Family Remembrance:2 "Eleanor and John, our Grandma and Grandpa, had many homes as Grandpa was in the building trades. Some were very grand and others quite humble, so we were told. It wasn't until they came to Victoria that they lived in one house for years. It was that house we knew as 'Grannie's House.' We understand there were thirteen children of this marriage but three died in childbirth."

1849 Birth Registration1774 John Edward Gray; 10th June 1849; 11 Herbert Street, Hoxton,New Town; boy; father, Frederick Gray; mother, Susan Ann Gray, formerly Edwards; occupation, bricklayer; informant, Susan Ann Gray, mother, 11 Herbert Street, Hoxton New town; registered, twelfth July 1849 with W. H. Skagg.

1851 British Census:2531
Westminster St. Margaret, Middlesex (St. Stephen Ecclesiastical Parish)
Enumerated 30 March 1851
6 Coburg Row
Frederick Grey •• head of household, married, 29, bricklayer, born in Islington
Susannah •• wife, married, 23, born in Hike (i.e. Eyke), Suffolk Hike
Frederick •• son, 3, born in St. Johns Westminster
John •• son, 2, born in Hoxton
Edwin •• son, 10 months, born St. Margaret's Westminster

1861 British Census:2532
Middlesex, England (Westminster St. John the Evangelist)
Enumerated 7 April 1861
8 Douglas St.
Susan Ann Gray •• head, widow, 34, laundress, born in Shoreditch, Middlesex
Sarah Gilman •• sister, widow, 50, born at Windsor, Berkshire
Emma Gilman •• daughter, 22, unmarried, laundress, born in Westminster, Middlesex
Arthur Gilman •• son,10, born in Westminster, Middlesex
Frederick Gray •• son, 13, born in Westminster, Middlesex
John Gray •• son, 11, born in Shoreditch, Middlesex

1871 British Census:1798
London, England (St. John the Evangelist; St. Mary Ecclesiastical Parish; St. George Hanover Square Registration District)
Enumerated 2 April 1871
8 Douglas Street
Robert Brown •• head, married, 61, foreman vitriol works, born Bow, Middlesex
Susannah •• wife, married, 44, laundress, born Hoxton, Middlesex << mother Susan second married Robert Brown
Frederick Gray •• son, unmarried, 23, mason, born Westminster, Middlesex
John Gray •• son, unmarried, 22, mason, born Hoxton, Middlesex << to be married on 28 May 1871
George Gray •• son, 16, apprentice stone mason, born Westminster, Middlesex
Eleanor Fosdick •• visitor, unmarried, 20, dressmaker, born Eyke, Suffolk << to be married on 28 May 1871
William Easom •• lodger, married, 62, laborer, born Barnham, Cheshire
Caroline Easom •• wife, married, 52, laundress, born Glasgow, Scotland

1871 Marriage Certificate:1693 Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of Saint Margaret West in the County of Middlesex, 28 May 1871; John Edward Gray, age "full," bachelor, stonemason, 8 Douglas Street, father, Frederick Gray, bricklayer; Eleanor Saphira Fosdick, age 20, spinster, 8 Douglas Street, father, Matthew Fosdick, shoe maker; witnessed by John Fosdick and Sophia Annie Fosdick.

1881 British Census:1412
Middlesex, England (St. George Hanover Square)
Enumerated 3 April 1881
24 Moreton Place
John E. Grey •• married, age 31, male, born in Hoxton, Middlesex, head of household, stone mason
Eleanor S. •• married, age 30, female, born in Eyke, Suffolk, wife
George F. •• age 8, male, born in Westminster, Middlesex, son, scholar
Eleanor •• age 6, female, born in Westminster, Middlesex, daughter, scholar
Florence E. •• age 4, female, born in Westminster, Middlesex, daughter
Rosa E. •• age 1, female, born in Pimlico, Middlesex, daughter
Alfred Laurance •• unmarried, age 23, male, born in Croydon, Surrey, lodger, butcher
Herbert Griffin •• unmarried, age 22, male, born in Ely, Cambridge, lodger, butcher

1891 British Census:2708
London, England (Battersea; Clapham Parliamentary Borough; St. Marks Ecclesiastical Parish)
Enumerated 5 April 1891
295 Lavender Hill
John E. Gray •• head, male, 41, builder & decorator, employer, born Hoxton, London
Eleanor S. •• wife, married, 40, born Eyke, Suffolk
George F. •• son, single, 18, carpenter apprentice, employed, born Pimlico, London
Eleanor S. •• daughter, single, 16, born Westminster, London
Florence E. •• daughter, single, 14, scholar, born Westminster, London
Rose E. •• daughter, single, 11, scholar, born Pimlico, London
Percy O. •• son, single, 6, scholar, born in Lambeth, London
Mabel V. •• daughter, single, 3, born in Wandsworth, London

1891 Residence:1882,1425 Son Laurence Gray indicates he was born in "1891 at a little store on Lavender Hill in Clapham Junction." Laurence Gray death certificate gives birth date as 15 September 1891

1900 Residence:1882 Son Lawrence Gray, about age 9, indicates "in about 1900 we moved to 310 Merton Road, Southfields - Borough of Wandsworth."

