Reverend Robert Gordon Cromwell Carr-Gregg and Family
Rev. Carr-Gregg and his wife Sarah, first came to Saltfleetby in 1924 when he was appointed the new Rector of Saint Clement's Church. He remained dedicated to the role and the people of the village for 40 years, until his death in 1964 at the age of 86.
Carr-Gregg Family History
Paternal Heritage
Ralph Cromwell Gregg
Rev. Carr-Gregg’s father, Ralph Cromwell Gregg (1847-1924) described himself as a gentleman farmer, the son of Captain Charles Francis Gregg of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons. Born in Newbridge, Co Kildare, he went to Eton and Oriel College Oxford, where he was an accomplished athlete and oarsman. After Sandhurst Royal Military College, he became a Captain in the 4th Battalion Warwickshire Regiment and then the 19th (Prince of Wales Own) Hussars, British Cavalry Regiment. His sister Isabella’s husband, Colonel Ivo Fiennes, sponsored him to be one of the officers presented to Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace in 1870. He died in 1929 age 82.
​
They claimed to be proud descendants of Oliver Cromwell, giving the middle name Cromwell to their sons in honour of this. A tradition which Rev. Carr-Gregg also passed in naming his eldest and youngest sons.
Oliver Cromwell (1599 – 1658), portrait in The National Gallery, London
An officer of the 19th Hussars, 1882
Oliver Cromwell was an English politician who led the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War from 1642 to 1652, defeating the Royalists. After the arrest of King Charles I in 1647, Cromwell was one of the signatories of his death warrant, authorising the execution of the King in 1649. As the new ruler of Britain he refused the title of king and was known as the Lord Protector of the new British Commonwealth. Advised by the council of state during this time known as the Interregnum, the 11 years that England was a republic before the return of monarchy. A highly religious man of strict Puritan beliefs he banned many popular entertainments such as theatre and Christmas festivities. He led brutal campaigns against Catholics, resulting in huge numbers of casualties including soldiers and civilians.
After his death in 1658, his son Richard took over as Lord Protector, but resigned from the role fearing an uprising. Charles II was invited back from exile in the Netherlands, to be crowned king in 1660, restoring the monarchy. In 1661, on the 12th anniversary of the execution of his father Charles I, the new king had Oliver Cromwell’s body dug up and his head displayed on a pole at Westminster Hall.
Since 1899 there has been a bronze statue of Cromwell outside the houses of parliament in London.
Maternal Heritage
Frances Molina Gregg (nee Warde)
Rev. Carr-Gregg’s mother, Frances Molina Warde (1822-1880) was the daughter of General Sir Edward Charles Warde (1810-1884), who served in the Royal Artillery in the Crimean War. Her grandfather was General Sir Henry Warde (1766-1834) who commanded a Guards Brigade in Spain, India and Mauritius, becoming a General of The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment in 1831.
Her brother was conservative MP, Sir Charles Edward Warde, 1st Baronet (1845-1937) a colonel in The Queen’s Own West Kent Yeomanry.
​
Her mother, Jane Warde, nee Lane (1811-1895) can trace her heritage back to Jane Lane, Lady Fisher, who was famous for helping King Charles II escape on horseback to Bristol after the battle of Worcester in 1651. Lady Fisher didn’t have any children, her brother, Colonel John Lane of Bentley is the 7x great grandfather of Rev. Carr-Gregg.
General Sir Edward Charles Warde (1810-1884), Rev. Carr-Gregg's grandfather.
Baronet Sir Charles Edward Warde MP (1845-1937), Rev Carr-Gregg's uncle
General Sir Henry Warde (1766-1834), Rev. Carr-Gregg's great grandfather.
Portrait of Jane Lane, Lady Fisher (1626-1689), great great great great great great great aunt of Rev. Carr-Gregg.
