oct. 26, of Mr. Charles Rea, of Halterburnhead, Roxburghshire, in which county his property is situated. He was the youngest son of the late Mr. James Rea, Middleton, and brother of the late Ald. Rea, Middleton, the well-known agriculturist. Mr. C. Rea farmed North Doddington and Wooler Common till 1879, after which he travelled for some years, finally settling down at Cleithaugh, Jedburgh. He was wintering in Torquay when his death occurred. Mr C. Rea was twice married, and had three sons by his first wife. He is survived by his second wife and two sons. His second son died in Australia in 1899. He was one of the oldest members of Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club. The funeral takes place from Wooler Cottage to Kirknewton on Friday."
Berwick News and General Advertiser on Tuesday 4 November 1902

 

“At Cornhill Church, lately, by the Rev. S A Fyler, A.M., Charles Rea Esq. of Doddington, youngest son of the late James Rea, Esq. of Middleton House, Northumberland, to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Laing, Esq., Cornhill.”

Newcastle Journal. Saturday 17th October 1857