[3] Alan Gray attended St Peter's School[4] and initially trained as a solicitor, qualifying in 1881.

[8] The Shropshire Songbook, a book of arrangements made by Gray and Nicholas Gatty from folksongs collected by W H Leslie, was published in 1922.

Known as "long Alan" by his contemporaries, he was 6 foot six inches tall and had a wide range of intellectual interests beyond music.

[10] During the First World War he was badly affected, losing two of his three sons (Maurice and Edward) towards the end of the conflict.

Among his compositions are liturgical music for Morning and Evening Prayer and the Office of Holy Communion for use in the Church of England according to the Book of Common Prayer: the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in F minor for double choir (1912); a setting of Holy Communion in G; and several anthems.

[4] The Magnificat and Nunc dimittis has been recorded by the Westminster Abbey Choir, conducted by James O'Donnell.