Earl Grey is a title in the
peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great B ...
. It was created in 1806 for General
Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. In 1801, he was given the title Baron Grey of Howick in the County of Northumberland, and in 1806 he was created Viscount Howick in the County of Northumberland, at the same time as he was given the earldom. A member of the prominent Grey family of Northumberland, Earl Grey was the third son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet of Howick (see below).
History
The first Earl Grey was succeeded by his eldest son,
Charles, 2nd Earl Grey. The second Earl was a prominent
Whig politician and served as
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister Advice (constitutional law), advises the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign on the exercise of much of the Royal prerogative ...
from 1830 to 1834, which tenure saw the passing of the
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 (also known as the Reform Act 1832, Great Reform Act or First Reform Act) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (indexed as 2 & 3 Will. 4. c. 45), enacted by the Whig government of Pri ...
and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1833. In 1808, he also succeeded his uncle as third Baronet, of Howick.
The second Earl was succeeded by his second (but eldest surviving) son,
Henry, 3rd Earl Grey. The third Earl was also a Whig politician and served under
Lord John Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (18 August 1792 – 28 May 1878), known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was a British Whig and Liberal statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1852 and again from 1865 to 186 ...
as
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet-level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India). The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.
Hist ...
from 1846 to 1852. On his death, the titles passed to his nephew,
Albert, 4th Earl Grey, who was the son of General the Hon.
Charles Grey, third son of the second Earl. Lord Grey was
governor general of Canada
The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...
between 1904 and 1911. His son,
Charles, 5th Earl Grey, was a major in the Army. He died without male issue and was succeeded by his second cousin once removed,
Richard, 6th Earl Grey. He was the great-great-grandson of Admiral the Hon. George Grey, fourth son of the second earl. The 6th Earl died in September 2013 and was succeeded by his brother
Philip, 7th Earl Grey.
The Grey baronetcy, of Howick in the County of Northumberland, was created in the
Baronetage of Great Britain
Baronets are hereditary titles awarded by the Crown. The current baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier, existing baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Great Britain.
To be recognised as a baronet, it is necessary ...
in 1746 for Henry Grey,
High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1738. A member of an old Northumberland family, he was eighth in descent from Sir Thomas Grey, of Heton, elder brother of John Grey, 1st Earl of Tankerville (see the
Earl of Tankerville, 1418 creation), and fifth in descent from Sir Edward Grey, of Howick, uncle of William Grey, 1st
Baron Grey of Warke. In 1720 he married Hannah, daughter of Thomas Wood of Fallodon near
Alnwick
Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116.
The town is south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish border, inland from the North Sea ...
in Northumberland. Grey was succeeded by his eldest son, the second baronet. He represented
Northumberland
Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...
in the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
. He died unmarried and was succeeded by his nephew, the second Earl Grey. For further history of the baronetcy, see above.
Several other members of this branch of the Grey family have gained distinction. The Hon. George Grey (1767–1828), second son of the first Earl Grey, was created a baronet, of Fallodon in the County of Northumberland, in 1814 (see
Grey baronets) and was the father of
Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet, and the great-grandfather of
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon (25 April 1862 – 7 September 1933), better known as Sir Edward Grey, was a British statesman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician who was the main force behind British foreign policy i ...
. The Right Reverend the Hon.
Edward Grey (1782–1837), fifth son of the first Earl, was
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury. Until 1534, the Diocese of Hereford was in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and two of its bishop ...
from 1832 to 1837. His fourth son
Sir William Grey (1818–1878) served as
Governor of Bengal
In 1644, Gabriel Boughton procured privileges for the East India Company which permitted them to build a factory at Hooghly district, Hughli, without fortifications. Various chief agents, Governors and presidents were appointed to look after co ...
from 1866 to 1871 and as
governor of Jamaica from 1874 to 1877. His daughter Sybil Frances Grey (d. 1945) was the mother of Prime Minister
Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon.
Sir Paul Francis Grey,
British Ambassador to Czechoslovakia from 1957 to 1960 and to
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
from 1960 to 1964, was the grandson of Francis Douglas Grey, a son from the second marriage of the Right Reverend the Hon. Edward Grey, Bishop of Hereford. The aforementioned the Hon.
Charles Grey, third son of the second Earl, was a general in the Army. The aforementioned the Hon. George Grey (1809–1891), fourth son of the second Earl, was an
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
in the Royal Navy.
