Earl Grey

Earl Grey is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. He had already been created Baron Grey, of Howick in the County of Northumberland, in 1801, and was made Viscount Howick, in the County of Northumberland, at the same time as he was given the earldom. A member of the prominent Grey family of Northumberland, he was the third son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet, of Howick (see below).

History

The first Earl Grey was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, 2nd Earl Grey. He was a prominent Whig politician and served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834, which tenure saw the passing of the Great Reform Act of 1832 and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1833. In 1808, he also succeeded his uncle as third Baronet, of Howick.

The second Earl was succeeded by his second (but eldest surviving) son, Henry, 3rd Earl Grey. He was also a Whig politician and served under Lord John Russell as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies from 1846 to 1852. On his death, the titles passed to his nephew, Albert, 4th Earl Grey. He was the son of General the Hon. Charles Grey, third son of the second Earl. Lord Grey was governor general of Canada between 1904 and 1911. His son, Charles, 5th Earl Grey, was a major in the Army. He died without male issue and was succeeded by his second cousin once removed, Richard, 6th Earl Grey. He was the great-great-grandson of Admiral the Hon. George Grey, fourth son of the second earl. The 6th Earl died in September 2013 and was succeeded by his brother Philip, 7th Earl Grey.

Earl Grey tea

Earl Grey tea is a tea blend which has been flavored with the addition of oil of bergamot. Traditionally, "Earl Grey" was made from black teas, but tea companies have since begun to offer Earl Grey in other varieties as well, such as green or oolong.

A 2010 survey found that a significant minority of people in the United Kingdom associate drinking Earl Grey tea with being "posh" or upper class.

History

Tea flavoured with bergamot to imitate the more expensive types of Chinese tea has been known in England at least since the 1820s. In 1837 there is a record of court proceedings against Brocksop & Co. who were found to have supplied tea "artificially scented, and, drugged with bergamot in this country." A 'Grey's Tea' is known from the 1850s, but the first known published references to an 'Earl Grey' tea are advertisements by Charlton & Co. of Jermyn Street in London in the 1880s.

The Earl Grey blend, or "Earl Grey's Mixture", is assumed to be named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, British Prime Minister in the 1830s and author of the Reform Bill of 1832. He reputedly received a gift, probably a diplomatic perquisite, of tea flavoured with bergamot oil.

Earl Grey (1835 ship)

The Earl Grey was a merchant ship built at Newcastle upon Tyne, England in 1835. She made four voyages transporting convicts from Great Britain to Australia.

Career

Under the command of James Talbert and surgeon William Evans, she left Cork, Ireland on 27 August 1836, with 297 male convicts. She arrived in Sydney on 31 December 1836 and had nine deaths en route.

On her second convict voyage under the command of James Talbert and surgeon Alex Nisbet, she left Portsmouth, England on 8 August 1838, with 290 male convicts. She arrived in Sydney on 21 November and had two deaths en route.

Under the command of Alexander Moleston and surgeon Colin Browning on her third convict voyage, she left Plymouth, England on 5 October 1842 with 264 male convicts. She arrived in Hobart Town on 14 January 1843, three convicts died during the voyage.

On her fourth convict voyage under the command of Henry Landsdowne and surgeon John Ferrier, she left Dublin, Ireland on 17 December 1849 with 240 female convicts. She arrived in Hobart on 9 May 1850 and had four deaths en route.