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Harry Grey, 8th Earl of Stamford facts for kids

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Harry Grey, 8th Earl of Stamford (born February 26, 1812 – died June 19, 1890) was an important English nobleman. He held the title of Earl of Stamford.

Early Life and Education

Harry Grey was born in England. His parents were Revd. Harry Grey and Frances Elizabeth Ellis. He studied at Sherborne School and at Oxford University. He learned about classic subjects like Latin, Greek, Theology, and Philosophy. In 1836, he became a priest in the Church of England.

Life in South Africa

In 1844, Harry Grey married Susan Gaydon in Devon. Later, he moved to the Cape Colony in South Africa. He lived in Wynberg, a historic suburb of Cape Town. He also worked as a miner in Namaqualand. After that, he was a farm worker near Wellington.

His first wife, Susan, passed away in Devon in 1869. Harry Grey then had a daughter named Emma with Caroline Collins. In 1872, he married his second wife, Ann McNamara, in the Cape Colony. Ann was ill, so Harry hired Martha Solomons as a nursemaid. Martha was the daughter of a freed slave from the Cape whom he had met earlier.

When Ann died in 1874, Harry Grey and Martha Solomons had a son, John, in 1879, and a daughter, Frances. They married in 1880. This marriage made sure their two children were officially recognized as legitimate. In 1882, they had another daughter, who later became Lady Mary Grey. Sadly, their middle daughter died young from smallpox. This happened around the same time Harry Grey became an Earl.

Becoming an Earl

In 1883, Harry Grey's third cousin, George Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford, died in an accident. Because of this, Harry Grey inherited the titles of Earl of Stamford and Baron Grey of Groby. He also inherited the family estate, Dunham Massey, in Cheshire, England.

In 1885, he gave up about 250 acres (1.0 km2) of his land. This land was used to develop an industrial area called Broadheath in Altrincham. Even though he inherited a large estate in England, Harry Grey and his wife chose to stay in Wynberg, South Africa. He never returned to the United Kingdom.

Title Succession and Legacy

When Harry Grey died in 1890, there was a disagreement about who should become the 9th Earl. His son, John Grey, was considered his heir in the Cape Colony. However, under English law, children born before their parents married were not considered legitimate heirs for titles.

John's younger sister, Mary, was born after her parents married. This meant she was legitimate under English law and was known as Lady Mary Grey. But she could not inherit titles that only passed down through the male family line.

Because of this, a court case took place. The title eventually went to Harry's first cousin, William Grey, 9th Earl of Stamford. William had been living in Barbados for many years.

The Stamford family line ended in 1976. This was when the 10th Earl passed away. Today, Dunham Massey is a popular place for tourists. It is owned by the National Trust, a charity that protects historic places.

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