The family seats were
Howick Hall and
Fallodon Hall in
Northumberland
Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...
. The traditional burial place of the Earls Grey is
St Michael and All Angels Church, Howick.
Legacy
Earl Grey tea
Earl Grey tea is a Tea blending and additives, tea blend which has been flavoured with Bergamot essential oil, oil of bergamot. The rind's fragrant oil is added to black tea to give Earl Grey its unique taste. However, many, if not most, Earl Gr ...
is named after the second Earl Grey.
Grey College, Durham
Grey College is a Colleges of Durham University, college of Durham University in England, founded in 1959 as part of the university's expansion of its student population. The college is named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who was Prime Mi ...
is named after the second Earl Grey, commemorating his support for the Durham University Act 1832 that established the university during his term as prime minister.
The
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup () is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners ...
, the championship trophy for the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
, is named after the
4th Earl, in 1909; at the time, Lord Grey was serving as
Governor General of Canada
The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...
.
A column topped with a statue of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (referred to locally as
Grey's Monument
Grey's Monument is a Listed building, Grade I-listed monument in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was built in 1838 in recognition of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834. In particular ...
), has a prominent location in the city of
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...
.
Grey County
Grey County is a county in the province of Ontario. The county is located in the Southwestern Ontario region, and is a part of the Georgian Triangle. At the time of the 2021 Canadian census the population of the county was 100,905. Owen Sound is ...
in
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Canada is named after the 2nd Earl Grey.
The Gateshead fiddler
James Hill (b. 1811 d. 1856) composed the tune "Earl Gray" in the Scottish
Strathspey style, possibly to commemorate the opening of Grey's Monument in 1838. It still remains part of the traditional music repertoire of Scotland and Northumberland.
Earl Grey Street in Edinburgh was named after the 2nd Earl after his visit to the city in 1834.
Grey baronets, of Howick (1746)
Earls Grey (1806)
Present peer
Alexander Edward Grey, 8th Earl Grey (born 20 December 1968) is the son of Philip Kent Grey, 7th Earl Grey and his wife Ann Catherine Applegate. In October 1995, he married Ursula C. Boult, and they have a daughter, Alice Ursula Grey, born 1996.
['']Burke's Peerage
Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher, considered an authority on the order of precedence of noble families and information on the lesser nobility of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1826, when the Anglo-Irish genea ...
'', volume 2 (2003), page 1664.
The
heir presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...
is Christopher John Grey (born 1946), a first cousin of the present Earl's father.
[
]
Line of succession
* '' Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey (1729–1807)''
** ''Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (13 March 1764 – 17 July 1845), known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was a British Whig politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834. As prime minister, Grey w ...
(1764–1845)''
***''Admiral Hon. George Grey (1809–1891)''
****''Francis William Grey (1860–1939)''
*****''George Archibald Grey (1886–1952)''
******''Albert Harry Grey (1912–1942)''
******* '' Philip Kent Grey, 7th Earl Grey'' (1940–2023)
******** Alexander Edward Grey, 8th Earl Grey (born 1968)
******''Rodney York de Charmoy Grey (1921–2017)''
*******(1). Christopher John Grey (born 1946)
********(2). Duncan Colin Grey (born 1974)
*******(3). David York Grey (born 1947)
********(4). Michael Colin Grey (born 1982)
*********(5). Charles David Grey (born 2017)
*******(6). Simon Alexander Grey (born 1958)
*******(7). Marcus Edward Grey (born 1960)
**'' Sir George Grey, 1st Baronet (1767–1828)''
***''Charles Samuel Grey (1811–1860)''
****''Edward George Grey (1858–1935)''
*****''Sir Robin Edward Dysart Grey, 6th Baronet (1886–1974)''
******''Edward Elton Grey (1920–1962)''
*******(8). Sir Anthony Dysart Grey, 7th Baronet (born 1949)
********(9). Thomas Jasper Grey (born 1998)
**''Rt. Rev. Hon. Edward Grey (1782–1837)''
See also
* Other Grey titles
* Grey Baronets
* Earl of Tankerville
* Baron Grey of Warke
* Earl De Grey (a slightly newer unrelated title for a different family)
Notes
References
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grey
Earldoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Noble titles created in 1806
1806 establishments in the United Kingdom