Autobiographical Reminiscences:1882 "I was born in 1891 at a little store on Lavender Hill in Clapham Junction, right smack bang next to (at the time) the only Departmental Store under the name of Arding and Hobbs. (I understand from a friend, who recently was there, that this firm is still operating.) In about 1900 we moved to 310 Merton Road, Southfields - Borough of Wandsworth - about 1 1/2 to 2 miles N. E. from Wimbledon and I attended a London County Council Board School in an old prison like bldg surrounded by a 10 ft. brick wall surmounted with a row of iron spikes. In 1904 we moved to Mitcham on the old London Road, next to a Convalescent Home from which house on Derby Day we used to watch the thousands of people (in all shapes and conditions of vehicles) going to the big annual Derby Day Race at Epsom. A continual stream from about 3 o'clock AM until noon, returning home at about 7 PM until after 2 AM the next morning - the majority thoroughly drunk, singing and laughing at the top of their voices. Whilst living at Mitcham we attended St. Lawrence Church (about 1 mile from home). If possible you must try to visit same and get a picture. It was built about 1175 or 1180 with its walls of stone about three feet thick, and the interior is only about 25 ft. wide by 40 to 50 ft. long. The walls are (or were at the time we attended) covered with the amorial bearings (coats of arms) of all the Knights and Barons of the country district. From the carved roof beams hung the banners (flags) of these barons and the floor was composed of black slabs of stone (engraved, if that is the correct term) with the already mentioned Coats of Arms and covering the resting place (graves) of the old knights. In fact this whole area (about 20 miles square) to the South Coast just teams with history from the landing of Julius Caesar in 56 BC with the consequent Saxon battles followed by the Norman landing with William the Conqueror in 1066. Mitcham is next station to Morden (about 1 1/2 miles). Your Granddad Gray, during building operations around here unearthed the skeleton of a Roman soldier completely armed and also a bronze vessel containing several Roman coins. Unfortunately owing to the then (1906) modern building operations the grave was sadly desecrated. Up to a few years ago I had in my possession one of these coins, showing the head of Caesar and on the reverse side the wolf suckling Remus and Romulos, legendary characters of Roman history. Unfortunately being informed it had no value being so common and numerous I gave it to a coin collector. I now wish I had it to give to you."

Family Remembrance:2 "Lawrence Gilbert (1891-1970) was our Uncle Laurie and very dear to us. He was 17 when the family came to Victoria but his memory of his home and school in London remained very vivid to him. It was he who gave us addresses and places to visit on our trip to London and for us it was a memorable experience. Laurie was a devoted son and cared always for his widowed mother. He married Mabel Williams, a widow whom he met while she cared for his mother. They had one child who was stillborn but this marriage was a most happy one."

1891 Possible Birth Registration: Laurence Gilbert Gray, birth, 1891 Q4 Oct-Dec, Wandsworth, London, Surrey, v. 1d, p. 623 (FreeBMD)

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
Brother George Fosdick Gray and family lived at 400A Merton Road

1907 Departure from UK:3093,3087 Empress of Ireland, departure 14 November 1907, Port of Liverpool, destination Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; G. F. Gray, Mason, age 27; P. O. Gray, laborer, age 24; Miss Gray, maid, age 19; Wm. Tippett, laborer, age 19; H. Grist, laborer, age 21. Laurence Gilbert not located on passenger list.

1907 Immigration to Canada:3084,3087 Empress of Ireland, landed at St. John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia, 20 December 1907, Laurence Gray, age 16, can read and write, single, scholar, born in England, Surrey, destination: Victoria; accompanied by brother George, sister Florence, brother Cecil, future brother-in-law Harry Grist, and future brother-in-law William Tippet. Travelled on ocean ticket 86244, with railway ticket 72398.

Illustration of the ship R.M.S. Empress of Ireland annotated by brother Laurence Gray, "The Ship that brot. G. F. Gray from England to America in 1907." A note written by Lawrence Gray1881 indicates "I was living in Wimbledon Park at that time when I emigrated along with one sister and three brothers to Victoria, British Columbia on December 7th, 1907."

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

1934 Death of Mother:1454 L. G. Gray provided information for his mother Eleanor Sophia Gray’s death certificate. At the time, Lawrence was residing at the family home at 2826 Blackwood Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

1970 Death Certificate:1425 Lawrence Gilbert Gray; death date, 16 August 1970; death place, Glengarry Private Hospital, Victoria; in Canada 63 years; residence, 1170 Vista Heights, Victoria; male, Canadian citizen, widowed; born, London, England; born, 15 September 1891; age 78; retired, Canadian Pacific Railway stores; wife, Mabel Carrie Williams; father, John Edward Gray; mother, Eleanor Fosdick, Holland [!]; burial, 20 August 1970, Hatley Memorial Park, Colwood.