THE RAY, DALE, AND ALLEN COMMEMORATION FUND. 133
Ray Society, and the Council of the Selborne Society. Among
the individual subscribers (a majority of whom were members
of the Club) were many whose names are well known in the
County of Essex and in the scientific world. To one and all,
the Committee tenders, on behalf of the Essex Field Club,
warmest thanks.
The work having been completed in the course of April 1912, a
meeting of the Club was held at Braintree and Notley on the
27th of that month to inspect the result, all subscribers who were
not members of the Club being invited.
Fine, though rather chilly, weather prevailed. The party,
which met first at Chelmsford, was rather small, but was aug-
mented, later in the day, by members and friends from other
parts of the county. A pleasant drive of eleven miles brought
the company to Black Notley, where they were welcomed at the
Rectory by the Rev. W. Warren. A stroll through the Rectory
grounds was enjoyed. These contain many varieties of conifers,
which were planted under the direction of the late Professor
C. C. Babington, of Cambridge, the well-known botanist. The
visitors then proceeded to the churchyard, where the renovated
tombs of Ray and Allen were inspected and the work which had
been done on them was approved. On that of the former had
been added a new inscription, reading as above.
6 There has been much confusion as to the dates of Ray's birth and death. Dr. Derham,
Ray's earliest biographer, says (Select Remains of John Ray, p. I, 1760) that "he was born No-
vember the 29th, 1628," ami this is the date inscribed on the tomb. Later, the Rev. W. L. P.
Gamons, of Sidney College, Cambridge, after '' searching the parish registers," wrote (see Lan-
kester's Memorials of John Ray, p. 711. : Ray Soe., 1846) that Ray "was baptised on the 29th of
June 1628." From these two statements (both of which are wrong), most subsequent writers
have been led to conclude that Ray must have been born on 29 November 1627 and baptised
29th June 1628. The first to ascertain the real date was Mr. W. H. Mullens, who, on consulting
the parish registers, found that, on the same page thereof, are recorded the baptisms of two John
Rays (doubtless related) which had been confused together. Both of these entries Mr. Mullens
has produced photographically (see British Birds, ii., p. 296, 1909). They read respectively :—
" 1627.—John [son] of Roger and Elizabeth Ray [was baptised] December 6 ", and
" 1628.—John son of Thomas and Dorothie Wray, bap. June 29."
The first entry alone relates, of course, to the great John Ray, It shows that Ray was born
probably, as Derham states, on Thursday, 29 November, but in 1627, not in 1628, and was
baptised, seven days later, on Thursday, 6th December. Similarly there has been confusion as
to the date of Ray's death. Derham gives it correctly (op. cit., p. 80) as 17th January 1704-5.
Yet the inscription on the north side of the tomb gives the year as 1703-6, and this has been
widely followed. It was in consequence of these muddles that it was decided to add an inscription
giving the correct dates.