Surrey Hills Historical Society Collection
Photograph, Robert Gray, grandson of Robert Beckett
... He embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 3 October 1916. His AIF papers list his mother as his next of kin, both resident in Suffolk Road, Surrey Hills. ...He embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 3 October 1916. His AIF papers list his mother as his next of kin, both resident in Suffolk Road, Surrey Hills. ...
The pencil sketch from which this photo was taken had been hidden from view from 1919 - 1996 when it was located behind a framed photo retrieved from the Surrey Hills Bowling Club at the time of its closure. The sketch had been used as backing when photo framed in 1919. Jocelyn Hall gave the original to great nephew, [name TBC], who was a pharmacist at the Mont Albert tram terminus at the time.
Initially the subject's identity was not known. A scribbled name 'Walduck' on a different photo finally resulted in the identification as John Robert Gray, who died 1917. He was engaged at the time of enlistment and after his death his fiancee did not marry. He attended Surrey Hills Primary School and was a salesman at the time of enlistment on 9 May 1916. He embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 3 October 1916. His AIF papers list his mother as his next of kin, both resident in Suffolk Road, Surrey Hills. He was a gunner in the Howitzer Brigade 120. He was Killed in Action on 21 June 1917 and was buried at Bapaume Australian Cemetery (Row C, Grave NO. 5), France.
It is believed that the sketch was made prior to him going overseas to France.
John Robert Gray was the eldest son of Emma (nee Beckett) and John Gray. His father John Gray was "actively associated with all movements for the benefit of neighbours and fellow citizens". [Quote from the official tribute on his death in 1909.] He was very active in the Surrey Hills Progress Association in the early 1900's. The rotunda built in the Surrey Gardens by the Progress Association in 1912 was dedicated to him. He married Emma Beckett in 1888 at 'Guildford Villa' in Essex Road, the Beckett home. They are listed in both the 1903 and 1906 electoral rolls in Arundel Crescent; his occupation is given as bootmaker. The Alan Holt property register identifies this as 24 Arundel Crescent, known as 'Tumberumba'.
John and Emma had a large family:
(Gunner) John Robert Gray (1888, Surrey Hills - 21 June 1917, France)
Benjamin Walter Gray (1890, Surrey Hills - 1949, Heidelberg)
Herbert Harry Gray (1892, Surrey Hills - 1959, Queensland)
William Beckett Gray (1897, Surrey Hills - 1899, Surrey Hills)
Norman Douglas Gray (1901, Surrey Hills - 1947, Sydney)
Evelyn Lizzie Gray (1906, Surrey Hills - 1983)
Evelyn married Reginald Roberts and donated a number of photos to the collection.
Both the Beckett and the Gray families were important in the early history of Surrey Hills. This is the only known image of John Robert Gray in WW1 uniform.A black and white photo of a hand-drawn image of a young man in uniform.world war, 1914-1918, (mrs) emma gray, (miss) emma beckett, (mr) john gray, walduck family, (mr) john robert gray, (mr) robert gray, world war, 1914-1919, surrey hills bowling club, bapaume australian cemetery, france
Bendigo Military Museum
Surrey Hills Historical Society Collection