Trafford

Born at Worksop, Nottinghamshire on the 5th February 1911, the birth being
registered during the Mach quarter 111 in the Worksop R.D. - ref: 7b/33,
the son of John & Mabel Gray (nee Halliday).

1911 Census - 68 Bridge Street, Worksop, nottinghamshire.   Son - aged: 2
months - born: Worksop.   Head of household - John Gray - Married - aged:
31 - occ: Poor Law Clerk - born: Sheffield, Yorkshire.   Also Mabel Elaine
Gray - Wife - aged: 31 - born: Shardlow,  Derbyshire.    Plus 3 elder
siblings.

For 3 years he was the local Police Constable for Ashton on Mersey being
appointed on the 7th December 1936.  He was called up 3 months after war
broke out and originally joined the Royal Tank Rgt, before transferring to
the Inns of Court Rgt.

Married Margaret E. Studdart during the March quarter 1939 in the Bucklow
R.D. - ref: 8a/273.

1939 National Registration - 124 Carrington Lane, Ashton upon Mersey.  
George Gray - Married - born on the 5th February 1911 - occ: Policeman.   
Margaret E. Gray - Married - born on the 14th April 1913 - occ: Unpaid
Domestic Duties.

Killed in a traffic accident at Cambridge.

GEORGE GRAY   St. Martin's PC
George was the fourth of six children, and the second of three sons, of
John and Mabel (née Halliday). John had originally worked as a silversmith
but, by the time George was born, he was now working as a Clerk dealing
with Poor Law. When George was only a year old his older brother William
died, aged three, leaving George as the elder surviving son. The family
continued to live around the Worksop area whilst George was growing up.

Having left school George eventually decided he wanted to join the Army, so
at the end of the 1920s he enlisted in The Royal Tank Regiment. After
serving for some 6 years or so, and having reached the rank of Corporal, he
thought it was time for a change. Cheshire Constabulary, whose Chief
Constable was ex-Army, was recruiting heavily at the time from the Forces.
Thus, on the 7th of December 1936, George became Police Constable Gray,
with the collar number of 584, and was based in Sale. Whilst there he met
Margaret Studdart; she was originally from Prescot, but had also moved to
Sale. George and Margaret married in early 1939 and set up home at 124,
Carrington Lane, Ashton-upon-Mersey.
All was going well until the outbreak of war. Although the Police were
normally a reserved occupation, George still had his Reservist liability
from his previous military service. In fact Cheshire Police had recruited
so heavily from the forces that, of their 800 officers, 104 were recalled
to the Colours, forcing them to bring back retired policemen and utilise
many Special Constables to fill the gaps in their ranks. In November 1939
there was a farewell parade for the recalled Reservists at Chester Castle.
George took part in this, prior to being released for military service on
the 30th of November. The picture of him above was taken on that parade.

Recognition of his previous service and experience came in the fact that he
was promoted to Sergeant. He was posted to The Inns of Court Regiment, a
very old Territorial Army Regiment with a long and proud history, who were
now part of the Royal Armoured Corps. During the time George was with them,
although they were technically part of the 9th Armoured Division and based
solely in the UK, they were used a lot in a training role. It was during
his time with them that George Gray met his death, on Sunday the 5th of
July 1942. It is believed that his death was the result of an accident. He
was 31 years old, He is buried St. John's Churchyard at
Carlton-in-Lindrick, in his home county of Nottinghamshire.

Death reported in the 24/07/1942 edition of the Sale & Stretford Guardian.

Commemorated on the Cheshire Police Memorial and in their Memorial Book..

[My particular thanks to Mr. Will Brown, archivist at the Museum of
Policing in Cheshire, for his help with a large part of this, including the
photograph of George Gray]

His widow married Harold Clays in 1948.