Susan & Thomas Gray
William Scott left two children, Alfred aged 17 and his younger sister Susan, born in1864, so she was four years old when her parents died.
William’s sister, also a Susan, had moved to London and in 1856 married Thomas Gray in Lambeth. He was the son of Thomas Gray, a gentleman. In 1871 Susan and Thomas are living at Birchington Hall in Kent where they gave a home to Alfred and Susan.
Birchington Hall has twelve bedrooms and two lodges for the gardener and coachman. The house was the focus of many local celebrations and charitable hospitality. Thomas Gray and his wife Susan played a prominent part in village and Church life, holding teas and Christmas celebrations in the house and grounds for the oldest and youngest members of the community. During the summertime, they had summer fetes and children’s sports and teas in the grounds. After Mr Gray died his wife was cared for by her niece.
After her husband’s death, Mrs Gray became a most generous benefactor to the village, providing teas and lunches for both children and pensioners at various times. She also bought the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Albion Road in 1892 and promptly leased it to the Vicar for 1 shilling (5p) a year, to be used as an Infant School. Birchington Hall no longer exists, it was demolished in 1970, a housing estate now occupies the site.
Thomas Gray was fondly remembered as a benefactor for many causes as shown in his obituary in the Birchington Gazette which also mentions that he gave stained glass windows in memory of his family to the village Church. He also gave a new lifeboat named after his wife to Margate town council.
Sadly, William Scott's son Alfred only lives until 1872 as he joins the Navy but dies of Dengue Fever whilst in Burma and that is where he is buried. Daughter Susan lives with her Aunt at Birchington Hall, although for a brief spell after the death of Thomas Gray in 1879, they are all living in London but by 1891 are back at the Hall.
Susan married in 1892. Her husband is Rev Thomas Everard Healey, a schoolmaster and in 1901 they are living in Sutton Coldfield and in 1911 the family are living near Blackpool.
They had two children – Beatrice Susan Healey b 1895 and Frank Gray Healey born 1893. Beatrice never married but Frank married Marjorie Earp in 1917 and they had two sons Peter born 1932 and Everard who was born in 1918 but died in 1943.
Rev Thomas Everard Healey died in 1933. Thomas was a schoolmaster and son of Thomas Everard Healey, a schoolmaster, he was a clerk in Holy Orders.
Susan, his wife, was bequeathed a share of about £90,000 (shared with another niece), from her aunt, Mrs Susan Gray, of Birchington Hall, Kent.
Susan Healey nee Scott moved to Hastings and can be found on the 1939 register living with her daughter Beatrice. Susan died in 1945 aged 82. Beatrice died in 1982 and her brother Frank Gray Healy died in 1969.
William Scott’s sister, Susan Gray also helped their other sister Mary (born 1821 in King’s Lynn) in time of hardship. Mary had moved to London and had a number of daughters with Joseph Charles Peacock who died in 1866. I suspect the couple never married, and it is in 1867 that all four daughters are baptised despite being born between 1850 – 1858. By 1881 the four girls have been taken in by their Aunt Susan Gray. One of the daughters, Louisa Peacock, who cared for her Aunt after being widowed, and shared in the bequest with her cousin Susan Healey, married a Dr Oscar Worthington in 1908 and used a bit of artistic licence when registering the marriage and stating her now deceased father occupation. Instead of him being a painter she gives his occupation as a gentleman.
William Scott Bone Mill Workers Birchington Hall
