About

My name is Lynette Weir and my grandmother was Marie Jane Gray, born at Alumny Creek near Grafton, was the eldest child and daughter of Malcolm Gray and Ada Emma Everingham. Malcolm Gray’s father was George Abner Gray, born on the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England, whose parents were George Gray and Ann Lock..

So the story of the Gray family begins on the Isle of Wight with George Gray a stonemason and builder and his wife Ann Lock whose families go back generations born and living on the Isle of Wight. George Gray and Ann Lock the first of the Gray family to immigrate to the new colony of New South Wales that is now Australia.

It is a story of leaving behind previous lives, losing a mother, brother, children, family and coming to the new land of New South Wales as assisted immigrants. It is also the story of loss and starting again.

Marie’s father’s ‘George Abner Gray’ came with his parents his two brothers and sister but not all arrived. George Abner Gray wrote a journal of his life which has been invaluable in telling and researching his family story. Both his family and his wife ‘Mary Jane Eggins’ families were farming, building/stonemason and labouring families. The farming continued in the family until Marie Jane who, although she lived on the family farm by necessity, finally moved to Yamba with her husband George in 1960. Marie and George were able to break the cycle of a life focused solely on farming and the land for their family.

They were not a wealthy family, they worked hard all their lives often with difficult and challenging setbacks in every generation.

The overarching ‘personality’ of the family comes in the form of George Abner Gray who recorded his memories in a ‘journal’ of his life which was published. After the family arrived in the Maitland district he came as a young man to the Clarence River in the 1860’s, he is s figure who looms large in the family storytelling. Less has been known about his father George and mother Ann and the early life of the Gray and Lock families on the Isle of Wight.

George Abner worked extremely hard all his life and seemed to have a sense of confidence in both his ability and his life choices, as evidenced both in his journal and in numerous letters to the editor pressing his views.

His journal provides a glimpse into another era, with different ways of expression, or viewing, the world. It is interesting that the journal, typical of many men of the era, mentions very little of his wife and family life, focusing more on his own life and work.

This story begins with George Abner and Mary Jane Gray, then follows the family of the ninth child, Malcolm Gordon Gray. He took up farming at Alumny Creek like his father and his Gray descendants. He managed to eventually purchase his land at Alumny Creek and passed it to two of his sons. Farming appeared to be the main focus of his life. He married Ada Emma Everingham whose family story is told elsewhere, and they had five children, Marie, Harry, Hazel, Arthur and Cecil.

Their eldest child was Marie Jane Gray, who married Herbert George Perkins.

This is the story of my family

My name is Lynette Weir and I am the granddaughter of George and Marie Perkins, the daughter of their only son, Colin George Perkins.

In listening to others family stories and culture, just as in exploring where we came from, it gives us the opportunity to enrich our understanding of our own story.

Where possible primary sources for information have always been sought and referenced. I have added these in footnotes and links to all the reference material to websites where possible and have files of the primary sourced material.

I am grateful for those in the family for their help and encouragement. I am grateful for those who have scanned photographs and information to contribute. These includes cousins and extended family.

Please note that this is a project that can be added to, corrected and updated if additional information comes to light. I feel collaboration is important and am grateful for all the contributions people have made to help sort through the sometimes complicated histories. 

If you have additional information or corrections please feel free to contact me with the contact form below.

Sandra Boyd – Benjamin Baker

Sandra Boyd is the three times great granddaughter of Benjamin Baker who along with George Gray and Edmund Bull lived and worked firstly at New freight Station and them all three worked for Charles Simpson Esquire at Waratah. They were employed by Charles Simpson and were the significant builders involved in the construction and estate of Waratah house.

This project has been created as a resource and research project specifically for the family of George Gray, there is no commercial aspect to this project whatsoever. Any omissions or errors in regards to referencing and attribution is only by error and can be rectified by notifying me, use of images etc have links and attributions as it has been my understanding the copyright has lapsed, please notify me if that is not the case.