Ernest Gray
Encyclopedia
Sir Ernest Gray was a British
educational reformer and Conservative
politician.
. On completion of his training, he worked as an elementary school teacher and science lecturer. He married Florence Caroline Garside in 1883. By 1894 he had become headmaster of St Gabriel's School, Pimlico
and was elected as president of the National Union of Teachers
. He received an honorary degree
from the University of Oxford
in the same year. He later spent many years as secretary to the education committee of the union, and was joint editor of a number of education handbooks. He served as a member of the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education
from 1900 to 1908. He was appointed an Officer de l’Instruction Publique by the French government for services to education.
Gray held a commission in the Volunteer Force
and the successor Territorial Force
of the British Army
, rising to the rank of major in the 6th Battalion, Essex Regiment
.
he was chosen by the party to contest the constituency of West Ham North
. Gray had the full support of the National Union of Teachers, and was able to unseat the Liberal
member of parliament
, magazine publisher Archibald Grove. He retained the seat at the 1900 election
, but was defeated in 1906
. He made an unsucessful attempt to regain the West Ham North seat in January 1910. At the next general election in December 1910 he contested the Lancashire
seat of Accrington
but failed to be elected.
In the meantime, Gray had been elected to the London County Council
as a member of the Conservative-backed Municipal Reform Party
. In 1907 the Municipal Reformers gained control of the council, and Gray was elected to represent Hoxton
. Athe next council elections in 1910 he became a councillor for Brixton
, holding the seat until 1925. He was vice chairman of the council in 1915–1916.
He returned to parliament at the 1918 general election
, having received the "coalition coupon
", and was elected as Coalition Conservative member of parliament for Accrington
. He was defeated at the next general election in 1922
, when the seat was gained by the Labour Party
.
for "political and public services" in the same year. He died in Hampstead
, aged 73, in May 1932 and was cremated at Golders Green
.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
educational reformer and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Early life and educational work
The son of William Gray, he attended primary school and St John's Training College, BatterseaBattersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
. On completion of his training, he worked as an elementary school teacher and science lecturer. He married Florence Caroline Garside in 1883. By 1894 he had become headmaster of St Gabriel's School, Pimlico
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
and was elected as president of the National Union of Teachers
National Union of Teachers
The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
. He received an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in the same year. He later spent many years as secretary to the education committee of the union, and was joint editor of a number of education handbooks. He served as a member of the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
from 1900 to 1908. He was appointed an Officer de l’Instruction Publique by the French government for services to education.
Gray held a commission in the Volunteer Force
Volunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
and the successor Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, rising to the rank of major in the 6th Battalion, Essex Regiment
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
.
Politics
Politically, Gray was a Conservative, and in 1895United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
he was chosen by the party to contest the constituency of West Ham North
West Ham North (UK Parliament constituency)
West Ham North was a borough constituency in the County Borough of West Ham, in what was then Essex but is now Greater London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system.- History :The...
. Gray had the full support of the National Union of Teachers, and was able to unseat the Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, magazine publisher Archibald Grove. He retained the seat at the 1900 election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, but was defeated in 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
. He made an unsucessful attempt to regain the West Ham North seat in January 1910. At the next general election in December 1910 he contested the Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
seat of Accrington
Accrington (UK Parliament constituency)
Accrington was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-History:...
but failed to be elected.
In the meantime, Gray had been elected to the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
as a member of the Conservative-backed Municipal Reform Party
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
. In 1907 the Municipal Reformers gained control of the council, and Gray was elected to represent Hoxton
Hoxton (UK Parliament constituency)
Hoxton was a borough constituency centred on the Hoxton district of London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:...
. Athe next council elections in 1910 he became a councillor for Brixton
Brixton (UK Parliament constituency)
Brixton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Brixton district of South London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post system....
, holding the seat until 1925. He was vice chairman of the council in 1915–1916.
He returned to parliament at the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
, having received the "coalition coupon
Coalition Coupon
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918 endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in...
", and was elected as Coalition Conservative member of parliament for Accrington
Accrington (UK Parliament constituency)
Accrington was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-History:...
. He was defeated at the next general election in 1922
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
, when the seat was gained by the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
Later life
Gray retired from the London County Council in 1925, and was knightedKnight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
for "political and public services" in the same year. He died in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, aged 73, in May 1932 and was cremated at Golders Green
Golders Green Crematorium
Golders Green Crematorium and Mausoleum was the first crematorium to be opened in London, and one of the oldest crematoria in Britain. The land for the crematorium was purchased in 1900, costing £6,000, and was opened in 1902 by Sir Henry Thompson....
.