Melville Jamieson GRAY [612]

  General Notes:

Melville was schooled at Harrow, then came to NZ about 1868 as a station cadet. He worked for the Elworthys on "Pareora" Sth Canterbury for 2 years as a cadet and bookkeeper before managing "Otipua" nearby for his cousin George Gray Russell. On 28 Mar 1872 he took a one third partnership with one Henry Brown of Selkirk SCT a tweed manufacturer, in the purchase of "Ashwick" near Fairlie NZ. He farmed the run until 1887 when Brown sold out. Melville was a kind man, popular with his workers and neighbours. A fine athlete and climber he had won the mile at Harrow; he became one of the founders of the South Canterbury Athletic Assn in Timaru, and won the 3 mile event on three occasions. He was a keen shot, and when back in Scotland would usually take a grouse moor, sometimes in partnership with some of his old friends from Timaru. He is said to have given up shooting at 90 when he complained he was sometimes missing with his second barrel!
After leaving Ashwick he retired to Timaru where he opened an accountancy and land agency business. It was there as a bachelor vestryman aged 43 he met the new Bishop Julius and his family. In the late 1890's aged about 50 he is reported to have proposed to Ada Julius, she did not accept, citing a commitment to care for her father. Melville returned to Britain about 1902 and made Bowerswell his home with his brother George. However within a few months of her fathers death in 1938 Ada married Melville who was then over 90. The marriage caused quite a stir.

A sister of Melville Gray, Euphemia (Effie) Gray, was a Victorian beauty, she married John Ruskin, then after a notorious divorce, married Ruskin's friend the painter John Millais R A.

Ada & her father, on the 16 Oct 1920, sailed from London to Sydney on the Orontes. Ref: Findmypast.co.uk

DAILY SKETCH 1939.
MR. MELVILLE GRAY, 91-year-old bachelor, of Bowerswell, Perth, is to marry Miss Ada Katherine Julius daughter of the late Rev. Churchill Julius, who, was Archbishop of New Zealand, and a sister of Sir George Julius, the scientist.
" I met Miss Julius 30 years ago in New Zealand, where I spent 40 years before returning to Perth," Mr. Gray told the DAILY SKETCH. " The wedding will take place quietly in a week or two, and we shall return to Perth."
Miss Julius was born in London when her father was vicar of Islington. She recently returned from New Zealand, and is now residing in the South-west of England.

Bachelor, aged 91, Plans Secret Wedding.
Mr Melville Gray, wealthy 91 year old bachelor, of Bowerswell House, Perth, said yesterday that he is to be secretly married "somewhere in the South West of England" to Miss Ada Katharine Julius, middle aged daughter of the late Most Rev Churchill Julius, Archbishop of New Zealand.
"I am looking forward to bringing my bride back to my home and settling down," he said.
Mr Gray met his bride-to-be 40 years ago when she was a schoolgirl in New Zealand and he a prosperous sheep farmer.
They became friends. When Mr Gray returned to his home 25 years ago they continued their friendship by post.
A month ago Miss Julius came to London from Christchurch, New Zealand. Mr Gray hurried to London and proposed.
"My bride-to-be," Mr Gray said to me, "although she has lived almost all her life in New Zealand, is really a Londoner."
"We shall be married in a little country church very shortly. Only half a dozen friends will be invited."
Mr Gray has travelled round the world 5 times and his home here is a storehouse of art treasures. Among them are works of Sir John Millais, the artist, who was his brother-in-law.
Ref: Gloucester Citizen 11 February 1939.

Nonagenarian Bachelor Weds.
Mr Melville Jameson Gray, 91 years old wealthy bachelor, of Bowerswell, Perth, was married quietly at St Peter's Church, Marlborough, today, to Miss Edna (sic) Katharine Julius, aged 57, daughter of the late Dr Churchill Julius, who was primate of New Zealand and died a few months ago.
The Rev J Jones, rector of Marlborough, conducted the wedding ceremony, he when in Australia, visited the brides father several times. There were two witnesses, Capt and Mrs Elworthy, of Rainscombe House, Oare, the last named of whom is sister of the bride. The bride's flowers were a spray of pink carnations. The bridegroom looked extremely fit and wore a buttonhole of lilies of the valley.
Ref: Hull Daily Mail 21 February 1939 also Sheffield Evening Telegraph 21 February 1939.

