16 Facts About Ernest Gray

Sir Ernest Gray was a British educational reformer and Conservative politician.

Ernest Gray was elected as president of the National Union of Teachers.

Ernest Gray received an honorary degree from the University of Oxford in the same year.

Ernest Gray later spent many years as secretary to the education committee of the union, and was joint editor of several education handbooks.

Ernest Gray served as a member of the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education from 1900 to 1908.

Ernest Gray was appointed an Officer de l'Instruction Publique by the French government for services to education.

Ernest Gray held a commission in the Volunteer Force and the successor Territorial Force of the British Army, rising to the rank of major in the 6th Battalion, Essex Regiment.

Politically, Ernest Gray was a Conservative, and in 1895 he was chosen by the party to contest the constituency of West Ham North.

Ernest Gray had the full support of the National Union of Teachers, and was able to unseat the Liberal Member of Parliament, magazine publisher Archibald Grove.

Ernest Gray retained the seat at the 1900 election, but was defeated in 1906.

Ernest Gray made an unsuccessful attempt to regain the West Ham North seat in January 1910.

In 1907 the Municipal Reformers gained control of the council, and Ernest Gray was elected to represent Hoxton.

Ernest Gray returned to parliament at the 1918 general election, having received the "coalition coupon", and was elected as Coalition Conservative member of parliament for Accrington.

Ernest Gray was defeated at the next general election in 1922, when the seat was gained by the Labour Party.

Ernest Gray retired from the London County Council in 1925, and was knighted for "political and public services" in the same year.

Ernest Gray died in Hampstead, aged 73, in May 1932 and was cremated at Golders Green.