Earl Grey
Encyclopedia
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey
Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, KB PC was one of the most important British generals of the 18th century. He was the fourth son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet, of Howick in Northumberland. He served in the Seven Years' War, American War of Independence and French Revolutionary War...
. He had already been created Baron Grey, of Howick in the County of Northumberland, in 1801, and was made Viscount Howick, in the County of Northumberland, at the same time as he was given the earldom. A member of the prominent Grey family of Northumberland, he was the third son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet, of Howick (see below). Lord Grey was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
. He was a prominent Whig politician and served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
from 1830 to 1834, which tenure saw the passing of the Great Reform Act of 1832
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
. In 1808 he also succeeded his uncle as third Baronet, of Howick.
History
The second earl was succeeded by his second but eldest surviving son, Henry, 3rd Earl GreyHenry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey
Henry George Grey, 3rd Earl Grey , known as Viscount Howick from 1807 until 1845, was an English statesman.-Background:Grey was the eldest son of Prime Minister Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, by his wife the Hon...
. He was also a Whig politician and served under Lord John Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century....
as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet level position responsible for the army and the British colonies . The Department was created in 1801...
from 1846 to 1852. On his death the titles passed to his nephew, Albert, 4th Earl Grey
Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey
Albert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey was a British nobleman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the ninth since Canadian Confederation....
. He was the son of General the Hon. Charles Grey, third son of the second Earl. Lord Grey was Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
between 1904 and 1911. His son, Charles, 5th Earl
Charles Grey, 5th Earl Grey
Charles Robert Grey, 5th Earl Grey was an English nobleman, the son of Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey.He was the second cousin twice removed of Richard Grey, 6th Earl Grey, the present earl....
, was a Major in the Army. He died without male issue and was succeeded by his second cousin once removed, Richard, 6th Earl
Richard Grey, 6th Earl Grey
Richard Fleming George Charles Grey, 6th Earl Grey is the 6th and current Earl Grey, succeeding his second cousin twice removed Charles Grey, 5th Earl Grey, in 1963. He married Margaret Ann Bradford in 1966 but they divorced in 1974; later the same year he married Stephanie Caroline...
, and present holder of the titles. He is the great-great-grandson of Admiral the Hon. George Grey, fourth son of the second Earl.
The Grey Baronetcy, of Howick in the County of Northumberland, was created in the Baronetage of Great Britain in 1746 for Henry Grey, High Sheriff of Northumberland
High Sheriff of Northumberland
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post...
in 1738. A member of an old Northumberland family, he was eighth in descent from Sir Thomas Grey, of Heton, elder brother of John Grey, 1st Earl of Tankerville (see the Earl of Tankerville
Earl of Tankerville
Earl of Tankerville is a title drawn from Tancarville in Normandy which has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain for Charles Bennet, 2nd Baron Ossulston...
, 1418 creation) and fifth in descent from Sir Edward Grey, of Howick, uncle of William Grey, 1st Baron Grey of Warke. In 1720 he married Hannah, daughter of Thomas Wood of Fallodon near Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
in Northumberland. Grey was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baronet. He represented Northumberland
Northumberland (UK Parliament constituency)
Northumberland, was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.The constituency was split into two...
in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. He died unmarried and was succeeded by his nephew, the second Earl Grey. For further history of the baronetcy, see above.
Several other members of this branch of the Grey family have gained distinction. The Hon. George Grey (1767–1828), second son of the first Earl Grey, was created a Baronet, of Fallodon in the County of Northumberland, in 1814 (see Grey Baronets
Grey Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for members of the Grey family, one in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
) and was the father of Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet
Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet
Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet, PC was a British Whig politician. He held office under four Prime Ministers, Lord Melbourne, Lord John Russell, Lord Aberdeen, and Lord Palmerston, and notably served three times as Home Secretary.-Background and education:Grey was the only son of Sir George Grey, 1st...
, and the great-grandfather of Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon KG, PC, FZL, DL , better known as Sir Edward Grey, Bt, was a British Liberal statesman. He served as Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916, the longest continuous tenure of any person in that office...
