GRAHAM, JAMES (1819-1898), merchant, agent and politician, was born on 5
February 1819 at Ennis, County Clare, Ireland, son of James Moore Graham,
Irish-born surgeon in the Scottish Fife Militia, and his first wife Anna Maria,
née Ievers. He was educated at Ennis College and, after the family moved to Fife
in 1832, at Madras Academy, Cupar. There in 1836 he was employed by Pagan
& Christie, bankers and solicitors, and on 10 May 1838 was appointed clerk
in charge of the National Security Savings Bank of Fife, of which Christie was
actuary. Graham immediately deposited 10s. in the bank but resigned in August,
sailed in the Alfred in September and arrived in Sydney on 7 January 1839. To his
parents he wrote, 'I left my happy home, a home that was endeared to me by the
warmest ties of affection, and which contained all that was near and dear to me on
this earth'. However, he had a testimonial from Pagan & Christie with
'most cordial wishes for his prosperity and success'.
View the full record at
Australian Dictionary of Biography
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