1901 British Census:212
London, England (Wandsworth)
Enumerated 31 March 1901
310 Merton Road
John E. Gray •• head, male, 51, builder, employer, born Hoxton, London
Eleanor S. •• wife, female, 50, born Eyke, Suffolk
Florence E. •• daughter, single, 24, born Westminster, London
Rose E. •• daughter, single, 21, born Lambeth, London
Percy O. •• son, 16, born Lambeth, London
Mabel V. •• daughter, 13, born Battersea, London
Lawrence G. •• son, 9, born Battersea, London
Cecil H. •• son, 8, born Battersea, London
Matilda Dormer •• servant, 14, household domestic, born Wandsworth, London
Son George Fosdick Gray and family lived at 400A Merton Road

1904 Residence:1882 Son Lawrence Gray, about age 13, indicates "in 1904 we moved to Mitcham on the old London Road."

1908 Departure from UK:3092,3086 Empress of Britain, departure from Port of Liverpool, 24 July 1908, destination Port of Quebec; party of 5 on ticket number 12920; J. E. Gray, age 60; Mrs. Gray, age 57; Miss Gray, age 26; H. S. Plymsell, age 27; and Mrs. Plymsell, age 26; were listed as of Scotch origin. The Atlantic voyage was five days duration.

1908 Immigration to Canada:3083,3086 Empress of Britain, landed at Quebec, 29 July 1908, 2nd Class, John Gray, age 59, can read and write, married, builder, born in England, Church of England, destination: Victoria; accompanied by wife Eleanor, daughter Mabel, son-in-law Henry Plymsell, and daughter Rose Plymsell. Had $2,500 cash at time of immigration, as certified to Immigration Agent at port of landing. Entire party travelled on contract ticket 12920, purchased by John Gray.

1911 Canadian Census:3004
British Columbia, Canada (Gordon Head, Saanich, Nanaimo)
Enumeration date not given
John E. Gray •• male, head, married, born June 1849, age 62, born in England, immigrated 1908, British heritage, Canadian nationality, Anglican, fruit grower, employer, works on own account on farm, has $1,500 life insurance, can read, write, and speak English
Elinor •• female, wife, married, born November 1850, age 60, born in England, immigrated 1908, British heritage, Canadian nationality, Anglican, can read, write, and speak English
Lawrence G. •• male, son, single, born September 1891, age 19, born in England, immigrated 1907, British heritage, Canadian nationality, Anglican, fruit grower, employer, works on own account on farm, can read, write, and speak English
Cecil H. •• male, son, single, born November 1892, age 18, born in England, immigrated 1907, British heritage, Canadian nationality, Anglican, works on own account on farm. can read, write, and speak English
Yick Ah •• male, works for, single, born January 1879, age 27, born in China, immigrated 1898, Chinese heritage, Chinese nationality, Confucian, berry picker, employee on farm, can read and write Chinese
Yin Ah •• male, works for, married, born March 1877, age 24, born in China, immigrated 1907, Chinese heritage, Chinese nationality, Confucian, berry picker, employee on farm, can read and write Chinese
St Wona Ah •• male, works for, single, born December 1888, age 22, immigrated 1911, Chinese heritage, Chinese nationality, Confucian, berry picker, employee on farm, can read and write Chinese

1915 Death Certificate:989 John Edward Gray; male; birthplace, London, England; age, 66; last occupation, contractor; place of death, 2826 Blackwood St.; place of burial, Ross Bay, 8 September 1915; place of death: Victoria, B. C.; resided in city and in Canada for 7 years; father, Frederick Gray, birthplace, England; mother born in England; informant, George Smith.

1915 Obituary:985 The death occurred yesterday of John Edward Gray, who passed away at his residence, 2826 Blackwood Street. The deceased, who was 66 years of age, was a native of London, England, and had lived in Victoria for the past seven years. Besides his widow he is survived by four sons: George, Percy, Lawrence, and Cecil, all of Victoria; and three daughters: Mrs. H. Grist of Gordon Head, Mrs. W. Tippet, of Gordon Head, and one daughter in England. The funeral service, which will be private, will be held at the family residence tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock. The arrangements are with the Thomson Funeral Company.