Robert GRAY, Bishop of Bristol

[perisama]

My hubby's 3x gt grandad was Robert Gray, Bishop of Bristol, (His son also Robert was the 1st Bishop of Cape Town).
I have been trying in vain to find where Robert Gray was born and who his parents were. The facts I have so far are:
Robert Gray, son of Robert of London, Silversmith, born 11 Mar 1762
died 28 Sept 1834.
There is a lot written about him and his son (and other sons who were clergymen os lawyers) but nothing about his parents. No birth records etc have turned up. I have tried CCEd, Fam Search, A*****y etc, .... Help needed.

[arthurk]

According to the Oxford Alumni records (at Ancestry) he was a member of St Mary Hall, Oxford, which is now part of Oriel College. The Oriel website has information about the college archives, which may or may not be useful.

The Alumni record also gives details of his appointments before becoming Bishop of Bristol. The earliest one mentioned is Vicar of Faringdon, Berks, which was then in the Diocese of Salisbury; the Clergy Database gives the date of his appointment as 3 Mar 1794. It's possible that there are papers relating to this appointment or his ordination, which might mention something about his origins. The Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office would be the place to ask about these.

Arthur

[perisama]

Thanks Arthur, I will try that. I have since found that mum's name was Ann Norman and siblings ann and sarah.(IGI) Still no county given.

[Anndingsdale]

Robert Gray's (Bishop of Bristol) father was Robert Gray who had a goldsmiths and jewellery shop at 13 New Bond Street between1777 and 1792 when he died and his younger son William Gray took over the business. Robert was a cutler and toyman (expensive trinkets) . Before that a Robert Gray (possibly his father?) had a business in the same area ('Bond Street opposite the Duke of Grafton's) between 1751 and 1775 as a cutler and surgical instrument maker. I have had no luck so far tracing marriages etc, but another son , Thomas Gray had a similar shop at 42 Sackville street just round the corner. There are trade cards in the British Library collection Robert Gray Snr must have been a very wealthy man as the Bishop went to Eton before Oxford- and Robert went on the Grand Tour with the nephew of the Bishop of Durham in 1792 which was probably how he got good appointments in Durham and Sunderland. Hoverever he must have been very talented to get on so well from a 'trade' background. William's son Robert also became a priest and took over Sunderland when Our bishop was elevated. I think at least 2 other sons of Bishop Gray became priests too as well as Robert of the Cape (my g-g-grandfather) and two sons also married into the aristocratic Ker family.

[perisama]

Wow, Thanks Anndingsdale, I will look more into all of that. Very interesting.