Papers of Rev George Grey (1821-1882) and his wife Agnes

The papers of Rev George Grey and his wife Agnes consist of two series: the diaries of George Grey (EGR4/7/1) and other papers (EGR4/7/2).

The papers of Rev Harry Grey and his wives contain letters from George Grey to his father and mother during his childhood and early adulthood (EGR4/6/1/1/6, /12 & /14-15), and a letter from Joseph S.R. Evans to George Grey, 1845 (EGR4/6/1/1/16). There is also a letter from George Grey to his father, thanking the latter for the gift of an autobiography, 1857 (EGR4/6/2/4/2). Within the subfonds EGR11, Papers from Dunham Massey Hall relating to the Cheshire and Lancashire Estates, there is a letter from George Grey to Arthur Frederick Payne concerning the executorship of his father's will, 1860 (EGR11/3/5/72).

George Grey was born at Clifton in Gloucestershire on 20 May 1821 (source: manuscript pedigree at Dunham Massey Hall), the fourth son of Rev Harry Grey (1783-1860). He entered the legal profession in his twenties, but after a few years appears to have decided that his true vocation lay with the Church. In 1850 he went up to Magdalen Hall, Oxford, where he gained his degree in 1854. He was ordained as a deacon by the Bishop of Oxford in May 1853, and as a priest in June 1854. He held curacies at North Hinksey co. Berks (1853-4), St Maurice and St Mary Kalendar Winchester co. Hants (1854-5), Harrow co. Midd (1855-7) and Holwell co. Dorset (1857-8), before becoming vicar of Stanford co. Norfolk in 1858. From 1863 until his death on 16 April 1882 he was vicar of Woodbury Salterton co. Devon.

On 28 April 1857 George Grey married Agnes, eldest daughter of James Newton Heale MD.