ALEXANDRINA LIBRARY SERVICES
news
December 2014
No 125
by Margie Anderson
ABRAHAM GRAHAM’S FAMOUS WATCH VISITS GOOLWA
Nicki and John Melville have generously sent us this story:
In June 1969 in England, our family of six were on holiday, staying in a
rented flat above the Britannia Building Society office in
Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. At the time, my mum Barbara
worked for the Building Society in its Staffordshire headquarters.
On a visit to the market town of Helmsley, my father Collis purchased
a ‘full hunter’ gold fob watch. This beautifully presented 18 Carat
gold watch was inscribed on the inside case as follows:
Presented to A Graham Esq. By the Goolwa and Port Elliot Building
Society as a token of its appreciation of his valuable services as
secretary. Goolwa 19 July 1862.
Curious to know more about this Building Society my mum took the
watch to her boss, Sir Hubert Newton, the founder of the Britannia Building Society. After some learned
research (pre-internet days!), Sir Hubert informed mum that the Goolwa and
Port Elliot Building Society was not British but in fact a Society formed in South
Australia. Mum and dad thought little more of this and dad enjoyed wearing the
watch at special functions over the years.
In 1979 myself and my now husband John emigrated to Australia and in 1988
settled permanently in Albury NSW, on the Murray River. My dad, on visiting us
in Albury decided that it was only right that the fob watch returned to Australia
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and he gifted the watch to Callum (our son) on the occasion of his 21 Birthday
– December 2011.
By this time internet access meant that I was able to find out some of Abraham
Graham’s history and particularly that he had emigrated to Australia in 1853,
settled in Goolwa, and managed the iron works which manufactured the all
important paddle steamers of the day to ply their trade up and down the Murray River. The SS Albury was
manufactured in Albury, so here we were sitting in Albury overlooking the Murray and holding the watch that
had originally been presented to Abraham Graham some 2500kms down the river from us.
Even more exciting in tracing the history of the watch was the fact that Abraham Graham had returned to his
birth place, Town Head Farm, Walton in Cumbria (on Hadrian’s Wall) for a holiday in 1899. Rumour has it that
Mr Graham, after an absence of 46 years, had to produce his inscribed pocket watch to prove to his relatives
that he was who he said he was.
We are not sure of what happened next but Abraham Graham returned to South Australia, and died in
Goolwa in 1903. He is buried at Currency Creek with a substantial memorial head stone to mark his passing.
What is clear is that the watch remained in England and did not return to SA with Mr Graham as the records
show that a relative of his was in possession of the watch in 1949 when it was still “in excellent working
order” – keeping good time. Whether the family then sold the watch or it was sold as part of a deceased
estate is unknown, but it turned up in Helmesly Antiques to be purchased by my Dad in 1969!
John and I were so grateful to be able to visit Goolwa with the watch and though the expert help and
direction of the local History Room volunteers to learn about Abraham Graham and to view his residences
(including Graham’s Castle) and his grave. It was lovely to think that this beautiful little watch, originally made
in England and then presumably purchased and engraved in Adelaide had made the journey back to the UK
but is now, fittingly, once again back in Australia, under the loving care of Callum, who hopes to, in his turn,
visit Goolwa and continue the watch’s remarkable journey.
Nicola Melville
Albury NSW November 2014
The story of Abraham and his watch has been a part of his story kept in the History Room files for many years.
To have the watch actually come to Goolwa was an exciting event which not only confirmed the long held
story, but also provided those present with the opportunity to touch a part of our history. We are very
grateful to Nicki and John for their visit.
Pic 1: Nicki, our Dawn Juers and John.
Pic 2: Nicki, Dawn and our Bill Cox, all looking very pleased.
(A “Helmesly Antiques, Vintage and Collectables Fair” is still running, every month, in North Yorkshire.)
The visit has also prompted searches for supporting information; for example what else can we find out about
the Goolwa and Port Elliot Land and Building Society and the Graham family.
