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Go Tell the Bees That...

This page may contain MAJOR SPOILERS about Benjamin Grey from the latest book in the Outlander series, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone. Read at your own peril!

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Benjamin Grey is the eldest son of Minerva and Harold Grey, Duke of Pardloe, and nephew of Lord John Grey.

Personal History[]

Benjamin was born to Hal and Minnie Grey, Duke and Duchess of Pardloe in approximately April 1745 after the Duke and Duchess married in haste 3 months prior due to his father searching for his mother for almost 6 months. He grew up in London with his two younger brothers, Adam and Henry, and his younger sister Dottie.

Benjamin became a captain of the 34th Foot of the British army during the American Revolution. He was captured during the Battle of Brandywine and later reported dead of gaol fever as a prisoner of war in New Jersey, though this proved to be false. As of 1779, Benjamin has abandoned his wife and infant son, and married an unnamed woman, under his alias, after faking his death to join the Americans.

Lord John Series[]

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade[]

While Lord John Grey escorts Percy Wainwright to visit Minerva Grey for dance lessons, he mentions that a dance instructor is in the employ of the family for his nephews; Benjamin, Adam, and Henry.

Ben was present at his grandmother Benedicta's wedding to his new grandfather Sir George Stanley - the same day his new cousin Cromwell Stubbs is born.

Benjamin, along side his brothers, attend the christening of their new baby sister Dorothea Grey at St James church. Famished following the christening he and his brothers demand something to eat from their father, being joined by their uncle.

"The Custom of the Army"[]

Benjamin and his brothers are mentioned in a letter from Harold Grey that Lord John Grey receives while he is in Canada. Hal conveys his sons' firm belief that no "Red Indian" would succeed in taking his scalp, and recommends bringing home three "tommyhawks" for the boys.

The Scottish Prisoner[]

Unbeknownst to Benjamin, his uncle John was casually observing from the house as he and his younger brothers Adam and Henry played a game of tigers and hunters out in the garden. His toddler sister Dottie was occupied with the nurse at the goldfish pond, the nurse giving a mere eye roll to the boys' antics as they cursed during their game. Despite his mother's efforts of enforcing that his father and uncle not curse in English around them, they still picked up the words.

During a brief conversation both with his father and his mother his uncle became fully aware, having been away when it all occurred, that Benjamin was born but a mere three months following his parents wedding. John thought to himself that it was good, given timeline, that Benjamin so strongly resembles his father.

As both his uncle and Jamie Fraser sought refuge for a quite place to think, Benjamin is entertaining his mother by reciting Cesar. A passage that he often loses his place and finds the need to start over.

Following John's now famous duel with Edward Twelvetrees, Benjamin and his brothers descend upon him while he was recovering at their home. All three wanted to see their uncle's injuries and hear the tale from his own lips of the duel. For them, this is the most exciting thing to happen. They were all in awed admiration at the sight of impressive wound that had extended the original slash creating a six inch gash across the left side of their uncle's upper chest. They of course began to ask if it hurt, which their focus suddenly changed at the mention of a wound upon John's leg being a larger discomfort.

In their rush to see the wound they nearly pitched him off his bed. When Adam, so innocently, blurts out an observation in regards to their uncle's private area Ben giggles with his brothers at their uncle's reply. Unlike his younger brothers Ben has a slightly better idea of what his uncle meant, he being the eldest and no longer in the nursery under the guard of their nanny. Instead he has a tutor, Mr. Whibley, who is to be teaching him the rudiments of Latin. He would go to the theater now and then, in the name of culture, with his tutor.

Over milk and bread the trio of brothers update their uncle on the happenings of the house. Such as Nasonby having injured his ankle, Cook's disagreement with the fishmonger, their spaniel named Lucy having her puppies, and Mrs. Weston having a fit. As his brothers snuggle to their uncle, John requests of Ben to provide entertainment. Benjamin's rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was interrupted at the arrival of their mother who hurried them out of the room.

Outlander Series[]

Written in My Own Heart's Blood[]

Captain Benjamin Grey has been captured by the Rebels at the Brandywine. Harold Grey, Duke of Pardloe, receives a letter from a woman named Amaranthus Cowden, purporting to be Ben's wife and the mother of his three-month-old son (and Pardloe's grandson), Trevor Wattiswade Grey. Pardloe believes she may be telling the truth, since the child bears the unusual name of his wife's family, Wattiswade. Later, Pardloe is informed by Captain Richardson that Ben has died while a prisoner of war. Ben's step-cousin, William Ransom, goes to reclaim his body and discovers that the body buried in his grave is not that of Benjamin Grey, prompting the hope that Ben is, after all, still alive.

Personality[]

Hal remarks that his son Benjamin resembles him in terms of willfulness.[4]

Physical Appearance[]

Benjamin is noted by his uncle John to strongly resemble his father in appearance.[5] He has a sharp beaky nose.[6]

Relationships[]

  • Amaranthus Cowden: Benjamin married Amaranthus around 1777 and had a child by her.
  • Unnamed woman: Amaranthus discovers that Ben has married an unnamed black woman, under his alias of Raphael Bleeker.

Name[]

  • Benjamin is from the Hebrew name בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) which means "son of the south" or "son of the right hand".[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[]

References[]

  1. "A Fugitive Green", chapter 18. See note at the end of the novella regarding Benjamin's birth date
  2. Age as of the end of Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Written in My Own Heart's Blood, chapter 135. Lord John Grey calls Ben's wife, Amaranthus Cowden, Viscountess Grey, and addresses her as Lady Grey. Benjamin would be allowed use of a courtesy title as heir apparent to Harold Grey.
  4. Written in My Own Heart's Blood, chapter 12.
  5. The Scottish Prisoner, chapter 10.
  6. Written in My Own Heart's Blood, chapter 119.
  7. Behind the Name: Benjamin - accessed 03 June 2016
  8. The Internet Surname Database – accessed 19 June 2014
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