The son of Charles L. Graves and Alice Grey, the eldest sister of Viscount Grey of Fallodon,[1] Graves was educated at Gresham's School, Holt,[2] (like his predecessor Reith) and then at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
[1] He joined the BBC as an administrator in 1926, was Assistant Director of Programmes from 1929 to 1932, then Empire Service Director, 1932–1935, Controller of Programmes, 1935–1938, Deputy Director-General, 1938–1942, and in 1942 succeeded Frederick Ogilvie (jointly with Robert Foot) as Director-General.
[1] Graves retired from the corporation in September 1943 due to ill health, leaving Foot to be sole Director-General.
[1] The eldest, Michael, was an RAF Spitfire Squadron leader who took part in the battle of Malta in which he was awarded a DFC.
He fought in the D Day invasion and took part in the first ever flight of operational jets.