Sir James Gray, 2nd Baronet ( – 14 February 1773) was a British

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

and

antiquary An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artefacts, archaeological and historic sit ...

Life

He was the elder son of Sir James Gray, 1st Baronet and his wife Hester Dodd. His younger brother was

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

George Gray. He completed his education at

Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the Unive ...

, being awarded M.A. in 1729. He then travelled on the continent. He began a diplomatic career in 1744 as secretary to

Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness, (17 May 1718 – 16 May 1778), known before 1721 as Lord Darcy and Conyers, was a British diplomat and politician. Career In 1741 he collaborated with G.F. Handel in the production of Deidamia. From ...

, the Minister Resident at Venice and succeeded him as Resident there from 1746 to 1752. In October 1753, he was sent to Naples, where he remained until 1763, undertaking a mission to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

concerning The Young Pretender in 1755. His final diplomatic position was as ambassador to Spain from 1766 to 1770, during which time he was there only about two years. On his return to England in 1769, he was sworn to the Privy Council. He was made a Knight Companion of the

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

in 1759. He and his brother were founder members of the

Society of Dilettanti The Society of Dilettanti (founded 1734) is a British society of noblemen and scholars that sponsored the study of ancient Greek and Roman art, and the creation of new work in the style. History Though the exact date is unknown, the Society i ...

of which George was secretary and treasurer. While in

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

, he took a close interest in the archaeological discoveries at

Portici Portici (; ) is a town and municipality (''comune'') of the Metropolitan City of Naples in the region of Campania in Italy. It has 51,351 inhabitants. Geography Portici lies at the foot of Mount Vesuvius on the Bay of Naples, about southeast of ...

and

Herculaneum Herculaneum is an ancient Rome, ancient Roman town located in the modern-day ''comune'' of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under a massive pyroclastic flow in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Like the nearby city of ...

. He nominated suitable young grand tourists for the Society of Dilettanti. He also offered advice on the king's new palace at

Caserta Caserta ( ; ) is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. An important agricultural, commercial, and industrial ''comune'' and city, Caserta is located 36 kilometres north of Naples on the edge of the Campanian p ...

. He died in 1773 leaving two illegitimate 'natural' children: A son James born 1759 and a daughter Catherine born 1761 in Naples. Their mother was a noblewoman named Donna Caterina Rosiglio, to whom he was not married at the time of their births. His baronetcy was inherited by his brother, who died the same year, upon which it became extinct.

References

;Attribution 'Generations of Gray Revisited (2013) by Norma Curnow, Western Australia.

Sources

*L. H. Cust
‘Gray, Sir James, second baronet (c.1708–1773)’
rev. S. J. Skedd, ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...

'', (Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008), Retrieved 26 Aug 2008 {{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Sir James 1700s births 1773 deaths Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge British antiquarians 2 Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath Members of the Privy Council of Great Britain Ambassadors of Great Britain to Spain Ambassadors to the Kingdom of Naples Ambassadors of Great Britain to the Republic of Venice