King Charles II and Jane Lane riding to Bristol, by Isaac Fuller, oil on canvas, 1660s. Depiction of when Rev. Carr-Gregg's 7x great aunt saved the monarch in 1651
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3rd September 1651. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under the command of Oliver Cromwell defeated the Royalist force of 16,000 led by Charles II. He escaped into Shropshire, hiding in an oak tree at Boscobel, before proceeding to Staffordshire. Here his companion visited Bentley Hall, the home of Colonel John Lane, whose sister Jane had obtained a permit from the military for herself and a servant to travel to Bristol, to visit a relation. The king dressed as a tenant farmer's son, adopting the alias ‘William Jackson’ and rode the same horse as Jane Lane to Bristol seaport, pretending to be her servant. They were accompanied by Jane’s sister and her husband and another related Royalist officer, who all took a huge risk as they would have been executed for treason if caught. They set out on 10th September and arrived in Bristol on 13th, the King maintaining his false identity throughout. Unable to find a ship to take him to France they continued to travel and hide until he was able to leave the country. When it was later found out that she had helped with the escape she travelled to France disguised as a "country wench", staying at the Royal Court in exile until the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
Rev. Carr-Gregg's Brothers
Robert G. C. Carr-Gregg had two brothers:
​
The oldest, Ralph Charles Edward Carr Gregg (1874-1940) married Florence Mabel Kinsey in September 1903. He was a Captain in the Warwickshire Regiment engaged in war service in Tonbridge Wells when he died age 66 on 21st March 1940.
The Daily Telegraph, Saturday 23rd March 1940, the death of Ralph C.E. Carr-Gregg
Coventry Standard, Saturday 30th Mar 1940, The death of Capt. R. C. E. Carr-Gregg
Ivo Francis Henry Carr Gregg (1876-1956) attended Cambridge where he studied science and had a wide range of academic interests such as geography, geology, astronomy and archaeology, spending three years in Egypt with leading Egyptologist Sir Flanders Petrie. After serving in the first world war, he became the vicar of Astley near Nuneaton, Warwickshire in 1917. He married Margaret Evelyn Upton in July 1917, the daughter of Viscount Henry Edward Montague Dorington Clotworthy (1850-1939). He continued to write on various subjects, including publishing two books on the history of Astley and Corley Churches. He remained highly respected as the vicar of Astley for 39, until his death age 79 on 5th June 1956.
Midland Counties Tribune, Warwickshire,
Friday 20th June 1952 The life and family history of Rev. Ivo Carr-Gregg of Astley. who talks proudly of his parliamentarian and Royalist "mixed blood"
Click to open a larger image of these articles
Midland Counties Tribune, Nuneaton,
Friday 8th June 1956, The death of Rev. Ivo F. H. Carr-Gregg
Coventry Evening Telegraph, Wednesday 6th June 1956, The death of Rev. Ivo Carr-Gregg
Change of surname
The three brothers originally just had the surname “Gregg”, like their father. “Carr” was their father’s mother’s maiden name (Isabella Susan Gregg, nee Carr), which was given to the sons as a last middle Christian name, as was often the tradition. They all changed this to be known by the new surname of “Carr-Gregg”.
Already known as Reverend Carr-Gregg for years, the rector of Saltfleetby didn’t officially change his last name by deed poll until September 1934.
Friday 21st Mar 1924, Rev. Rovert Gordon Cromwell Carr Gregg appointed as rector of Saltfleetby St. Clements
Life of Rev. R. G. C. Carr Gregg
Robert Gordon Cromwell Carr Gregg was born in Raigate, Surrey in 1878. He was the youngest son of Ralph Cromwell Gregg (1847-1929) from Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, and Frances Molina Warde from Deal in Kent. He was baptised on 5th August at St Matthews Red Hill. Along with his brothers he was initially tutored at home. In 1901 he was studying as a boarder with his brother Ivo, at The Lindens, St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex run by headmaster, Mr Martin. He then went to Christ College, Cambridge, where he enjoyed playing a variety of sports, and gained a B.A. in 1905 and M.A. in 1910.
