Gray, John Richard

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Click here to read about an honest to goodness survivor of the Charge who came to Western Australia.

Charge of the Light Brigade by William Simpson
Charge of the Light Brigade by William Simpson
PERSONAL DETAILSJohn Richard GRAY
Birth date and Place:25 Nov 1831 Chatham, Kent, England.
Baptism date and Place:2 Sep 1832 St Mary’s Church, Chatham, Kent.
Census Residences:Medway Union Workhouse, Rochester, Kent (1841).
Occupations pre-WA:Assistant Warder, Chatham Prison.
Physical Description:Height: 5 ft. 8 ins. Complexion fresh. Eyes: hazel. Hair: dark brown.
Marriage date and Place:1st 25 Dec 1853 Ipswich, Suffolk, England.
2nd 7 Sep 1872 Fremantle, Western Australia.
Spouse:1st Isabella KERSEY.
2nd Maria WICKLIFFE.
Children:2nd marriage:
John Lewis Gray  b. 1878 (d. at sea 1878), Tullynewtane, Antrim, Ireland.
Elizabeth Minnie b. 1879, Fremantle, Western Australia.
Death date and Place:24 Jun 1891 Adelaide Street, Fremantle, Western Australia.
Burial date and Place:25 Jun 1891 Skinner Street Cemetery, Fremantle, Western Australia.
Headstone is situated in Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia.
Anglican Section KA 681.
Will and Probate:Will: 17 Jan 1881. Probate: 30 Jun 1891, Supreme Court of Western Australia.
[Cons. 3403-1891-1053].
Obituaries:West Australian 26 Jun 1891.
Western Mail 27 Jun 1891.
Colonial Military Gazette Aug 1891.
ARMED FORCES
Regiment:57th West Middlesex Regiment. 1 May 1851 transferred to
4th Queens Own Regiment of Light Dragoons.
Regiment No. and Rank:#1816 Private (57th).
#1485 Private (4th LD).
Attestation date and Place:24 Nov 1845 Rochester, Kent (under-age 15 years).
Service/Campaigns:East Turkey and Crimea 1 year, 10 months.
Musters:1851 Dublin, Ireland (57th Regiment) [WO 12-6673].
Promotions:None.
Medals, Clasps and Badges:Crimea War Medal with clasps Alma, Balaklava and Sebastopol. Turkish Crimea Medal.
Two Good Conduct Badges.
Casualty/Medical:Casualty Roll: Slight wound, action at Balaclava 25 Oct 1854.
26 Oct (1854) to Scutari (Hospital) [WO100-24-201 Medal Roll].
Has for a considerable time suffered from varicose veins of the legs to which some predisposition must have existed.
His disability has not been aggravated by vice or misconduct .
Unfit for further service [13 May 1861].
Regimental Courts Martial:None.
District Courts Martial:None.
General Courts Martial:None.
Discharge date and Place:
Length of Service:
13 May 1861, Dublin, Ireland.
12 years, 171 days.
Chelsea Pension Reference:WO97/1285/146.
Post Discharge Residence:27 Norwich Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, England.
Post Discharge Pension District:Ipswich (1861),  Chatham (1863).
Pension Amount:8d. per diem (for three years) (1861).  Pension ceased (1864). Refused increase in pension (1877).
Awarded 5d. per diem Deferred Pension from 24  Nov 1880.
ARRIVAL and LIFE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Ship:Belgravia.
Departure and Arrival:07 Apr 1866 Portland; 04 Jul 1866 Fremantle.
Status/Occupation:Warder Fremantle Prison [D J Barker pp. 86-87].
Resigned 1887 owing to loss of the use of both legs [M S James p.323].
Land Grant/Purchase

Source of Land Records courtesy of
Pam Mikus from her Honours degree
thesis ‘Graylands: The Evolution of a Suburb’.

30 Dec 1889 Purchase by Auction from Estate of Sarah Harding (Maria Gray’s widowed sister):
Fremantle Town Lot 303, Cantonment Road,
Fremantle Town Lot 266, Beach Street,
Fremantle Town Lot 561 Adelaide Street,
Swan Location P233, Butler’s Swamp (9½ acres),
*Swan Location 429, 1st & 2nd Avenues? (40 acres).
Inquirer & Commercial News 25 Dec 1889 & 1 Jan 1890 (see sidebar).
* Originally granted to James Harding in 1866 for a sum of £20 [Landgate].
Misc. Newspaper ArticlesHerald 13 Feb & 10 Oct 1873.
Herald 13 Feb 1875.
Western Australian Times 16 Feb 1875.
Belfast Morning, 25 Feb 1879.
Belfast New-Letter 25 Feb 1879.