Person Page - 12

Annie Marie Gray, daughter of Frank Gurney Gray and Elizabeth Lavinia Kingsley, was born on 29 September 1897 in Northaw, Hertfordshire.^3,4

Annie Marie Gray was confirmed on 13 March 1913 at Chobham Church.³

Annie Marie Gray married Alec Goldsmith¹ and later she married George Cooper.⁵

Alec Goldsmith was a Vet.²

Alec Goldsmith married Annie Marie Gray, daughter of Frank Gurney Gray and Elizabeth Lavinia Kingsley.¹

Alec Goldsmith committed suicide.²

Michael Alexander Peter Thompson was born on 28 October 1959.²

Michael Alexander Peter Thompson married Kingsley Thompson, daughter of Raymond Thompson and Pamela Goldsmith.³ They lived in a large thatched cottage. called Horseshoe Cottage in Great Gransden on 23 April 1988.³

Michael Alexander Peter Thompson was a Proprietor on 22 April 1988² of a roofing firm.²

Michael Alexander Peter Thompson died on 23 April 1988, 28, at Tempsford, Sandy, Bedfordshire, in a light aeroplane crash. He was killed instantly when the plane hit the ground at a railway embankment about 50 yards from the Tempsford level crossing. Nigel Larkins, a part-time fireman from Potton, was first on the scene having run from the fire-tender which couldn't be driven right up to the crash as the access was too difficult.

Michael had been doing aerobatics in an AKRO Z200 Laser plane which he owned jointly with a friend. The aeroplane was seen to spin out of control and descended 3000 feet quite rapidly. It struck some electric power lines and there was a brilliant blue flash before the aircraft hit the ground. The accident disrupted the main electric line from London to Edinburgh when the aeroplane hit the overhead cables. Passengers had to be bussed instead.

Richard Varley, a relation and a police Inspector, was on duty in the Hertfordshire Police Control Centre monitoring the progress of a heavy load soon to enter Hertfordshire from Bedfordshire. As the load reached the boundary between the two counties he contacted the escort to effect the handover but they reported that they were busy with a light aircraft crash near Sandy. Knowing of Michael's flying activities and the fact that he lived near the border - Richard and his family had attended the christening of Michael's daughter Lavinia, asked the escort if they knew the pilot's name. He explained his interest and after a short delay he was told that the pilot was Michael Thompson and that he had been killed in the accident.

Few details of the accident were known at the time. They emerged gradually over the next 96 hours via the national news broadcasts, local press and family contacts.^3,2 He was buried on 4 May 1988 at Stotfold Cemetery. The funeral took place at 3 p.m.^3,2 At an inquest in Bedford the jury returned a verdict of accidental death.³

Leslie Kingsley Gray, son of Frank Gurney Gray and Elizabeth Lavinia Kingsley, was born on 29 January 1893 in Potters Bar.³ Leslie Kingsley Gray was also called Uncle Pop.^4,5 He was an employee at one time at Ewarts, Works Road, Letchworth, who made geysers. Later he worked at the power station and after that he may have been a night-watchman at Spirella.⁵

Leslie Kingsley Gray married Bertha West but they had no children.¹

Leslie Kingsley Gray died in 1988.⁵

Arthur Thomas Gray, son of Frank Gurney Gray and Elizabeth Lavinia Kingsley, was born on 5 March 1895 in Northaw, Hertfordshire.^3,4

Arthur Thomas Gray lived circa 1910 moved to Nottingham when his mother got him a job there, probably on the railway.⁵ His mother got him the job when he was 14 years old. She knew the Stationmaster at Hitchin and asked him to get Tom a job but everyone thought she was awful to send him away like that.⁵

Arthur Thomas Gray married Mollie (?). They lived in Nottingham where he became a councillor. They once visited Tony and Di Mooney at Azimghur Road. He was connected with Notts Forest football team.^1,6

Arthur Thomas Gray died on 27 September 1980 at age 85.³

Jesse Gray, son of Frank Gurney Gray and Elizabeth Lavinia Kingsley, was born on 27 November 1899 in Northaw, Hertfordshire, Sunday.^3,4 Jesse Gray was said to have gone to Boston, America.²

Jesse Gray didn't marry.¹

Jesse Gray died on 16 September 1938 at age 38 in the Fairfield mental asylum.^1,3

Dorothy May Gray, daughter of Frank Gurney Gray and Elizabeth Lavinia Kingsley, was born blind on Sunday 15 May 1904 in Hitchin.^1,3 Dorothy May Gray died on 15 October 1904 aged 5 months.^1,3

George Cooper married Annie Marie Gray, daughter of Frank Gurney Gray and Elizabeth Lavinia Kingsley.²

Served in the RAF as a³ George Cooper was a Squadron Leader.³

George Cooper died Joan Varley said that George died round the fire with Ray holding his hand. Pamela was in bed and Kingsley came in late. They dragged him into the bedroom and laid him out but didn't tell Barbara 'till the morning. Aunt Marie found him in the morning unaware of his death the previous night. He died on a Friday but the doctor wasn't called until Monday.⁴