William Grey

Sir William Grey (1818 – 15 May 1878) was an English administrative official with career roles in India and Jamaica.

**Early Life and Education**

Grey was born in 1818. He was the fourth son of Edward Grey, who served as Bishop of Hereford, and Charlotte Croft. His paternal grandfather was Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, and his maternal grandfather was James Croft of Newbury, Berkshire. His paternal uncle was Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who served as Prime Minister. Grey attended Christ Church, Oxford; however, he did not complete his studies there. After leaving Oxford, he joined the War Office as a clerk. In January 1839, Grey was nominated to work in the Bengal civil service, entering Haileybury College, from which he graduated in July 1840. During his first term at Haileybury, Grey was suspended due to disciplinary issues related to late-night parties in his room but improved his conduct in subsequent terms.

**Career**

Grey arrived in Bengal in 1840 and initially worked in various administrative offices. In 1845, he became the private secretary to Sir Herbert Maddock, the deputy governor of Bengal. By 1851, Grey had become the secretary of the Bank of Bengal and, in 1854, advanced to the position of secretary to the government of Bengal. He went on furlough to England in January 1857; however, the Indian Rebellion of 1857 compelled him to return to India. In 1859, Grey was appointed director general of the Indian postal department after holding several temporary roles.

In 1862, he was made a member of the council of the governor-general of Bengal. In 1867, Grey was appointed lieutenant-governor of Bengal, succeeding Sir Cecil Beadon. As lieutenant-governor, Grey opposed excessive centralization of administrative functions and contributed to the decentralization of the postal system. He expressed opposition to the application of income-tax rules in India and questioned the use of land cess funds to support education, considering it unjust to landholders. His views often contrasted with those of the governor-general, Sir John Lawrence. His stance on financial and administrative policies was not favored by Lord Mayo, the viceroy of India at the time.

In recognition of his services, Grey was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India in the 1870 Birthday Honours. He retired from his position in Bengal in 1871 and returned to England. Subsequently, in 1874, Grey was appointed Governor of Jamaica, a role he served until 1877.

**Death and Personal Life**

Grey died at Marldon, Devon, on 15 May 1878. He was married twice: first in 1845 to Margaret Jackson, who died in 1862, and later in 1865 to Georgina Plowden. He was survived by five sons and four daughters.