Born in Chelsea in 1868, the artist, traveller and memoirist Ronald Gray studied at the Westminster School of Art under the influential Professor Fred Brown. At this time Westminster School was a nursery for artistic genius and among Gray’s fellow students were Henry Tonks, Walter Russell and Aubrey Beardsley, along with the landscape artist Wilson Steer who became a lifelong friend.

In 1943 Gray completed his memoirs and the manuscript, letters and photographs were inherited by his niece Marjory Pegram who passed them to Gray’s great nephew, Richard Gocher, who published them to honour the memory of his great uncle. 

Gray concluded his memoirs at the end of the First World War which he saw as a watershed in his life. To complete the life history Richard Gocher has utilised excerpts from letters from Gray’s many artist and literary friends. 

This website has been organised so that more of Gray’s drawings and paintings can be seen in colour than was possible in the recently published print edition of his book.

The book entitled ‘A First class Life on a Third Class Ticket’ is available from silverwoodbooks.co.uk and other online sellers.