William Henry Gray

He was born on 13 February 1825 at Hawkstone near St Madoes in Perthshire the son of Andrew Gray and his wife Jane Kettle.

[2] He was educated at Perth Seminary then studied divinity at St Andrews University graduating MA in 1841.

In 1849 he then succeeded Rev John Caird at Lady Yester's Kirk in central Edinburgh[4] where he preached for over 30 years.

[7] The building faces south over Edinburgh Old Town and Holyrood Palace and is now the Free French House.

[3] In June 1855 he married Mary Smith Mitchell, daughter of Robert Mitchell an Edinburgh magistrate and widow of William Richardson Dickson of Alton in Roxburghshire who had a son and two daughters by her previous marriage.