Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 23.djvu/203

Grey Henry Grey [q. v.], was first Earl of Stamford, and was father of Thomas, lord Grey of Groby (1623?-1657) [q. v.] the regicide.

[Holinshed's Chronicle; Strype's Memorials, 1822, vol. ii. pt. i. p. 319, vol. iii. pt. i. pp. 145, 194; Strype's Annals, ed. 1824, vol. i. pt. i. p. 468, pt. ii. pp. 117, 391, vol. iii. pt. i. p. 656; Machyn's Diary, pp. 54, 56; Queen Jane and Queen Mary, pp, 37, 54, 63, 77, 124; Burnet's Reformation, vol. ii. pt. i. p. 756; Dugdale's Baronage, i.722; Wright's Hist. of Essex, ii. 930; Sharp's Peerage, &c.]  GREY, JOHN (1780?–1856), lieutenant-general, colonel of the 5th fusiliers, was younger son of Charles Grey of Morwick Hall, Northumberland, and grandson of John Grey of Howick, youngest brother of Charles, first earl Grey [q. v.] He entered the army on 18 Jan. 1798 as ensign of the 75th foot, and became lieutenant on 8 May 1799. He served with the 75th in the war against Tippoo Sahib, including the battle of Malavelly and the storming and capture of Seringapatam (medal). He became captain in the 15th battalion, army of reserve, 31 Oct. 1803, exchanged to 82nd foot the year after, became major 9th garrison battalion 27 Nov. 1806, and exchanged to 5th foot, with the 2nd battalion of which he served in the Peninsula at the combat of El Bodon, the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, including the scaling of the faussebraie and storming of the greater breach, which was carried by the 2nd-5th, during which operations he was twice wounded, and in the action at Fuente Guinaldo (Peninsular medal). He became lieutenant-colonel in 1812, and commanded the 2nd battalion of his regiment at home until it was disbanded in 1816. After many years on half-pay, Grey, who became a major-general in 1838, was appointed to a divisional command in Bengal, which he held from 1840 to 1845. At the head of the left wing of the `army of Gwalior' he defeated a force of twelve thousand Mahrattas at Punniar on 29 Dec. 1843, on which day the main body of the Mahratta army was defeated and broken by Gough at Maharajpore. For this service Grey was made K.C.B. He was commander-in-chief and second member of the council at Bombay in 1850-2.

Grey was appointed colonel of the 5th or Northumberland fusiliers on 18 May 1849, and became a lieutenant-general in 1851. He married in 1830 Rosa Louisa, only daughter of Captain Sturt, royal navy, by whom he had no issue. His elder brother (Charles Grey, captain 85th foot, killed at New Orleans in 1815) having predeceased him, the Morwick branch of the Greys of Howick became extinct at Grey's death, which took place at Morwick Hall on 19 Feb. 1856

[Hart's Army Lists; Cannon's Hist. Rec. 5th or Northumberland Fusiliers; Gent. Mag. 1856, pt. i. 424.]  GREY, JOHN (1785–1868), of Dilston, agriculturist, eldest son of George Grey of West Ord, near Berwick, who died in 1793, by Mary, daughter of John Burn of Berwick, was born at Millfield Hill, Glendale, in August 1785, and was educated at Richmond grammar school. He was intimate from an early age with Lord Jeffrey, Chalmers, Irving, and Sir Walter Scott, and entered active life when seventeen years old. The first public question that he took part in was the abolition of slavery. He was entrusted by Clarkson in 1823 with the task of collecting petitions in some of the border towns. He accompanied Lord Brougham in his celebrated anti-slavery tour in Northumberland and Cumberland in 1826, and seconded by some speeches of great promise and ability the orations of his leader. He took part in the agitation for catholic emancipation, and in the struggle which preceded the Reform Bill of 1832. He enjoyed the confidence of Earl Grey and Lord Althorp (Lord Spencer), and on the hustings at Alnwick made many eloquent speeches. In 1833 Sir James Graham placed under his sole management the northern estates belonging to Greenwich Hospital in Northumberland and Cumberland. He then ceased to take an active part in politics, but was consulted on various measures of public usefulness, such as the Tithe Commutation Act, the land drainage scheme, and free trade. From early years (1803) he had devoted his energies to aid in the development and improvement of the soil, as well as labouring to bring to perfection every description of stock raised on farms. He had originally farmed in north Northumberland, where, with others, he created a new system of agriculture, both in breeding cattle and cultivating the land.

In the administration of the agricultural and mining estates of Greenwich Hospital Grey was remarkable for his activity, good sense, and sagacity. He raised the net rental of the property in twenty years from 30,000l.to 40,000l.,and added to its value at least 200,000l. by his judicious management. During his long tenure of office he was frequently visited by distinguished foreigners, and Baron Liebig was pleased on visiting Dilston to see his own discoveries practically applied to the improvement of the Northumbrian crops. Grey's impartiality in dealing with the estates made him many enemies, and he was denounced in some of the newspapers with much scurrility; time, however, proved his honesty and the success of his management. On 9 Oct. 1849 a great number of his