Melville had inherited historic "Bowerswell House" in Perthshire, which was, after Ada's death, converted into a War Memorial Home.

Perth's Grand Old Man Dead.
Mr Melville Gray, of Bowerswell, Perth, has died in his 99^th year.
Only a few days ago Mr Gray was out walking and wood chopping in the grounds of his beautiful home. He is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Ada Catharine Julius, a daughter of the late Most Rev Churchill Julius, Archbishop of New Zealand. Their wedding took place in 1939.
Educated at Perth Academy and Harrow, Mr Melville Gray spent a year in law as office boy to his father, Mr George Gray, who built Bowerswell in 1844.
As a lad of 19 he sailed before the mast to New Zealand in an 800 ton Windjammer he spent 40 years as a sheep farmer in New Zealand, returning home in 1911. Decorating the walls of his home were numerous trophies from distant lands.
A generous friend of many good causes in Perth, Mr Melville Gray was largely responsible for the installation of the carillon of bells in St John's Kirk.
Ref Dundee Courier 8 June 1946

Mr Melville Gray Leaves L104,242.
The head of a red deer which he shot in New Zealand has been bequeathed by Mr Melville Grey, Bowerswell, Perth to his old school, Harrow.
Mr Melville Gray, who died on June 7 at the age of 98, left net movable estate of L104 242 2s 3d, inventory of which was lodged with the Sheriff Clerk at Perth yesterday. His private bequests included L400 to his gardener, William Ewan. To Perth Art Gallery he leaves two oil paintings "Lord Bernard Stuart" by Van Dyck, and Sir David Wilkie's famous "The Blind Fiddler". His Venetian glass collection, Greek and Roman antique pottery and glass, swords, armour, and ancient firearms are given to Perth Museum.
As a youth Mr Melville Gray sailed before the mast in a Windjammer to New Zealand, where he spent 40 years as a sheep farmer. In 1939 at the age of 91, he married Miss Ada Katharine Julius, daughter of the Most Rev Churchill Julius Archbishop of New Zealand.
His home, Bowerswell, was recently acquired by Perth Town Council, who are to use it as an eventide home
Ref: Dundee Courier 20 December 1946.

  Research Notes:

THE STORY of MELVILLE JAMESON GRAY and ADA JULIUS
MELVILLE GRAY was the son of George Gray. Writer to the Signet at Perth in Scotland. He was born in 1847 or 1848. In spite of being "such a pale little thing" [M Luytens Effie in Venice Murray 1965] as a small boy, he grew up to be an athlete, especially a middle and long distance runner.

Gray's elder sister, Euphemia, or Effie as she was known, was regarded as one of the most beautiful women of Victorian England. She became the wife of John Ruskin. author, art critic, and devotee of the mountains from a distance, the man who did much in the middle of the nineteenth century to lead people to see the mountains in a positive manner, though he came to disapprove of climbing. Their marriage was never consumated. and Effie fell in love with one of the artists Ruskin got to know. John Millais. After a notorious divorce from Ruskin. Effie became the wife of Millais in 1854. Later some of the eight Millais children stayed with their uncle at Ashwick in New Zealand.

Gray had his later schooling at Harrow, leaving school in 1864. He must have arrived in New Zealand by or in 1868 because he was a station cadet and bookkeeper at Pareora station in South Canterbury for two years before he went to manage Otipua station just to the north for his cousin George Gray Russell. Melville Gray stayed at Otipua for about two years before he bought a one third share in Ashwick station near Fairlie, the deed of partnership being signed on 28 March 1872.
The other two thirds of this station was owned by Henry Brown who bought it on behalf of his Scottish tweed manufacturing firm at Selkirk. This partnership was apparently organised by Gray's cousin G G Russell, then a merchant in Dunedin, owner of Otipua station and part owner of Sawdon station. The total price was £23,600 for 62,00 acres, 31.650 sheep and everything else on the station.

