George Gray

George Gray was born in 1849 near Southampton, where he afterwards became teacher of Chemistry at the Hartley Institution. He held this position till 1874, and was then appointed assistant to Professor Bickerton, who was about to leave England to become first Professor of Chemistry and Physics at Canterbury College, Christchurch, New Zealand. At this College Mr. Gray stayed from 1874-1883, where on the retirement of Mr. Barkas (the first lecturer in Chemistry) he was appointed to his position at Lincoln.

He was on three occasions Acting-Director and retired in 1915. On that occasion he was the recipient of a handsome address and presentation from the large number of old students who had the benefit of his teaching, and from that date until hsis death he lived quietly in the village of Lincoln.

Mr. Gray took little part in public life, but was secretary of the Canterbury Philosophical Institute from 1881-83. His scientific workings were concerned chiefly with the analysis of stock foods and manures and analysis of rain water and with the reactions between lime and superphosphate.

He was of a quiet and retiring disposition, a loyal worker, and a loyal and disinterested friend. Many generations of students regarded Mr. Gray with feelings of affection and esteem.

He died on February 23rd, 1934, at his New Zealand home in his 85th year. Mrs. and Miss Gray were still living in Lincoln. Mr. Colin Gray was farming near Orari, and Mr. Harry Gray near the Bay of Islands.

Memories of George "Paddler" Gray were recounted by J. Penniket in Ian Blair's Life and Work at Canterbury Agricultural College, 1956 :

"Paddler was a clever man, a good teacher, an expert analyst and a gentleman-as were all our lecturers. His special hobby was fats and oils-organic of course-and he wrote a monograph on the subject. He presented a copy to every student. I still have mine. He was a short dark man, with a neat pointed beard. Always immaculately turned out, he wore a black morning coat, striped trousers, stiff high collar and black bow-tie. He lived in a cottage on the corner cross-roads and each morning walked over to the College accompanied by his small grizzled terrier who waited
for him to go back to lunch. We all liked our indoor staff, but we loved "Paddler", not so much for what he did but for what he was. His son had a dairy farm at Tai Tapu and "Paddler" used the herd to test his theories. One season they milked the cows three times a day-or at least half of the herd for comparisons as to yield, test, etc. It showed a profit-I forget the figures. "

F.C.S., Chemist 1883-1915