Myers Literary Guide:
The North-East
 

RICHARD GREY (1694 - 1771)

Grey was born in Newcastle. After attending Lincoln College, Oxford, he became secretary to Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, from whom he received much advancement in the church. Grey devoted much time to authorship, particularly of religious works, but is especially noted for his Memoria Technica; or a New Method of Artificial Memory (1730). This system could be applied to names, dates, astronomy, geography or weights and measures. Described as 'uncouth and complicated' it nevertheless met with widespread favour and continue to be printed, with modifications, until 1861. Lowe's Mnemonics and other systems are based on Grey's work. Grey also published, in 1738, A New and Easy Method of Learning Hebrew.

He married a lady called Joyce Thicknesse, and pleasantly said on their engagement: 'Miss Joyce, I own you are too good for me, but at the same time, I think myself too good for anyone else.'

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