THE GRAY. OR GREY, FAMILY.

Some correspondence has taken place between Mr. Wynne Gray, of Otahuhu, and the Earl of Stamford with regard to the genealogy of different branches of the Gray, or Grey, family. As a result of Mr. Wynne Grey's letters the Karl of Stamford has written to that gentlemen two letters of date 7th and 14th January, respectively. In the first the Earl states that lie stayed for some time with Sir George Grey in New Zealand. Sir George was under the impression that he was descended from Lord Leonard Gray, Lord Deputy of Ireland, who was beheaded in 1541. The available evidence the Earl believed went to show that Lord Leonardwasnevei mairied. On Sir George Grey's return to England he made further inquiries. He believed that inquiries had also been made by his cousin, Major William Grey, who he (Earl Stamford) believed, was anxious to trace descent from Henry first Earl of Stamford Such descent could not, however, be established satisfactorily. According to the family pedi-. gree published by Edmondson at the end of the last century, the only possibility of such descent is through the Hon. Leonard Grey, fourth son of the first Earl, whose name is simply entered in the pedigree without any statement as regards the date of his death, married or unmarried. I he Earl says. " With regard to the spelling of the name, Gray is undoubtedly the older and more correct form. The Norman village from which the family came was called first Gnu, then Gray, and now Graye. In the letterspatent creating the Earl of Stamfords barony and earldom, the name is spelt Gray or Graye indifferently. The Earl goes on to say thai he is sorry that the death of Major Grey, Mid the present state of Sir George Grey's health, render it impossible to secure further information from these two « The first Earl of Stamford, Henry Grey, died an old man, in 1673. The Hon. Leonard Grey was his fourth son. In Burke's " Colonial Gentry, p. 584, there is an account of the lineage, so far as can be ascertained, of Sir George Grey. The Earl of Stamford says in one of his letters, that lie was told by Lady Grey that the editor took infinite pains to trace the connection with his family, which is indicted bv Sir George Grey's traditional coat of arms and cS (the motto differs), but he failed altogether. The Earl says. I mi y conjecture that the traditions as to Lord Leonard Grey and the daughter of the O'Neil might possibly be accounted for by an actual descent from the Hon. Leonid Grey, and from the mamage, in last century of Owen Wynne Gray with Elizabeth O'Neil." The pedigree from.Burke is as Mows:-John Gray"of Grayfield, County Roscommon, living in 1719, had a son, the Rev. John Gray, born in 1740, who married Miss Wynne. He had issue Owen Wynne Gray (Sir George's grandfather), who married Elizabeth O'Neil first, and secondly Miss Philpott. By his first wife he had issue Colonel George Gray (Sir Georges father), born 1779, who died (1812) at the storming of Badajoz, who married Elizabeth Vignollfis Owen Wynne Gray had another son, Wm O'Neil Gray, born 1782, who married Miss Blake. Colonel George Gray and his wife had issue Sir George Grey, bom 1812, Owen Wynne Gray, born 1810, died 1840, and had a brother, Major Wm. Robert Gray, born 1820. He married Miss Amy Hare, and had issue two sons and three daughters. He died in 1897, as mentioned in the Earl 01 Stamford's letter. Owen Wynne toy by his second wife Miss Philpott had issue, among other children, the late Major John Gray, commanding New Zealand Fencibles, Pan'miire, Auckland. The commission of Sir George Grey's grandfather, Owen Wynne

Gray, as cornet in the 6th Dragoon Guards, is dated February 28, 1791, and also that of his commission as captain-lieutenant- to same corps, gives the name as Gray. Major John Gray's commission as captain of 40th regiment, dated March 6, 1836, is also spelt Gray. 'I he medal of Lieut.-Col. Grey (Sir Geo. Grey's father) is in the Auckland Free Public Library, and the name engraved on it is " Grey," so that the alteration, if any, appears to have been a matter of taste." The letter of the Prince Regent to " Madame Grey" condoles with her on the death of her husband. But then again comes another curious circumstance. Mr. Wynne Gray has shown to us the London Gazette Extraordinary, of Friday, April 24, 1812, which refers to the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Gray at the storming of Badajoz. LieutenantColonel Grey was interred in the parish church of Festiniog, diocese of Meatli, Irelaud, and in the family vault of the Vignolles (Mrs. Grey was a Miss Vignolles). The following inscription appears to havo been put on his headstone by the widow: " Sacred to the memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Gray, of the 30th Foot, who fell at the storming of Badajoz, on the night of .April 6, 1812, in the oord year of his age. This memorial of the esteem, affection, and sorrow of his afflicted widow (who now unceasingly laments him), is the humble record of the virtues by which, though dead, lie yet hvetli. hough absent, he is yet present in the remembrance of all who value him as a Christian, a husband, and a friend." Mr. Wynne Gray states that his mother was wont to say that Sir George Grey explained to her why he spelled his name Grey, instead of Gray, was that his mother taught him so to spell it, and he complied with her desire.