Billy Bray

William Trewartha Bray, known as Billy Bray, (1 June 1794 – 25 May 1868) was an unconventional Cornish preacher.

Biography

Billy Bray was born in 1794 in the village of Twelveheads, Cornwall, England, UK. He was the eldest of three children born to William Bray, who was a miner, and his wife Ann, who came from Gwennap. William Bray died when his children were young and they were cared for by their grandfather, who was a pious Methodist. After leaving school, Billy Bray worked as a miner in Cornwall and for seven years in Devon; during this time he was a drunkard and was prone to riotous behaviour. In 1821 he married Joanna, who was a lapsed Methodist and they eventually had seven children.

In 1823 he had a close escape from a mining accident and later said that he was converted in November of that year through reading John Bunyan's Visions of Heaven and Hell. He became attached to a group of Methodists known as the Bible Christians and became a well-known but unconventional preacher; his sermons being enlivened by spontaneous outbursts of singing and dancing. Bray did not restrict his activities to preaching: he raised two orphans along with his own children and was generous in giving help to other people. He also raised enough funds to build three new Methodist chapels, one in his home village of Twelveheads, one at Carharrack, and one, nicknamed 'Three Eyes' chapel—because of its three windows—at nearby Kerley Downs.

Bray

Bray (Irish: Bré, meaning "hill", formerly Brí Chualann) is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,872 making it the ninth largest urban area in Ireland at the 2011 census. It is situated about 20 km (12 mi) south of Dublin on the east coast. The town straddles the Dublin-Wicklow border, with a portion of the northern suburbs situated in County Dublin.

Bray's scenic location and proximity to Dublin make it a popular destination for tourists and day-trippers from the capital. Bray is home to Ireland's only film studios, Ardmore Studios, hosting Irish and international productions for film, television and advertising. Some light industry is located in the town, with business and retail parks concentrated largely on its southern periphery. Bray town centre has a range of shops serving the consumer needs of the surrounding area. Commuter links between Bray and Dublin are provided by rail, Dublin Bus and the M11 and M50 motorways.

Bray (surname)

Bray is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

Bray (musician)

Brayden Gurnari (born October 17, 1972), known by his stage name, Bray, is an American musician and singer-songwriter, whose music incorporates rock, pop, and electro funk.

Early life and education

He was born in Vallejo, California.

Career

Bray began writing songs in high school, inspired by the nearby Oakland funk scene.

In 2003, he released his first full album, Independent Film.

In 2005, he was featured on the soundtrack of a San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival documentary, Blood, Sweat and Glitter.

In 2006, he performed at the "All-Star Tribute to San Francisco Music, Past and Future" at the Warfield Theatre, in San Francisco, California, alongside members of the Sex Pistols and The Doors.

His second album, Pins and Needles, was released in 2007. Two songs from the album, "Cocoon" and "Piece o' Cake", were used in the reality-television series Bad Girls Club.

In 2008, Bray released the album Live in Germany, recorded at a concert in Schmölln, Germany.

1n 2009, he released the album @mphibian, produced by Gary St. Clair. Prince and the Revolution keyboardist Dr. Fink performs on the album.