George Gray F.C.S. b.1849

[Dereck13]

I am looking for info on my G.G.father who is listed as a laboratory assistant in the 1871 census.
I am trying to find out about his education and how he got into chemistry. He studied under a Professor Bickerton.

Your help appreciated.

Dereck Gray
Dunedin NZ

[ShaunJ]

I'm sure you will have seen this obituary https://livingheritage.lincoln.ac.nz/nodes/view/2001#idx21353

[hanes teulu]

Just confirming
(a) is your George aged 21 (born 1850) on the '71 Census, residing Millbrook, Hampshire and
(b) he studied with Alexander W Bickerton, aged 29 on the '71 Census, residing Southampton - occupation "Teacher of Chemistry and Physics"?

[ShaunJ]

A report in the Hampshire Independent of 30 March 1872 (page 7) mentions him as the librarian at the Hartley Institution and says that he had been in their employ for 6 years. Perhaps he attended their evening classes.

[hanes teulu]

Hampshire Independent, 13 Dec 1871

At a prize giving to the students of Hartley Institution -

" ... The Mayor made special mention of the first two - Meeze and Gray - who had carried off awards in such a number of subjects .....; Meeze A, ............ ; Gray, George - E1, chemistry; E2, metallurgy, acoustics, light and heat, magnetism and electricity, geology, steam, mechanical drawing and physiology. Awarded a prize of books, of the value of £2, by the Hartley Council".

PS - a belated but nonetheless a very warm welcome to Rootschat.

[ShaunJ]

His salary was £60 per annum so a £2 prize was a significant sum.

[hanes teulu]

I had checked out the 1873 enquiry into the Hartley institute and pencilled "Mr Gray" in as possibly George, the subject of this post. When I read his 1871 exam successes I could understand why in 1873 he declared he could not understand Latin or French - where did he time to fit them into his studies.

The Hampshire Advertiser, 15 July 1871 reported the examination results (exams held in May) for which the Dec 1871 prize giving was held. It lists George's successes in each category and reports -

" ... All the above candidates, with one exception, have been under instruction in the Hartley Institution. - * The letters A and E denote Advanced and Elementary respectively and the number indicates the class in each section".

Fingers crossed George isn't the "one exception"! 

[hanes teulu]

Hampshire Advertiser, 11 Feb 1871
CLEANSING THE INSTITUTION
The committee resolved that a strong active lad be appointed to assist in cleaning the Institution, in the place of Henry Gray, and that in consideration of the services of George Gray being employed partly in connection with the day classes, half of his wages, which had hitherto been wholly defrayed out of the Institution, be paid out of the class funds. They recommended for this appointment a boy, at a salary of 8s a week.

On the 1871 Census George has a younger brother, Henry, age 17.

[hanes teulu]

Hampshire Advertiser, 28 Jan 1874
THE HARTLEY COUNCIL
Resignation of the Librarian - A letter was read from Mr George Gray, the librarian, stating that he had accepted an appointment in New Zealand and, as he had desired to sail on the 5th of next month, he resigned his post and requested to be relieved of his duties by the end of the week.