Thomas Gray

Thomas Gray (26 December 1716 – 30 July 1771) was an English poet, letter-writer, classical scholar and professor at Cambridge University. He is widely known for his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, published in 1751.

Early life and education

Thomas Gray was born in Cornhill, London. His father, Philip Gray, was a scrivener and his mother, Dorothy Antrobus, was a milliner He was the fifth of 12 children, and the only child of Philip and Dorothy Gray to survive infancy. He lived with his mother after she left his abusive and mentally unwell father.

Gray's mother paid for him to go to Eton College where two of his uncles worked: Robert and William Antrobus. Robert became Gray's first teacher and helped inspire in Gray a love for botany and observational science. Gray's other uncle, William, became his tutor. He recalled his schooldays as a time of great happiness, as is evident in his Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College. Gray was a delicate and scholarly boy who spent his time reading and avoiding athletics. He lived in his uncle’s household rather than at college. He made three close friends at Eton: Horace Walpole, son of the Prime Minister Robert Walpole; Thomas Ashton, and Richard West, son of another Richard West who was briefly Lord Chancellor of Ireland. The four prided themselves on their sense of style, sense of humour, and appreciation of beauty. They were called the "quadruple alliance."

Thomas Gray (soccer)

Thomas Gray (born August 12, 1986 in Red Bank, New Jersey) is an American soccer player.

Career

College

Gray attended Middletown High School South, played club ball with the Middletown Sonics (winning three state championships and one regional title in nine years) and played one year of college soccer for Rutgers University before transferring to Monmouth University as a sophomore. At Monmouth he was named to the First Team and Second Team of the Northeast Conference. In his junior year, Gray also led the nation in total assists.

In 2008 he was also on the roster of Newark Ironbound Express of the USL Premier Development League, but did not feature in any games due to a persistent injury.

Professional

Gray turned professional in 2009 when he signed with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the USL Second Division. He made his professional debut on April 17, 2009 in Pittsburgh's opening day 0-0 tie with Crystal Palace Baltimore. On March 8, 2010 Pittsburgh announced the re-signing of Gray to a new contract for the 2010 season.

Thomas Gray (disambiguation)

Thomas Gray was an English poet, classical scholar and professor of Cambridge University.

Thomas Gray may also refer to:

Thomas Gray (surveyor)

Thomas Gray, C.B. (Surveyor) (1832–1890), entered into the British Board of Trade as a boy clerk in 1851, becoming Head of the Maritime Department by 1869, a position he held for over 20 years, becoming deeply interested in everything related to ships and seafaring.

In 1867, as assistant secretary, he wrote a pamphlet entitled "The Rule of the Road" also known as "The Rules in Rhyme", which became famous for its well known mnemonic verses. e.g.

(1.) Two Steam Ships meeting.

(2.) Two Steam Ships passing.

(3.) Two Steam Ships crossing.

Note. — This is the position of greatest danger; there is nothing for it but good look-out, caution and judgment.

(4.) All Ships must keep a good look-out, and Steam Ships must stop and go astern, if necessary.

According to Charles Dickens, Jr., Thomas Gray either owned or at the very least operated a little steam launch going by the name of Midge as a hobby.

A variant of this poem was featured in "The Donkeyman's Widow" by Guy Gilpatric, a Glencannon story which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, January 29, 1938.

Thomas Gray (1788–1848)

Thomas Gray (1788–1848) was a British railway advocate.

Thomas Gray spent most of his adult life promoting the idea of a passenger railway system for the UK and Europe. He wrote "Observations on a General Iron Railway" which was first published in 1820, followed by further, and expanded, editions up to 1825. Copies of the book are in the British Library and many more in UK and US libraries in differing editions. There is at least one US library that still (2005) offered it on loan to the general public.

He was a contemporary of William James, the Stephensons and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, all considered by many to be "Fathers of the Railways".

It is very likely, as indicated by the sequence of events after his first edition, that Gray's first published proposals directly and significantly influenced the writings and actions of William James and the Stephensons, among many others, when they began to design and build the earliest passenger railway system in Britain. Much as today, commercial interests over-rode "the good of the community", that underpinned Gray's advocacy of a General (National) Passenger Railway, to be funded jointly by Government and Capital(ists).

Thomas Gray (VC)

Thomas Gray VC (17 May 1914 – 12 May 1940) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Military career

He was 25 years old, and a sergeant in No. 12 Squadron RAF, Royal Air Force during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he and his pilot Flying Officer Donald Garland were awarded the VC in a joint citation.

On 12 May 1940, over the Albert Canal, Belgium, one bridge in particular was being used by the invading army, with protection from fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft and machine-guns. The RAF was ordered to demolish this vital bridge, and five Fairey Battle bombers were despatched with Sergeant Gray as the navigator in the plane leading the bombing attack. They met an inferno of anti-aircraft fire, but the mission was accomplished, much of the success being due to the coolness and resource of pilot Donald Garland of the leading aircraft and the navigation of Sergeant Gray. Unfortunately the leading aircraft and three others did not return.