The Lindens, St. Leonards-on-Sea, formerly a school known for its rugby team, where Rev. Carr Gregg was a student in 1901.
St. Matthew's Church, Redhill in Surrey where Rev. Carr Gregg was baptised in 1878
Ordained in 1916, his first appointment was on the Isle of Man in 1910, then working as the curate of St. Silas, Lozells. Birmingham in 1921, and in Kent, before coming to Lincolnshire.
​
He was appointed rector of Saltfleetby St Clement in March 1924, when son Robert was 8, Charles was 6, John was 3 and David was 1. The family moved into the rectory at St Clement, where he continued to reside for nearly 40 years while serving as the rector of St Clement's Church . He also took on responsibility for the medieval church of St Botolph’s near Skidbrooke in 1957, when he became priest in charge of Skidbrooke-with-Saltfleet.
During his time in Saltfleetby he and his wife worked hard to maintain the churches and make an active contribution to the community. He died on 26th February 1964 at Louth County Hospital, aged 86.
On 20th October 1910 he married Sarah Jane Pride at All Saint’s Church, Marylebone, London, going to live at Redhill Surrey and having 4 sons together from 1916-1923.
St. Silas Church, Lozells, Birmingham, where he was curate in 1921. The building was sold by the Church of England in 1985.
The Life of Mrs Sarah Jane Carr-Gregg
Sarah Jane Pride was born on 11th August 1886 in Weymouth, Dorset, the daughter of James George Sign Pride (1853-1934) from Gosport Hampshire and Tabitha (nee Reed) (1855-1942) from Fordingbridge, Hampshire. In 1891 she was living with her family at a coastguard station in Veryan, Cornwall where her father, who had been serving with the Royal Navy since 1871, was working as a coastguard. She had older brothers: Frederick and Sidney, older sister Susan, younger brothers James, Dennis (and Albert), and younger sisters Ruby and Gladys. In her younger days she was known as Daisy.
The family moved to Studland, Dorset where her father was the chief boatman, and she worked as a kitchen helper in a house with a large staff, age 14.
She married Robert Gordon Cromwell Carr Gregg in 1910, when she was 23, initially moving to Preston, Brighton, Sussex. They had four sons together and moved to Saltfleetby St. Clement Rectory in 1924. Here she became known as a great campaigner and fund-raiser for good causes. She liked to big celebrations and staging imaginative charity events, strongly supporting the work of the Salvation Army.
In 1930 she organised the installation of a new Lych Gate at St Clement's, putting on a big carnival to mark the dedication ceremony, attended by a large crowd. Following the news that one of her sons had taken ill whilst at boarding school in Sussex in August 1932, she left to support him, continuing to spend much time living with them in Sussex. She continued her good-works whilst staying in that area, earning the nick-name, “The Flying Evangelist” as she often arrived at her charitable events by plane. She died on 5th March 1955, age 68, she is burial in Durrington Cemetery, Worthing, Sussex.
James George Sign Pride (1853-1934), Naval Officer and coastguard.
Mrs Sarah Jane Carr-Gregg (nee Pride) 1886-1955)
Mrs Carr-Gregg's Charitable Work
Grimsby Telegraph, Thursday 16th October 1930 Mrs Carr-Gregg supplies a "liberal supply of bread" to each recipient at Louth's winter soup kitchen.
Grimsby Telegraph, Monday 15th December 1930 Mrs Carr-Gregg helps judge the fancy dress competition at a carnival in aid of Louth Soup Kitchen.
Grimsby Telegraph, Saturday 22nd Nov 1930, Mrs Carr-Gregg raises money for hospitals all over the country, by exhibiting her collection of 100 dolls, which she calls her family of dolls. At Louth Town Hall she displayed them for a final time for sale, the remaining ones sold by auction at the end of the evening concert, in aid of Louth County Hospital.
