1890 The Chelsea Arts Club

Gray was a founding member of the Chelsea Arts Club in 1890. The first premises were in the King’s Road close to the Chelsea Town Hall before the Club moved to its current premises in Old Church Street.

1895 - 1896 Sharing a studio with Tonks and travelling to South Africa

In 1895 Pegram married Gray’s sister Jane and gave up the lease on the Glebe place studio. The following year Gray travelled to South Africa with Brocklehurst just after the Jameson Raid. They left the Hawarden Castle at Durban and travelled overland to the City of Johannesburg.

Here they met Charles Furse, who had been staying with Cecil Rhodes in Cape Town. When Furse heard about the Jameson Raid he travelled to Johannesburg to paint a picture of the battle. Gray knew Furse from the Chelsea Arts Club.and Gray had written to him asking him to book rooms for them.

Gray was not impressed with Johannesburg.

‘ At that time Johannesburg was a strange town, cheap looking two storied buildings built on a sandy plateau, nearly 6,000 feet above sea level. The roads were primitive. Apparently nothing had been done to them except to dig gutters on either side, some of them 3ft deep. This was especially noticeable when driving in a Cape cart. One of the unpleasant characteristics of the place was dust. A strong wind would pick up tons of red sand in one district and bring it, curling high like a water spout, across the town. One was nearly blinded by darkness and filth.’