Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey

The Right Honourable The Earl Grey GCB GCMG GCVO PC
9th Governor General of Canada
In office 10 December 1904 – 13 October 1911
Monarchs	Edward VII George V
Prime Minister	Canadian   • Wilfrid Laurier   • Robert Borden British   • Arthur Balfour   • Henry Campbell-Bannerman   • H. H. Asquith
Preceded by	The Earl of Minto
Succeeded by	Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
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Personal details
Born	(1851-11-28)28 November 1851 London, England
Died	29 August 1917(1917-08-29) (aged 65) Howick Hall, England, United Kingdom
Spouse	Alice Holford
Children	5, including Charles Grey, 5th Earl Grey and Lady Sybil Grey
Parent(s)	General Sir Charles Grey Caroline Eliza Farquhar
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge
Football career
Career highlights and awards
Honors	KGStJ, Hon DCL Oxford, Hon LLD Cantab, Hon LLD McGill, Hon LLD Queen's, Chancellor of Order of St Michael and St George, Hon Col 6th bn Northumberland Fusiliers.
Career stats
Canadian Football Hall of Fame, 1963

Albert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, PC (28 November 1851 – 29 August 1917) was a British peer and politician who served as Governor General of Canada from 1904 to 1911, the ninth since Canadian Confederation. He was a radical Liberal aristocrat and a member of a string of liberal high society clubs in London. An active and articulate campaigner in late Victorian England, he was associated with many of the leading Imperialists seeking change.

Albert Grey was born into a noble and political family, though at birth not in direct line to inherit the earldom. His father, General Charles Grey, was a younger brother of the 3rd Earl, who died without issue. As General Grey was deceased, the titles descended to his eldest living son Albert, then in his forties. Albert was educated at Harrow School before going up to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated MA and LLM.^[1] "His grandfather was the 2nd Earl Grey, who was prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834 and, reputedly, the recipient of a diplomatic gift from China of black tea scented with bergamot oil, which became known as Earl Grey tea."^[2]

In 1878, he entered into politics as a member of the Liberal Party and, after relinquishing a tied vote to his opponent, eventually won a place in the British House of Commons in 1880. In 1894 Grey inherited an earldom from his uncle, the third Earl, and thereafter took his place in the House of Lords, while simultaneously undertaking business ventures around the British Empire as Director of the British South Africa Company from 1898, he experienced a steep learning curve during high tension with the Boers. As administrator in Rhodesia he was directly responsible to Cecil Rhodes for conduct of the colony's business from 1894 to 1897. On his return in 1899 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of his native Northumberland.^[3]

Grey was appointed as Governor General of Canada by King Edward VII in 1904, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Arthur Balfour, to replace the Earl of Minto as viceroy and occupied that post until succeeded by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, in 1911. Grey travelled extensively in Canada and was active in Canadian political affairs, including national unity, leaving behind him a number of legacies, the most prominent being the Grey Cup.