Mrs Carr-Gregg's Support for The Salvation Army
Friday 15th July 1932, Mrs Carr-Gregg loses her handbag whilst releasing toy parachutes from a plane at a fete in Louth, When it was found the money she had raised for the Salvation Army was gone, so she replaced it all: £143 herself.
Sunday Mercury, Sunday 10th July 1932, Mrs Carr-Gregg arrived by plane in London to present leader of the Salvation Army, Edward Higgins with a cash sum amounting to one penny for each mile he travelled on his recent tour of Australia: £143 13s, over 34,000 pennies!
Edward John Higgins (1864-1947) was the third General of The Salvation Army from 1929 to 1934. He came from Somerset, and had been an officer in the Salvation Army from the age of 17. He initially spent much time working for the organisation in the USA. In 1929 he became the first General to be elected by the High Council. As the leader of the International Salvation Army, he travelled extensively worldwide, known as a great speaker, using radio to broadcast his addresses, attracting a wide following and many supporters, including Mrs Carr-Gregg of Saltfleetby.
The Daily Telegraph, London, Monday 29th October 1934 Arrangements are made at St. Clement's for the congregation to listen to the Salvation Army's General Higgins's final broadcast address, live from Clapton.
General Edward Higgins (1864-1947) leader of the Salvation Army from 1929 to 1934
Grimsby Evening Telegraph, Friday 12th August 1932, Mrs Carr Gregg has to pull out of opening a garden fete as her son ad taken ill in Sussex
Mrs Carr-Gregg's love of Aviation
Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday 1st September 1932. Aviation enthusiast, Mrs Carr-Gregg arranges an ox-roast at a charity air pageant in aid of Skegness and District Cottage Hospital, lending her support to a month of carnival events.
Sevenoaks Chronicle, Westerham Courier and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 13th Jan 1939, Mrs Carr-Gregg earns the nickname "The Flying Evangelist" for arriving at events by plane. She speaks at a Salvation Army gathering in Tunbridge Wells and presides over a musical concert.
Rev. Carr-Gregg's Community Activities.
Grimsby Evening Telegraph, Tuesday 3rd August 1954 Rev. Carr-Gregg serves as chairman of the parish meetings for 30 years
Rev. Carr-Gregg, who chaired parish meetings, supported the idea of having a combined parish meeting, rather than three separate ones for the three different parishes of St. Clement, St. Peter and All Saints, which were poorly attended. He spoke to the Evening Telegraph about his unsuccessful efforts to get more people to attend, and how low attendance hampers action on issues. He hoped that a united parish meeting would stimulate interest and not mean the end of the separate meetings as well.
Grimsby Evening Telegraph, Monday 12th Aug 1957, Rev. Carr-Gregg holds a garden fete for St. Clement's Church
Grimsby Evening Telegraph,
Friday 25th November 1960, Rev. Carr-Gregg leads the appeal to raise money for the restoration of 13th Century Church St. Botolph's, Skidbrooke.
The Historic Churches Preservation Trust gave their third grant to help St. Botolph’s Chrch, Skidbrooke, £200 to the appeal to raise the necessary £8,000 to save the 13th Century church-in-a-field. Rev. Carr-Gregg produced a booklet where the money was needed. The original structure was built in about 1200, then enlarged in the 14th Century at the time of the Black Death and the tower heightened. In 1602 the chancel was said to be falling down, with the lead taken away. Previously the last restoration work was when work was done on the nave roof in 1904.
Grimsby, Evening Telegraph, Friday 23rd August 1957, 79 year old widower Rev. Carr-Gregg refuses to retire until he's raised enough money to renovate St. Clement's Church
Rev. Carr-Gregg's love of sport
Grimsby Telegraph,
Thursday 28th April 1960, Rev. Carr-Gregg recalls the time that Arthur Conan Doyle let him into Lords to see a cricket match!
Grimsby, Humberside, England
Mon, Jul 20, 1959, 81 year old Rev. Carr-Gregg plays tennis and gets around on a motorbike!
