| “ | A romantic or a novelist might count the world well lost for love. So far as Grey's own opinion counted, a love that sacrificed honor was less honest than simple lust, and degraded those who professed to glory in it. | ” |
Lord John Grey is an English soldier and diplomat. At age sixteen, he meets the infamous Jamie Fraser before the Battle of Prestonpans, and the two do not meet again until he becomes the governor of Ardsmuir, a Scottish prison. They form a tenuous friendship, which soon becomes complicated by the fact that Lord John has fallen in love with Jamie.
Lord John is a main character in the Outlander novels and the protagonist of a subseries of historical mysteries, the Lord John novels and novellas. The Lord John stories take place during the period of time that Jamie is paroled at Helwater.
Personal History
John William Bertram Armstrong Grey was born to Gerard Grey, Duke of Pardloe and Earl of Melton, and his wife Benedicta Grey, née Armstrong. Grey has three elder brothers: Harold "Hal" Grey, from his parents' marriage, and Paul and Edgar DeVane, half-brothers from his mother's first marriage. Hal is about nine years older than John, and although it is unclear just how much older John's half-brothers are, John was about ten when Edgar married.
Grey is a fine swordsman, having first begun lessons at the age of three. At a young age, he once struck Hal on the leg with a sword, doing no lasting damage but leaving a scar. He was enrolled for The Society for the Appreciation of the English Beefsteak, a gentlemen's club, upon his birth by his godfather, who began taking him there for lunch every Wednesday starting when he was seven. As an adult, Grey continues to frequent the club, preferring it to White's, of which he is also a member.
On Grey's twelfth birthday, he was given a pocket watch by his father, identical to the one his brother received on his own twelfth birthday. The next day, Grey's father was found dead by his mother, having been murdered in the night. Not knowing who had committed the murder and wanting to protect her family, Grey's mother covered it up, making it appear as though Pardloe had committed suicide; at the time, he had been suspected as a Jacobite supporter, and his death was perceived by some as an admission of guilt. The family was dishonored by the allegations, and an attempt to have the dukedom of Pardloe revoked was briefly made.
Thoroughly shamed, Grey's elder brother Hal chose to be referred to by his lesser title, the Earl of Melton, rather than take on one that was associated with such a scandal. As the head of the family, Melton's choice was accepted by his mother, who became known as the Dowager Countess instead of the Dowager Duchess. If John had followed suit, he would have been called the Honourable John Grey, as befitting an earl's younger son. However, John insisted on continuing to be called Lord John, as befitting a duke's younger son. Immediately after his father's death, Grey was sent to Aberdeen, Scotland, to stay with his mother's family and avoid the scandal, although it was not until much later in his life that Grey came to realize this was done for his own protection.
Outlander Series
Lord John Grey/Dragonfly in Amber
Lord John Grey/Voyager
Lord John Grey/Drums of Autumn
Lord John Grey/The Fiery Cross
Lord John Grey/A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Lord John Grey/An Echo in the Bone
Lord John Grey/Written in My Own Heart's Blood
Lord John Series
Lord John Grey/Lord John and the Hellfire Club
Lord John Grey/Lord John and the Private Matter
Lord John Grey/Lord John and the Succubus
Lord John Grey/Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade
Lord John Grey/Lord John and the Haunted Soldier
Lord John Grey/The Custom of the Army
Lord John Grey/The Scottish Prisoner
Lord John Grey/Lord John and the Plague of Zombies
Lord John Grey/Besieged
Personality
John is described by Claire as a sensitive, kindly, and honorable man.
Physical Appearance
Lord John is described as a man of slight build and shorter-than-average height (about 5'6"), with thick blond hair and large, long-lashed, light blue eyes. Several characters observe that his features, of fine bones and fair skin, are "saved from girlishness only by the firm set of mouth and jaw".[3] John has observed to himself that his beard grows in nearly the same color as his hair, but thick as well, and he keeps his face clean-shaven as a rule. He declines to wear a wig, preferring to wear his own hair, though this is usually bound back to combat its naturally wavy unruliness.
John has a scar on his neck from his brush with death at the Hellfire Club.
Relationships
Lord John Grey/Hal
Lord John Grey/Harry Quarry
Lord John Grey/Hector
Lord John Grey/George Everett
Lord John Grey/Jamie Fraser
Lord John Grey/Stephan von Namtzen
Lord John Grey/Percy Wainwright
Lord John Grey/Charlie Carruthers
Lord John Grey/Manoke
Lord John Grey/Claire Fraser
Name
- John is the English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ιωαννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan) meaning "YAHWEH is gracious".[4]
- William comes from the Germanic name Willahelm, which was composed of the elements wil "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection".[5]
- Bertram is derived from the Germanic element beraht "bright" combined with hramn "raven" to result in the meaning "bright raven".[6]
- Armstrong comes from the Old English earm and strang, meaning "strong arm".[7]
- Grey has two possible origins: 1) an Anglo-Saxon, Old English nickname for someone with grey hair or a grey beard, derived from the Old English pre 7th Century word "graeg", grey; 2) from the place called "Graye" in Calvados, Normandy, so called from the Old Gallo-Roman personal name "Gratus" meaning "Welcome" or "Pleasing", with the suffix "acum" meaning settlement or village.[8]
Trivia
- In Dragonfly in Amber, sixteen year old Lord John gives his name as 'William Grey' when captured by Jamie during a botched rescue attempt. Diana explains in The Outlandish Companion that while writing Voyager, there were too many Williams to keep track of in a small space, and she decided to make 'William' Lord John's middle name. (In the canon, it makes sense that Lord John would use an alias; he also attempts to hide his privileged status by adopting a Hampshire accent.[9]
- Lord John appears "in person" in 16 of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander-related works, more than any other character. Jamie Fraser appears in 14, while Claire Fraser appears in 10.
- In 1746 John was attacked in the army's camp and raped. He never tells anyone but began carrying a dagger on him at all times. He considers it to be his lucky dagger during many adventures in the future.
TV Series
Australian actor David Berry portrays an adult Lord John Grey in Season Three of the Outlander television adaptation.[10] English actor Oscar Kennedy portrayed sixteen-year-old Lord John (using the alias "William Grey") in Season Two of the series.[11]
Appearances
- Je Suis Prest (Oscar Kennedy)
- TBA
- TBA
Gallery
<tabber> Season Three=
|-|Season Two=
Resources
- Lord John Grey Chronology -- No Spoilers — Compiled by Rory Pascual. This listing compiles all of Lord John's appearances in both the Lord John series and the Outlander series, in order of occurrence and with chapters listed. This list does not contain spoilers.
- Lord John Grey Chronology -- Minor Spoilers — Same as above, though with brief descriptions of what occurs in each particular scene.
- Chronology/Timeline/Character List for Lord John's Stories — Compiled by Multimedea on Archive of Our Own. Detailed lists of characters and events pertinent to the Lord John Series and the man himself.
References
- ↑ Template:Cite compuserve
- ↑ Age as of the end of Written in My Own Heart's Blood.
- ↑ Drums of Autumn, Chapter 58
- ↑ Behind the Name: John – accessed 19 June 2014
- ↑ Behind the Name: William – accessed 17 March 2014
- ↑ Behind the Name: Bertram – accessed 10 May 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name Surnames: Armstrong – accessed 10 May 2016
- ↑ The Internet Surname Database – accessed 19 June 2014
- ↑ Template:Cite compuserve
- ↑ Outlander finds its Lord John Grey — exclusive – August 29, 2016.
- ↑ Outlander Starz Twitter – Oscar Kennedy Casting Announcement, November 16, 2015