John Gray was born in Bethnal Green, London on 2 March 1866. On leaving school he began work as a metal-worker but continued his education at evening classes, studying French, German, Latin, music and art. In 1882 he passed the Civil Service exams and, five years later, the University of London matriculation exams, after which he joined the Foreign Office as a librarian.
Gray is better known as a playwright and poet, and he is regarded as the original 'Dorian' portrayed by Oscar Wilde. He had become one of the Oscar Wilde 'Set' and had signed one of his letters to Wilde with the name 'Dorian'. In addition to his friendship with Wilde, he had a close friendship with Eric Gill (1882-1940) and Marc-Andre-Raffalovich (1864-1934).
In spite of the successful publication of his well-acclaimed poetry, and his Foreign Office career, Gray changed the direction of his life and entered the Scots College in Rome intending to become a priest. He was ordained in 1901 and then served as a priest in Edinburgh, at St. Peter's, Morningside. St. Peter's itself had been an idea conceived by Gray (initially a Curate at St. Patrick's Church, Edinburgh) and Andre Raffalovitch.
In spite of his new career, his literary skills were not supressed and he published a novel in the 1920s and later on put together a volume of poetry - Poems (1931). His other work includes: poems, Silverpoints (1893); poems, Ad Matrem: Fourteen Scenes in the Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1903); and, poems, The Long Road (1926).
The Rev. John Gray died on 14 June 1934.
