Raleigh Grey
Encyclopedia
Sir Raleigh Grey KBE
CMG
CVO
(24 March 1860 – 10 January 1936) was a pioneer British
coloniser of Southern Rhodesia
who played an important part in the early government of the colony.
, was educated at Durham School
and Brasenose College, Oxford
. In 1881 he joined The Inniskillings (6th Dragoons) and saw service in the Anglo-Zulu War
. When the war ended he was in command of the Bechuanaland Border police, and in the Matabeleland
rebellion of 1893 he commanded a column of the British army
. From 1894 to 1897 his kinsman the 4th Earl Grey
was Administrator of Rhodesia, and Grey accompanied Leander Starr Jameson
on the Jameson Raid
in 1895; in the aftermath of the raid, Grey served five months' imprisonment.
in 1899 to represent Mashonaland
. It was subsequently discovered that his supporters had committed bribery
and treating
of potential voters, and Grey resigned in order to be re-elected free of the taint of electoral corruption. After serving in the Second Boer War
, Grey retired from the Army in 1904 but remained Commandant of the local Volunteers. He established the company Rhodesia Lands, Ltd. to develop mining and farming interests: the 'Jumbo' mine owned by his company became one of the most profitable. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1919.
. The issue among the leading figures of the colony was whether to obtain their own 'Responsible Government' or to seek membership of the Union of South Africa
. Grey strongly believed that joining South Africa would be preferable, and argued forcibly for it in the Legislative Council. However the majority there and among the public was against him, and as a result he lost his seat in the 1920 election
.
in 1936.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(24 March 1860 – 10 January 1936) was a pioneer British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
coloniser of Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
who played an important part in the early government of the colony.
Early career
Grey, the great-grandson of 1st Earl GreyCharles Grey, 1st Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, KB PC was one of the most important British generals of the 18th century. He was the fourth son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet, of Howick in Northumberland. He served in the Seven Years' War, American War of Independence and French Revolutionary War...
, was educated at Durham School
Durham School
Durham School, headmaster Martin George , is an independent British day and boarding school for boys and girls in Durham....
and Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
. In 1881 he joined The Inniskillings (6th Dragoons) and saw service in the Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
. When the war ended he was in command of the Bechuanaland Border police, and in the Matabeleland
Matabeleland
Modern day Matabeleland is a region in Zimbabwe divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people...
rebellion of 1893 he commanded a column of the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. From 1894 to 1897 his kinsman the 4th Earl Grey
Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey
Albert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey was a British nobleman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the ninth since Canadian Confederation....
was Administrator of Rhodesia, and Grey accompanied Leander Starr Jameson
Leander Starr Jameson
Sir Leander Starr Jameson, 1st Baronet, KCMG, CB, , also known as "Doctor Jim", "The Doctor" or "Lanner", was a British colonial statesman who was best known for his involvement in the Jameson Raid....
on the Jameson Raid
Jameson Raid
The Jameson Raid was a botched raid on Paul Kruger's Transvaal Republic carried out by a British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96...
in 1895; in the aftermath of the raid, Grey served five months' imprisonment.
Southern Rhodesia Colony
When Southern Rhodesia was granted a part-elected Legislative Council, Grey was elected at the first electionSouthern Rhodesia Legislative Council election, 1899
The Southern Rhodesia Legislative Council election of April 17, 1899 were the first elections to take place in the Colony of Southern Rhodesia. They followed the Southern Rhodesia Order in Council of 1898 which granted to the Colony a Legislative Council consisting of at least ten voting members:...
in 1899 to represent Mashonaland
Mashonaland
Mashonaland is a region in northern Zimbabwe. It is the home of the Shona people.Currently, Mashonaland is divided into three provinces, with a total population of about 3 million:* Mashonaland West* Mashonaland Central* Mashonaland East...
. It was subsequently discovered that his supporters had committed bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and treating
Treating
Treating, in law, is the act of serving food, drink, and other refreshments as a method of influencing people for political gain. In various countries, treating is considered a form of corruption, and is illegal as such....
of potential voters, and Grey resigned in order to be re-elected free of the taint of electoral corruption. After serving in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, Grey retired from the Army in 1904 but remained Commandant of the local Volunteers. He established the company Rhodesia Lands, Ltd. to develop mining and farming interests: the 'Jumbo' mine owned by his company became one of the most profitable. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1919.
Political development
In the early 1920s the Southern Rhodesians decided to break away from the sponsorship of the British South Africa CompanyBritish South Africa Company
The British South Africa Company was established by Cecil Rhodes through the amalgamation of the Central Search Association and the Exploring Company Ltd., receiving a royal charter in 1889...
. The issue among the leading figures of the colony was whether to obtain their own 'Responsible Government' or to seek membership of the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
. Grey strongly believed that joining South Africa would be preferable, and argued forcibly for it in the Legislative Council. However the majority there and among the public was against him, and as a result he lost his seat in the 1920 election
Southern Rhodesia Legislative Council election, 1920
The Southern Rhodesia Legislative Council election of 30 April 1920 was the seventh election to the Legislative Council of Southern Rhodesia. At this election the Legislative Council comprised thirteen elected members, together with six members nominated by the British South Africa Company, and the...
.
Later life
Grey took this repudiation in good heart but did not participate in politics again, turning his attention to his business interests. In the late 1920s he returned to Britain, and died in a nursing home in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1936.