David Grey

   Another name for David was Greygoose.

  General Notes:

David Grey was born in Takeley, Essex, son of John Grey, sometime between
1st February and 2nd April in 1843.*
Reasons:-stated age on marriage certificate signed on 1st Feb.1872 as 28 yrs.
ie born year 1st. Feb 1843-1844. Father stated as John Grey from Takeley.
:-stated age on census taken 3rd April 1881 as 38 yrs.
ie born year 3rd April 1842-1843
:-age stated on death certificate dated Dec.1909 as 66yrs.
ie born before Dec 1843
:-year of birth stated in family bible held by Michael Grey, 1843.

First he was employed as a gardener/groom at the Manor House, Wanborough, Nr
Guildford in Surrey(1871 census) by John Bryan who was a sergeant on staff for
the 2nd Royal Surrey Militia/ Chelsea Pensioners. Age here stated as 22yrs.
which was probably incorrect. see above

He probably met Ellen Penfold through her family associations with the Good
Intent Inn. Her Uncle Samuel was married to Frances Ellis, the sister and house
keeper of the licensed victuallar Thomas Butcher Ellis.

After his marriage to Ellen Penfold in 1872 he became a carpenter/wheelwright
at her family business, working with Alfred and his brothers. By 1881 the Grey
family are living with their 4 sons and 1 daughter (Ellen not born) and William
Grey David's brother has joined them from Takeley, Essex. Alfred and Caroline
Penfold have moved to another house in Puttenham Street.

Rumour has it that he lost the 'family fortune' to the Good Intent Inn. His
daughter Ellen spoke of having to collect him from there on many occassions.
She certainly had an aversion to drink for the rest of her life. Another rumour
surrounds the furniture made by the Penfolds. Ellen Grey worked for Lady
Orchen, the wife of the King's physician. They visited her father when he was
ill, admired the furniture and asked if she could show it to her friends in
London. That was the last the family saw of it. A card table remains and is
owned by Ellen Grey's grandaughter Linda Kelsey(nee Cunningham).

*
1.Extensive research of the parish records of Takeley between 1662 and 1963
indicate that there isn't any family called Grey living there.
Some searches were done in surrouding parishes:-

Little Canfield 1813-1857
Great Canfield 1820-1860(approx)
Great Dunmow 1831-1845
Broxted 1820-1860(approx)
Elsenham 1820-1860(approx)
Hatfield Broad Oak 1820-1860(approx)
Little Dunmow and Stansted Mountfichet had some Grey births between 1813 and
1867 but none were with the correct name or date. Records available.
Research carried out February 1991.

2.The conclusion must be drawn that David Grey was not born David Grey in
Takeley Essex, although research has also shown that only two David Grey(s)
were born in 1843, one in Swansea and one in Royston, Essex.(St. Catherine's
House London). No David Grey born 1843, appears in the 1984 I.G.I. for Essex.

3.If he wasn't born David Grey what could he have been born?
Takeley Essex records show a family called Greygoose living there from 1690 to
1912, with a David Greygoose baptised on 5th March 1843, son of John and Fanny
Greygoose. John Greygoose remarried after his wife's death in 1865. John and
Mary Ann have a son called William, born 1867. Could this be the half- brother
who appears in Puttenham in 1881 age 13yrs, although his name is stated as
Grey and David enters him as brother? Many of the christian names of the
children are similar to the names David uses when naming his own family.
ie. Charles, Louisa, William not known in the Penfold family and Alfred and
George common to both families. It's unusual that he didn't use his parents name
at all.
Laurie(Laurence Grey) confirmed that he and his sister Gladys knew that the
name had been changed from Greygoose. Their mother had told them this. They
had been led to believe that it had happened a long time ago. David Grey died at
the age of 66 on December 14th at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in
Guildford. He had suffered from cancer of the prostrate for a number of years
and was completely exhausted.

David Grey and his ancestors in Takeley Essex are
now recorded as Greygoose.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Carpenter/Wheelwright.

David married Ellen Penfold, daughter of Alfred Penfold and Caroline Searle, on 1 Feb 1872 in St John the Bap., Puttenham, Surrey, England. (Ellen Penfold was born on 17 Jun 1850 in Puttenham Street, Puttenham, Surrey, England, baptised in St John the Bap., Puttenham, Surrey, died on 24 Sep 1921 in The Street, Puttenham, Surrey, England and was buried in St John the Bap., Puttenham, Surrey, England.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Census, 1901, Puttenham Street, Puttenham, Surrey, England. Living with sone George and daughter Ellen Louise