Melville Gray, with Donald McIntyre as manager, set about fencing the boundaries of the station. Trees were planted and part of Ashwick was cultivated by the capable John Linton, a ploughman sent out from Scotland by Gray's partner.
Gray was popular with both his workers and other runholders, playing an active part in community life. The Church was important to him, and he was a lay-reader at St Patrick's, Burke's Pass. He became a Justice of the Peace soon after getting to Ashwick, and was involved in a variety of sporting activities. He competed successfully in running events at South Canterbury athletic sports, he rode steeplechase, and on hunts with his pack of hounds. He swam daily in the swimming pool at Ashwick even when he had to break the ice, and he was a keen fisherman who liberated trout in the streams of the Fairlie basin in the early 1870s.

Gray's popularity and activity brought many visitors to Ashwick. Apart from involving his visitors in the above activities, Gray took a number of groups further inland, to the glaciers near Mt Cook. He was probably with Governor Bowen on his visit to the glaciers in late January 1873. and he may have been there before that.
In March 1873 Gray himself organised a visit to the glaciers. Joanna and Leonard Harper, who were staying at a neighbouring station, Raincliff, met Gray by chance and were invited to join the party. Joanna Harper has left an interesting and detailed account of this trip. Not everything went smoothly, and for the organiser, Gray. it seems to have led to extra work and a late arrival at the camp in the Hooker valley.

One of the party was George Parker then of Elephant Hill station, and of Sherwood station from 1873. Parker had visited the Mt Cook area in 1871 and apparently had had some alpine experience in Europe. It was proposed that the young men go over what was later called Harper Saddle at the head of the Hooker glacier. but they probably had no mountaineering equipment, and nothing came of the idea. Another of the young men in the party was George J Dennistoun of Haldon station and later Peel Forest whose children were later to make a mark in mountaineering.
Gray continued to live at Ashwick through the 1870s playing an active part in sporting, social and community life, serving on various local government boards. "In 1876. at the South Canterbury Sports Club, which was a social and unofficial meeting, Davis the northern champion, and Melville Gray the winner for three years, were the favourites [in the steeplechase]. Near the finish "shouts of 'Go it, Gray', and 'Go it, Davis' were heard in all directions. At the last jump but one, Davis shot his bolt, and Gray came in "a winner with a spurt." Gray was hoisted on to a man's shoulders and carried to the carriages, where Mrs Teschemaker presented him with the cup. Pinney heard it said that Gray was the best miler to have been in South Canterbury, and read that he won a mile race in 5 minutes, 1 second.

However, life on the station and in the partnership was not going so smoothly. There was a great fear of outside freeholders speculating on a rise in value when the railway reached Fairlie, which occurred in 1884. Brown and Gray bought over 1.000 acres in 1874, and by 1880 had 9,460 acres of freehold. By then two other Browns, William and James, had been admitted into the partnership.
The economic situation was working against station owners by 1878 with the onset of the Long Depression, and the Scottish tweed manufacturers, J & H Brown & Co, became exasperated by the lack of profit. They had a valuation of the property done in 1880, and then Henry Brown left the partnership and withdrew his capital. In 1881 the Scottish firm complained through its New Zealand attorney about the lack of profit and "Mr Gray's demands", and demanded an inspection and a report. The report was made in 1882, and it was clear that it had been a mistake to freehold more than a frontage to the leasehold hills. The suggestion was that outlying blocks of freehold be sold.
The attorney, John Roberts, wrote: "Mr Gray does not approve the sale of the whole run and this is not to be wondered at as he has been many years on the place and is doubtless attached to it." However, Roberts saw no reason why the Scottish company should not get rid of their share if they could get a satisfactory price, to free themselves "of an investment which does not seem to have been at all satisfactory."