Searching on-line for references of the Building Society revealed very little. The first reference found
appeared in the Adelaide Observer, Saturday 23 December 1854, page 9. Under the heading “Port Elliot. From
our own Correspondent. December 14 reported: “A Building Society was established here last week, under
the title of the “Goolwa and Port Elliot Building Society,” consisting of at present 50 members, with Mr. Henry
Barton as secretary. I have understood the monthly meetings of this society will be held alternately at the
Goolwa and Port Elliot. The society is likely to succeed well, especially at Goolwa, where it has enlisted the
greater number of members.”
A small twelve page booklet, “Rules and Regulations of the Goolwa and Port Elliot Land and Building Society”
was located at the Victorian Public Library, Swanston Street, Melbourne, and which could be viewed online.
This booklet provided some key information. Issued in 1855, it listed the primary participants as follows:
Trustees: Buxton Forbes Laurie, Esq. J.P., William Basham, Esq., and Thomas George Trimlett Crawford, Esq.
The Committee comprised: Messrs. Thomas Goode, James Mathews, James Francis Bottomley, John Varcoe,
Junior, Frederick Dodd, David McKie and Thomas Jones, Esq. The Solicitor was Alfred Atkinson, Esq., Secretary
Mr. Henry Barton, Bankers The Union Bank of Australia and the Office being cited as The Store of Mr. James
Francis Bottomley, Port Elliot.
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The stated “Intend and Object of the Society” declared: “That this Society ... shall consist of members holding
one or more shares, and is established for the purpose of raising by subscriptions from its members, in shares
of the value one hundred pounds, a fund to enable each member to receive out of the funds thereof the
amount of his or her share or shares therein, on the security of any freehold or leasehold property of
adequate value for the purpose of erecting or purchasing one or more dwelling houses, or purchasing a
freehold or leasehold estate to be secured by way of mortgage to the Society, ...”
Duties of the Secretary are defined; the first holder of that office being Henry Barton. In May 1856, Mr. Kemp
resigned and George Pritchard took over the role. (Prichard still held that office in October 1857.) Abraham
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Graham was Government Gazetted as Secretary 24 March 1859.
The South Australian Register of Saturday 10 May 1856, page 4 reported on the “Port Elliot and Goolwa
Society” that “The third share in the ... Society was sold at Varcoe’s Hotel, Goolwa, after a very spirited
competition, at a premium of £30.10s, being an advance of fully 5 percent on the previous sales.” The article
continues “The Society now number upwards of 70 members.” and reveals that the office of Secretary was
paid a fixed salary of £25 ... and scope for personal effort, being an addition of 5s per share per annum.”
Very few references to members was found except for the following:
S.A. Advertiser. Sat. 10 October 1857, page 1 advertises: “To Bakers – House and Bakehouse at Port Elliot. –
To be SOLD at the Port Elliot Hotel ... by the ... Society ... as Mortgagees ... the HOUSE and BAKEHOUSE late in
the occupation of Mr. Isaac Hillier ...”
Within the History Room File for B.F. Laurie was found references of seven transactions. (Duplicate copies
exist in the files for William Basham and Thomas G.T. Crawford.) Those recorded are:
24 June 1857 – John Gordon, Goolwa, Painter, Mortgage for £100 for Lot 40 in the Township of Goolwa.
23 May 1862 – John Gordon, through reconveyance, had fully paid off his mortgage.
18 September 1857 – George Aillen Pritchard, Goolwa, Storekeeper, £100 for Lot 47, Town of Goolwa.
30 March 1858 – George Pritchard again, £100 for same Lot 47.
6 December 1862 – Pritchard had defaulted on 12 weeks repayments being 8/- and 8/- and the trustees
subsequently conveyed Lot 47 to Miriam Louisa Highland for £125.
16 March 1859 – David Duthie, Currency Creek, Farmer, £100 for Allotment 324 at Currency Creek.
17 July 1862 – Duthie paid off his mortgage for 324.
The last newspaper reference to this Society was recorded in the Adelaide Observer, Saturday 6 August 1859,
page 2. This reports “The following Papers were laid on the table of the House of Assembly:- By the AttorneyGeneral; Balance sheets for the Port Elliot Building Society.” [Note the absence of “Goolwa”. Is this an error?]
After the 1859 newspaper report, no further reference to this particular Building Society has been found.
