Lord Gray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lordship of Gray |
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  Gules, a Lion rampant within a Bordure engrailed Argent, over all a Label of two-points Or, each point charged gyronny of eight Or and Sable
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| Creation date | 5 July 1445 |
| Monarch | James II |
| Peerage | Peerage of Scotland |
| First holder | Andrew Gray |
| Present holder | Andrew Godfrey Diarmid Stuart Campbell-Gray, 23rd Lord Gray |
| Heir apparent | Alexander Godfrey Edward Diarmid Campbell-Gray, Master of Gray |
| Seat(s) | Airds Bay House, Taynuilt, Argyllshire |
The title of Lord Gray is a very old and important title in Scotland. It is part of the Peerage of Scotland, which means it's a special rank of nobility in the Scottish system. This title was first created in July 1445.
Contents
History of the Lordship of Gray
The First Lord Gray
The first person to hold the title of Lord Gray was Sir Andrew Gray. He was an important figure in Scottish history. He worked as a diplomat, which means he represented Scotland in talks with other countries. He was also a politician, involved in how Scotland was governed.
Sir Andrew Gray was even held as a hostage in England from 1424 to 1427. This happened to make sure that James I of Scotland behaved well. Later, in 1436, he joined Lady Margaret Stewart when she traveled to France for her wedding.
Andrew Gray's Roles and Lands
Andrew Gray continued to serve his country. He was a Commissioner to England between 1449 and 1451. This meant he was sent to deal with important matters there. In 1452, he was the Master of the Household for James II of Scotland. This was a key role in the king's home. He also served as a Warden of the Marches in 1459. This job involved protecting the borders of Scotland.
In 1489, King James IV gave Andrew, Lord Gray, the lands and Barony of Lundie. This added to his family's power and wealth.
How the Title Passed Down
Over time, the Lordship of Gray was passed down through the Gray family. Sometimes, special rules were made about who would inherit the title.
Changes in Inheritance Rules
The seventh Lord Gray arranged for a new official document, called a patent. This document said that the title would pass to William Gray, who was married to the seventh Lord's only daughter, Anne. If they didn't have male heirs, it would go to William Gray's father, Sir William Gray.
The eighth Lord Gray, who was the grandson of the seventh Lord, also got a new patent in 1707. This new document confirmed the title's original creation date of 1445. It also set new rules for who would inherit. It said the title would go to John Gray, who was married to the eighth Lord's daughter, Marjory. If their direct descendants failed, it would go to the eldest female heir.
Later Lords and Ladies Gray
The ninth Lord Gray was John Gray, who inherited the title from his father-in-law. Later, the fourteenth Lord Gray and the fifteenth Lord Gray were both Scottish Representative Peers. This meant they were chosen to represent Scotland in the House of Lords in the British Parliament.
The fifteenth Lord Gray died without children. Because of the 1707 patent, his sister, Madelina Gray, became the sixteenth Lady Gray. She never married. After she died, her niece, Margaret Murray, inherited the title.
When Margaret Murray died in 1878, the title went to her cousin, George Stuart. He was already the 14th Earl of Moray, so he became the 18th Lord Gray as well. He was related through Hon. Jean Gray, who was the eldest daughter of the eleventh Lord Gray.
Separation of Titles
After George Stuart died, his earldom (Earl of Moray) and his lordship (Lord Gray) went to different people. The earldom went to a male cousin. The Lordship of Gray went to Eveleen Smith. She was the daughter of Lady Jane Pounden, who was the daughter of Francis Stuart, 10th Earl of Moray.
In 1897, Lady Gray and her husband, James McLaren Smith, added "Gray" to their last name. Her son became the twentieth Lord. When he died in 1919, his sister, Ethel Eveleen Campbell, inherited the title. She and her husband also added "Gray" to their name.
As of 2017, the title is held by the twenty-third Lord Gray, Andrew Godfrey Diarmid Stuart Campbell-Gray. He inherited the title from his father in 2003.
Family Home
The family home of the Lords Gray is Airds Bay House. It is located near Taynuilt in Argyllshire, Scotland.
Lords Gray (1445)
Here is a list of the people who have held the title of Lord Gray since it was created:
- Andrew Gray, 1st Lord Gray (1390–1469)
- Andrew Gray, 2nd Lord Gray (died 1514)
- Patrick Gray, 3rd Lord Gray (died 1541)
- Patrick Gray, 4th Lord Gray (died 1584)
- Patrick Gray, 5th Lord Gray (1538–1608)
- Patrick Gray, 6th Lord Gray (died 1611)
- Andrew Gray, 7th Lord Gray (died 1663)
- Patrick Gray, 8th Lord Gray (died 1711)
- John Gray, 9th Lord Gray (died 1724)
- John Gray, 10th Lord Gray (1683–1738)
- John Gray, 11th Lord Gray (1716–1782)
- Charles Gray, 12th Lord Gray (1752–1786)
- William John Gray, 13th Lord Gray (1754–1807)
- Francis Gray, 14th Lord Gray (1765–1842)
- John Gray, 15th Lord Gray (1798–1867)
- Madelina Gray, 16th Lady Gray (1799–1869)
- Margaret Murray, 17th Lady Gray (1821–1878)
- George Philip Stuart, 14th Earl of Moray, 18th Lord Gray (1816–1895)
- Eveleen Smith-Gray, 19th Lady Gray (1841–1918)
- James McLaren Stuart Gray, 20th Lord Gray (1864–1919)
- Ethel Eveleen Gray-Campbell, 21st Lady Gray (1866–1946)
- Angus Campbell-Gray, 22nd Lord Gray (1931–2003)
- Andrew Godfrey Diarmid Stuart Campbell-Gray, 23rd Lord Gray (born 1964)
The person expected to inherit the title next is the current Lord's son, the Hon. Alexander Godfrey Edward Diarmid Campbell-Gray. He was born in 1996.
Coat of Arms
The Gray family has a special design called a coat of arms. This design shows symbols that represent their family history and achievements.
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See also
- Earl of Moray
- Earl Grey
Literary Connections
The "Master of Gray trilogy" by Nigel Tranter is a series of historical novels. These books tell the story of Patrick, 6th Lord Gray. He was known as a clever planner and had a lot of influence behind the scenes with the young King James VI of Scotland. The books were published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1961.
