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Frances Ralph Gray (c1863-1935) was educated at Plymouth High School. She went on to study at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she took the Classical Tripos in 1883.

In October 1883, she became Resident Lecturer at Westfield College, becoming the second member of staff to join the College.

Gray was in charge of the College library, and sometimes disagreed with Constance Maynard on the books that it should contain. Maynard believed the collection should contain not 'what girls may read, and many had better not, but rather all they ought to read'. Gray believed there should be books that 'really educate', and which were more current and being debated, like George Eliot's Adam Bede.

Gray was instrumental in founding the Westfield College Association, which was established in 1900, and of which she was president from 1928-1931. She was also a member of the College Council from 1897-1929.

In 1894, Gray left her Lecturer post at Westfield to become Headmistress of St Katharine's School in St Andrews. And 1903, she moved on to become First Head Mistress of St Paul's School, where she remained until 1927.

She was committed to women's education throughout her career, and was president of the Association of Headmistresses from 1923-1925. To learn more about Gray, her work at Westfield and with colleagues there, visit the College Archives and see Janet Sondheimer's book Castle Adamant.