Death of Rev. R.G.C.Carr-Gregg, 1964
Lincolnshire Echo, Friday 28th February 1964
A "tin lizzie", model T Ford, Rev. Carr-Gregg was one of the first owners in the district
The Bishop of Lincoln, Kenneth Riches, led tributes to Rev. Carr-Gregg at his funeral on Saturday 29th February 1964, at his parish church of Saltfleetby St. Clement, where he served as rector for 40 years.
Grimsby Telegraph, Thursday 27th February 1964
Grimsby Evening Telegraph
Tuesday 3rd March 1964
Rev. Carr-Gregg Remebered
Local resident Mr. Norman Borrill wrote in the July 1980 edition of the Marshlander:
Many of us remember Mr. Carr Gregg as a very dedicated and evangelistic man, who was always keenly interested in any evangelistic meeting held in the area. I recall that when a Cliff College campaign was being held at the Methodist Churches in the village, Mr. Carr Gregg attended every meeting, gave his own personal testimony and told how he became a follower of Christ as a result of the Welsh Revival. The students who conducted the campaign were thrilled to receive such encouragement from the 'Anglican incumbent, and they certainly thought that he WAS outstanding.
Mr. Carr Gregg was also a keen musician, and organised musical services at St. Clement's, when he invited a visiting organist from Louth to play, and asked well-known singers from Louth to help in the choir. Sydney Smith was a frequent visitor and many others were always willing to help. I remember attending one of these services on a Sunday evening in the summertime, held at 7.30pm so as not to interfere with other services in the village, and the little church was packed to capacity. Rev. Carr-Gregg himself loved to play the violin, and liked to have the opportunity to play-on any occasion, as he did when some of us entertained the senior citizens of the village.
Rev. Carr-Gregg also organised a group of Bell Ringers, and held Fetes in his garden to raise money for the church. But in a quieter way he was a much-loved pastor. I remember being in the home of my grandmother Jaques shortly after her death, when Mr. Carr-Gregg called, knelt by a chair and led the family in prayer, a moment I shall never forget.
Rev. Carr-Gregg was greatly ahead of his time in his wish for Church Unity. He would always welcome the Methodist Carol Singers to his home and ask them to sing his favourite hymns, afterwards always giving a very generous donation out of his very meagre income. He would also always welcome Methodist children who collected for Missions, and would never fail to produce half-a-crown, which was generous indeed in those pre-war days.
In his latter years he became rather a sad figure, living alone in his rambling rectory and traveling to Louth almost every day to get his meals, but many people in the village who really understood him, know that it was he, and not his extrovert, wife, who was really outstanding. I am told that, on his death, one person remarked, "If any man was ever ready to meet his Maker", it is Rev. Carr-Gregg.
NORMAN BORRILL.
The Sons of Rev. and Mrs Carr-Gregg
Robert Carr-Gregg (1916-1992)
Robert Henry Cromwell Carr-Gregg was born on 20th June 1916 in Warwickshire. He lived in Hailsham and Rye, East Sussex in the late 1930s where he was joined by his mother. He worked as a school teacher, and married Freda Mary (Molly) Crane in July 1941 in Abingdon, Berkshire. During the war he served as a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. He died on 2nd April 1992 in Shipston, Warwickshire age 75.
Charles Carr-Gregg (1918-1941)
Charles Francis Gordon Carr-Gregg was born on 4th February 1918 in Gloucestershire. In 1939 he was a student living in Hailsham, Sussex with his older brother Robert, with their mother staying with them. In 1940 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, serving as a Sub-lieutenant and qualified pilot on HMS Grebe, a shore base for aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm (known as Dekheila before the war) at Alexandria in Egypt.
He died in a flying accident at sea near Alexandria, which also killed fellow pilot D.W. Blackburn, on 27th September 1941. He was 23 years old. His name is commemorated on the Naval Memorial at Lee-On-The Solent on Bay 2, Panel 6.
