Donald Gray

The ashes of the Revd. Dr Donald Gray, former Canon of Westminster, were interred in the north cloister of Westminster Abbey on 22nd June 2026. His wife Joyce had been buried there earlier and the stone had just shown the initials JG until the new inscription was cut. The design is by Mark Bury and the inscription was cut by Abbey mason Mark Croll.

The gravestone inscription reads:

"Donald Gray 1930-2025 Canon of Westminster Rector of St Margaret's Speaker's Chaplain 1987-1998 and his wife Joyce 1930-2010"

His Life

Donald Clifford Gray was born in Manchester on 21st July 1930, son of Henry Hackett Gray. He was educated at King's College London and St Boniface College in Warminster. In 1956 he was ordained at Manchester cathedral. He served as vicar of Westleigh, and All Saints, Elton, Bury before being rector of Liverpool from 1974-1987. He became an Honorary Canon at Liverpool in 1982, and a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II. 

In 1987 he was appointed Canon of Westminster and Rector of St Margaret's Westminster and was also Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons. Later he received a CBE for his service as Speaker's chaplain. He served on the Liturgical Commission for many years and wrote widely on liturgical and historical subjects, including a biography of Percy Dearmer.

In 1955 he married Joyce Jackson and they had three children, Timothy, Clare and Alison. They retired in 1998 to Stamford in Lincolnshire where Donald died on 4th July 2025, having his funeral at Stamford.

Further information:

"Chaplain to Mr Speaker" by Donald Gray, House of Commons Library Document no.19, 1991.

"Ronald Jasper, his life, work and the ASB" [Alternative Service Book], 1997.