Photo: Derek Haynes

Derek Haynes has submitted the following:

The birth of Thomas James Gray was registered in the September Q 1878 in Sunderland, the son of William and Ann Gray. Early census records show that William was originally from Scotland while Ann was from Sussex. I have only found one sibling for Thomas, an elder brother, Joseph, whose birth was registered December Q 1871 also in Sunderland.

By 1881 the family were residing at 19 Shakespeare Street, Southwick. They continue to reside at the same address for thirty two years, but by 1901 only William and Mary were residing there. Eldest son Joseph, now married, has left home while Thomas can be found serving in the Army.

On the 9th October 1895 Thomas gave his age as 19 years and 5 months when he enlisted into the 1st Durham Battalion Artillery Regiment and given the number 2756. At the time he was already serving with the Durham Army Volunteers. The following day, at Scarborough, Thomas took a medical where he was considered fit for service. A description of him at the time was that his height was 5ft 8¼ ins, he weighed 133 pounds and had a chest measurement of 33 inches, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He had a number of distinguishing marks - a scar on his left forearm, a tattoo of a dot on his right forearm, four scars on his right knee and a scar on his right shin. His religion was Church of England. Thomas did not stay long with the Regiment: on the 21st May 1896 he purchased his discharge. The same year on the 23rd September at Newcastle upon Tyne he applied to join the Grenadier Guards, giving his age this time as 18 years 4 months. He was declared fit for service with the Guards and on the 25th September he joined the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards at London with the service number 6000.

On the 27th April 1898 he was convicted by civil power of assaulting the Police and was sentenced to serve two calendar months in prison. He returned to duty 27th July 1898. The 23rd September 1899 saw Thomas transferred to the Army Reserve, but it would only be two weeks later, because of a Special Army Order of 7th October 1899, that on the 9th October Thomas was once again a Private in the Grenadier Guards.

More trouble followed for Thomas. The 28th January 1901 saw him awaiting trial for stealing:
(1) When on active service stealing goods the property of an inhabitant;
(2) Stealing goods the property of a comrade.
Thomas was found guilty and on 31st January 1901 began a sentence of nine months; this was followed up with him being given a dishonourable discharge from the Army on the 12th April 1901.

His Military History Sheet records that Thomas served at home from 23rd September 1896 to 20th October 1899, a period of 3 years 28 days. Then from the 31st October 1899 to 4th March 1901, a period of 1 year 135 days, he was serving in South Africa. He was then home for a period of 8 days from 5th March 1901 until his discharge.

By 1904 Thomas was back in his home town of Sunderland where in the March Q 1904 he married Jennie Wright. Sadly, prior to Thomas's marriage, his father William, now aged 57 years died at the family home of 19 Shakespeare Street, Southwick. He died on the 1st November 1903 and was laid to rest three days later in Section D Grave no. 1097 of Southwick Cemetery.

1911 found Thomas and his family residing in three rooms with his widowed mother, Ann, at 19 King’s Road, still in the parish of Southwick. The census returns shows Thomas and Jennie and four children: Thomas James Gray registered March Q 1903, William Gray registered June Q 1905 and James Gray registered March Q 1909.

The final child was Annie; on the census she was aged 11 years, giving a birth of around 1900. As Thomas and Jennie did not marry until 1904 I have been unable to determine Annie’s connection.

While there was a brief record of the early Army service for Thomas, unfortunately the only detail found concerning WW1 was that at South Shields on the 14th January 1915 he enlisted into the 27th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, given the rank of Sergeant and the service number 27/298. Only four months after enlisting Thomas died at Sunderland Royal Infirmary on the 25th May 1915. He was laid to rest on the 28th May 1915 in Section U, Grave number 1145 of Southwick Cemetery.A CWGC headstone marks his final resting place.

Thomas’s mother Ann also died at 19 Shakespeare Street, Southwick; she died on the 7th May 1918 and was laid to rest on the 10th May 1918 in Section D Grave no. 1097 in Southwick Cemetery, the same plot as her husband.

Thomas James Gray is listed in Peter Gibson's Book

The CWGC entry for Sergeant Gray