Lee-On-Solent Memorial, commemorating the names of nearly 2,000 men of the Fleet Air Arm who died during the Second World War and who have no known grave, including Charles Carr-Gregg of St. Clement's Rectory, Saltfleetby, on Panel 6:
John Carr-Gregg (1920-2012)
John Ralph Edward Carr Gregg was born on 10th January 1920 in Littlehampton West Sussex. He worked as a civil servant and married Lieselott (Charlotte Elizabeth) Rona from Vienna, Austria with whom he travelled to Pakistan where their first son, John was born in 1955. They settled in Melbourne, Australia where son Michael was born in 1958. With his work in the civil service he travelled internationally and served as Deputy High Commissioner to New Zealand. He died on 15th March 2012 age 92 in Sydney, Australia. His son Michael still lives in Australia with his family, where he is an eminent psychologist and author. He never met his grandfather but visited Saltfleetby in September 2006 with his wife Therese and son Rupert when they enjoyed lunch at the Prussian Queen and a tour of St Clement's Church.
David Carr-Gregg (1923-1964)
David Oliver Cromwell Carr-Gregg was born in July 1923 in Tonbridge, Kent. He resided at Laybourne Grange Hospital, West Malling, Kent, a residential hospital for patients suffered from mental health problems and learning difficulties. He died at Laybourne Grange on 20th August 1964 age 41. He is buried at Durrington Cemetery, Worthing, West Sussex.
References
An officer of the 19th Hussars, 1882 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_Royal_Hussars
Oliver Cromwell, after Samuel Cooper, oil on canvas, feigned oval, based on a work of 1656, NPG 514, in the National Portrait Gallery, London https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/use-this-image/?mkey=mw01602
Jane (née Lane), Lady Fisher by Unknown artist, oil on canvas, circa 1660, NPG 1798 © National Portrait Gallery, London, https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/use-this-image/?mkey=mw02232
King Charles II and Jane Lane riding to Bristol by Isaac Fuller, oil on canvas, 1660s? NPG 5251 in The National Portrait Gallery, London https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/use-this-image/?mkey=mw02231
General Sir Henry Warde (1766-1834) https://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/colonels_and_co/colonels/31st-foot/general-sir-henry-warde.shtml
Sir Charles Edward Warde MP, 1st Baronet (1845-1937) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Warde
Redhill: St. Matthew's parish church by Dr Neil Clifton, Geograph, grid ref: TQ2750, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2363538
The Lindens, Historical Hastings: https://historymap.info/File:The-Lindens-18-Upper-Maze-Hill.-1912.-1.jpg
St. Silas Lozells, Birmingham https://www.wikiwand.com/en/St_Silas%27_Church,_Lozells
General Higgins of the Salvation Army: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Higgins
Model T Ford photo by LibertyGroup25, from: https://celebratedcars.weebly.com/the-model-t-ford---the-tin-lizzie.html
Lee-on-Solent Naval War Memorial https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2106300/lee-on-solent-memorial/
Many thanks to Colin and Mandy Wood for photos of the Carr- Gregg and Pride families used on Ancestry.com
​
References
Jane Lane, Lady Fisher, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Lane,_Lady_Fisher#
Oliver Cromwell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zk4cwmn/articles/zg6ccmn
The Royal Oak of Boscobel, Shropshire https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/boscobel-house-and-the-royal-oak/history/charles-ii-and-the-royal-oak/
Mr Norman Borrill's memories of Rev. Carr-Gregg from July 1980 Marshlander: http://www.saltfleetby.co.uk/Soloby.htm
The 2006 visit of Michael Carr-Gregg: http://www.saltfleetby.co.uk/carr-gregg/Dr%20M%20Carr-Gregg%20in%20Soloby.htm
Numerous Census returns and other documents, Ancestry.com, newspapers.com, Find-a-grave.com, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, National Archives etc
​