However, the South Australian Advertiser, Monday 3 July 1865, page 3, in its article titled “Port Elliot, Goolwa,
and Victor Harbor” reports on meetings held at the three towns. In brief, if states “The extreme scarcity of
houses at each of these townships, and the influx of labour, as well as the formation of new establishments ...,
and the presence of the South Australian Banking Company, have induced some of the leading tradesmen and
others of these districts to originate the establishment of a Building Society on the permanent principle, ...”
Meetings had been held at Lush’s Hotel, Port Elliot and Ray’s Hotel, Goolwa. “The majority were in favour of a
Permanent Building Society, ...” A further meeting was scheduled for Victor Harbor in the course of a week.
Many familiar names are quoted as having attended these new meetings, including names previously
associated with the previous Building Society; ... for example “Mr. A. Graham as a member of the Preliminary
Committee.” New names included: “Mr. Wm. Smythe offered his services as Secretary ...” and “Mr. Anstey, of
Port Elliot, builder, and Mr. Ray, formerly of that business but now out of trade, were spoken of as valuators
for the Society under the Committee of Management.”
The S.A. Advertiser of Saturday 19 August 1865, page 3 under the heading “The Southern District” and
“Buildings and Building Societies” reports on many new local buildings. It also records “A strong muster of the
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projectors of the Building Society and their friends took place on the 10 at Port Elliot, ... free trucks from
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Goolwa and Port Victor bringing in their reinforcements. We noticed present Mr. Mackie, Mr. Kay, Mr. Thos.
Goode, Mr. Greayer, Mr. Graham, Mr. R. Allen, Mr. G.S. Read, Mr. Scarfe, Mr. Dutton, Mr. Baldock, Mr. Wm.
Smythe, Mr. Dart, Mr. Field, and others interested.” and “... the Committee were to consider various
suggested points, and bring up the rules with their final approval at an early general meeting, when the
Society will go at once to work.”
Information on what happened to the original building society and its financial members has not been found.
Perhaps the presentation of the watch to Abraham Graham was given on the occasion of the disbanding of
that society.
Finally, a few more details about Abraham Graham and his family:
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Abraham’s parents were married 4 January 1819 at Crosby Upon Eden, Cumberland. His father, also
Abraham, born 1792, was aged 27 years, while his mother Jane, nee Fawkes, born 1793, was aged 26. The
online record does not show their status at the time of the wedding. We do not know if they were both single
or widowed.
The 1841 Census from the village of Walton lists Abraham Graham aged 45 (head), Jane aged 45 (wife),
William 20, Robert 15, Jane 14, (our) Abraham aged 10, Elizabeth 8, John 6 and Mary 2.
By 1851, Abraham Graham Snr’s household consisted of himself, farmer of 10 acres, Robert now aged 28,
Jane 23, John aged 15 a scholar and Mary Ann aged 12 also a scholar. No mention of mother Jane appears.
The oldest son William as well as our Abraham have left the family home. In the same year, a household in
Stanwix, Cumberland shows William aged 31 years, a post office clerk, Jane his wife, aged 32, William aged 10,
a scholar, and John aged 2. Also at this address is listed (our) Abraham Graham, aged 21, also a post office
clerk, and a Jane Fawkes, aged 16, listed as House Servant. Jane Fawkes may have been a cousin or niece.
When Abraham Snr. died in March 1866, aged 74, his probate papers record that he had been a Yeoman, still
from the village of Walton, who left effects of under £100. When our Abraham died, in February 1903, his will
revealed assets of £2,000. What different lives the two Abrahams lived!
Research to date has not revealed which of Abraham’s family
may have been alive when he visited his birthplace in 1899.
Abraham perhaps had not written to his family informing them
of his intention to visit. Had he done so, family suspicion may
have not been evident. And why would he have left his
beautiful gold watch in Cumberland? If the family had been
poor, we might have expected them to have sold it soon after
Abraham’s visit. It would be nice to imagine that the family
kept it for so many years, up until at least 1949, as a keepsake
of their lost relative, of whose achievements they were rightly
proud.
HAPPY RESEARCHING
Genealogy help is available by appointment on Monday and Thursday.
Dr Peter Barclay is currently unavailable.
Please phone the Library on 8555-7000 to make an appointment.
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