From 1884 this policy was put into effect. In 1886 Gray had a final winter, hunting his beagles from Ashwick. In June the sale was reported, and in September Gray conveyed his one third share of 6,192 acres freehold to Messrs Brown for £7,849, with the Scottish company also taking over the residue of the leasehold. Even this settlement of the partnership was marred by a dispute and the whole matter was not finally resolved till 1887.
In the meantime Melville Gray had become one of the Timaru syndicate which financed the building of the first Hermitage near Mt Cook 1884-5. The syndicate also ran the first coaching service from the railhead at Fairlie to the Hermitage.
Clearly Gray continued to be interested in the mountain area and at some stage he bought 19 acres of Governor's Bush near the Hermitage. This bush had been bought in April 1879 by James Granger, a Timaru accountant, evidently with some idea of protecting the bush, because it was purchased under the Forest Trees Planting Encouragement Act of 1877. In 1908 Gray sold it back to the Crown, to be incorporated in the Reserves established in 1885 and 1887 which were later to make up a large part of the Mount Cook National Park.

After leaving Ashwick station, Gray visited to England or perhaps Scotland. He then retired to Timaru where he opened an accountancy and land agency business. He continued to take an interest in hunting, and his deep feeling for the church remained.
In 1890, as a bachelor vestryman of about forty-three, Gray welcomed Bishop Julius, a man of his own age, on his first visit to Timaru. At that date the Bishop's daughters were young. Churchill Julius and his wife Alice Rowlandson had married in 1872 and Ada Julius was one of five daughters who followed two sons. The eldest daughter 'Polly' had been born in 1875 and Ada was the second youngest, born in England in 1881.

ADA JULIUS
Vance records [p217] that Gray, in the late 1890s at the age of about 50, proposed to Ada, and it seems he loved her and wished to marry her for the next forty years. Vance writes that she apparently felt it was her duty to take care of her father, and would not marry during his lifetime which lasted another 40 years. However this is unlikely as a reason in the late 1890s. The other four sisters seem to have been married before World War I, but Alice Julius, the mother, did not die till 1918, and only from that time was Ada presumably fully responsible for her father. Indeed, she returned from England to look after him. There seems no reason why Ada should have been commited to looking after her parents in the 1890s, and there must have been some other reason for not marrying Gray at that time.

Ada was independent enough to spend some time in the mountains in her late twenties. She was a friend of the Dennistoun family of Peel Forest, and in the summer of 1910-11 she went climbing with Jim Dennistoun to whom she was very likely unofficially engaged either then or later. Her first major trip into the mountains was probably in late February 1910 when both Ada and Barbara Dennistoun were with Jim, the English climber Lawrence Earle and Jack Clarke as guide on a trip to the Clyde branch of the Rangitata. Ada had ridden over to Peel Forest from Pareora on 19 February on one of Mrs Elworthy's old carriage pair, an old grey horse the party named 'Mont Blanc'. Most of the party motored up to Mt Peel on 21 February, and then proceeded on horseback to Mesopotamia. Dennistoun records Barbara and Earle as being very stiff, so presumably Ada managed the long ride well.
From 22 February the party were mostly in tents as they moved up into the headwaters. On 27 February Ada and Barbara were in the party which got onto the McCoy Glacier, though they were not on the ascent of Mt Nicholson the next day. Ada and Barbara left the area on 2 March as had been planned from the beginning, and the men made the first ascent of Mt D'Archiac on 11 March 1910.

The following summer Ada spent a considerable length of time in the Mt Cook area and climbed a number of peaks, usually as the only woman on the climb, though Barbara was in the party and there were other women in the huts. Some time in December 1910 Ada climbed Nun's Veil with Barbara and Jim Dennistoun. and Jack Clarke, the guide. Then came a couple of big climbs which Ada accomplished with Jim and Jack - Mt Elie de Beaumont on 14 December, a second ascent. and Malte Brun on December 17. George Dennistoun, brother of Jim and Barbara,' joined them for Christmas at Malte Brun Hut well up the Tasman glacier, where there were also other prominent climbing figures: Peter and Alec Graham, Freda du Faur, Hugh Chambers and George Bannister. while Mary Murray Aynsley was also in that party. Fortunately a photograph of this whole group was taken. [P Temple Castles in the Air Dunedin 1973 p521]

Ada achieved a first ascent of Mt Aylmer next to Tasman Saddle on Boxing Day, with the three Dennistouns and Jack Clarke. The following day, Ada climbed De la Beche and the Minarets, though Barbara was not on that climb. On 7 January 1911 Ada and Jim Dennistoun, with guides Jack Clarke and Jim Murphy, made an attempt on Mt Cook, only a month after Freda du Faur had been the first woman to climb Mt Cook. They were the first party to reach Green's Saddle between Mts Cook and Dampier from the Linda Glacier. However, iced up rocks prevented an ascent of Mt Cook.