. The Right Reverend the Hon. Edward Grey (1782–1837), fifth son of the first Earl, was Bishop of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
from 1832 to 1837. His fourth son Sir William Grey (1818–1878) served as Governor of Bengal
Governor of Bengal
From 1690, a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal, which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the local rulers, the nawabs of Murshidabad, who were nominal vassals of the Mughal emperor in Delhi....
from 1866 to 1871 and as Governor of Jamaica from 1874 to 1877. His daughter Sybil Frances Grey (d. 1945) was the mother of Prime Minister Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon. Sir Paul Francis Grey, British Ambassador to Czechoslovakia from 1957 to 1960 and to Switzerland from 1960 to 1964, was the grandson of Francis Douglas Grey, a son from the second marriage of the Right Reverend the Hon. Edward Grey, Bishop of Hereford. The aforementioned the Hon. Charles Grey
Charles Grey (British Army officer)
Sir Charles Grey was a British army officer, member of the British House of Commons and political figure in Lower Canada...
, third son of the second Earl, was a General in the Army. The aforementioned the Hon. George Grey (1809–1891), fourth son of the second Earl, was an Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in the Royal Navy.
Earl Grey tea
Earl Grey tea
Earl Grey tea is a tea blend with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit....
is named after the second Earl Grey. The Grey Cup, the championship trophy for the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, is named after the fourth Earl.
The family seats were Howick Hall
Howick Hall
Howick Hall, a Grade II* listed building in the village of Howick, Northumberland, England, is the ancestral seat of the Earls Grey. It was the home of the Prime Minister Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, after whom the famous tea is named....
and Fallodon Hall in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
.
A column topped with a statue of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, (referred to locally as Grey's Monument
Grey's Monument
Grey's Monument is a Grade I listed monument to Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey built in 1838 in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was erected to acclaim Earl Grey for the passing of the Great Reform Act of 1832 and stands at the head of Grey Street. It consists of a statue of Lord Grey...
) has a prominent location in the North East city of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.
Earls Grey (1806)
- Charles Grey, 1st Earl GreyCharles Grey, 1st Earl GreyCharles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, KB PC was one of the most important British generals of the 18th century. He was the fourth son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet, of Howick in Northumberland. He served in the Seven Years' War, American War of Independence and French Revolutionary War...
(1729–1807) - Charles Grey, 2nd Earl GreyCharles Grey, 2nd Earl GreyCharles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
(1764–1845) - Henry George Grey, 3rd Earl GreyHenry Grey, 3rd Earl GreyHenry George Grey, 3rd Earl Grey , known as Viscount Howick from 1807 until 1845, was an English statesman.-Background:Grey was the eldest son of Prime Minister Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, by his wife the Hon...
(1802–1894) - Albert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl GreyAlbert Grey, 4th Earl GreyAlbert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey was a British nobleman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the ninth since Canadian Confederation....
(1851–1917) - Charles Robert Grey, 5th Earl GreyCharles Grey, 5th Earl GreyCharles Robert Grey, 5th Earl Grey was an English nobleman, the son of Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey.He was the second cousin twice removed of Richard Grey, 6th Earl Grey, the present earl....
(1879–1963) - Richard Fleming George Charles Grey, 6th Earl GreyRichard Grey, 6th Earl GreyRichard Fleming George Charles Grey, 6th Earl Grey is the 6th and current Earl Grey, succeeding his second cousin twice removed Charles Grey, 5th Earl Grey, in 1963. He married Margaret Ann Bradford in 1966 but they divorced in 1974; later the same year he married Stephanie Caroline...
(b. 1939)
The heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
is the present holder's younger brother, the Hon. Phillip Kent Grey.
Grey Baronets, of Howick (1746)
- Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet (1691–1749)
- Sir Henry Grey, 2nd Baronet (1722–1808)
- Charles Grey, 2nd Earl GreyCharles Grey, 2nd Earl GreyCharles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
(1764–1845)
see above for further holders
See also
- Other Grey titles
- Grey BaronetsGrey BaronetsThere have been three Baronetcies created for members of the Grey family, one in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
- Earl of TankervilleEarl of TankervilleEarl of Tankerville is a title drawn from Tancarville in Normandy which has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain for Charles Bennet, 2nd Baron Ossulston...
- Baron Grey of Warke
- Earl De GreyEarl de GreyThe titles of Marquess De Grey and Earl De Grey were created in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom respectively for descendants of the Greys, Duke of Kent and Earls of Kent, created 1465, who were unrelated or extremely distantly related to the family of the Earls Grey created...
(a slightly newer unrelated title for a different family)