In this one season Ada Julius had attained such a stature that she was second only to the great Australian climber Freda du Faur, as a woman climber, and certainly the best and most active New Zealand woman. She could have continued to become a great climber, equal to Du Faur who was herself to become the foremost amateur climber of either sex in New Zealand before the war. However, there is no evidence that Ada ever climbed again and the reason why is unknown. Certainly Jim Dennistoun was in the Antarctic the summer of 1911-12, but he did or hoped to do more climbing in the subsequent seasons before the war.
Jim Dennistoun served in the First World War and died 9 August 1916 of wounds received when a biplane he was observer in was shot down over Germany on 26 June.

Apart from the fact that during the war Ada was nursing in England, probably in London, nothing is known of her life between 1911 and 1918 when she returned from England on her mother's death. For the next twenty years she looked after her father as Bishop and Archbishop and in his retirement from 20 April 1925. The next day they left for England but most of this period was spent in Christchurch.

However, within a few months of her father's death on 1 September 1938, Ada Julius married Melville Gray. either late in 1938 or early in 1939 probably in Scotland. The bridegroom was over 90 years of age, and the marriage created some stir. Ada was 57 years old. Pinney writes [p41]: "I leave to a family historian the problem of whether the marriage was the climax of a continuous courtship, or a platonic agreement to end life in happiness together." Certainly they were happy together.
Before the marriage, though just when is not clear, Melville Gray had inherited the family home, Bowerswell House, in Perthshire, Scotland, the historic home of first the Ruskins, then the Millais family. During the 1939-45 war Melville and Ada Gray gave their home over to war refugees, themselves living in two small rooms. Throughout the war Gray was interested in New Zealand and the MacKenzie Country, corresponding with old friends until his death in 1946. Ada died in Scotland in 1949.
The city of Perth, as its war memorial, converted Bowerswell House into a home for old people, opened as Bowerswell Memorial Home by Princess Margaret on 19 September 1950.

Graham Langton 10 Woodstock Place Palmerston North
May 1993
This story stems from research for a thesis on the History of Mountain Climbing in New Zealand.
Main Sources:
LGD Acland The Early Canterbury Runs Christchurch 4th ed 1975
JC Andersen Jubilee History of South Canterbury Christchurch1916
A & G Elworthy A Power in the Land Christchurch 1971
OA Gillespie South Canterbury Timaru 2nd ed 1971
R Pinney Early South Canterbury Runs Wellington 1971
W Vance High Endeavour Wellington rev ed 1980
J Wilson Aorangi Christchurch 1968
Alpine Journal Vol XXX October 1916 p339-40 Obituary J Dennistoun
J Dennistoun Journal 1908-10
Canterbury Museum Archives
P Graham Letter to Tourist Dept 19 December 1910 National Archives
Press and ODT late January, early February 1873
ODT 9 October 1912 - Article by Freda Du Faur on Malte Brun
NZAJ 1946 p166 "The First Lady Visitor to the Mt Cook Glaciers"
Timaru Herald Various, mostly cited in the above books
NZ Obits/Biogs Churchill Julius Alexander Turnbull Library Wellington.

Melville married Ada Catherine JULIUS [611] [MRIN: 180], daughter of Archbishop Churchill JULIUS D D [56] and Alice Frances ROWLANDSON [576], on 21 Feb 1939 in Marlborough WIL. (Ada Catherine JULIUS [611] was born on 29 Jan 1882 in London and died on 11 Jan 1949 in Havelock North NZ.)