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Mr William Calman GRAHAME (1863 - 1945)

  • Date of Birth: 03/02/1863
  • Place of Birth: Maitland, New South Wales, Australia
  • Date of Death: 15/09/1945
  • Place of Death: Gosford, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Parliament Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly10 Sep 190718 Feb 192012yr(s) 5mth(s) 9day(s)
Member for Wickham10 Sep 190714 Sep 19103yr(s) 5day(s)21st (1907 - 1910)
Member for Wickham14 Oct 19106 Nov 19133yr(s) 24day(s)22nd (1910 - 1913)
Member for Wickham6 Dec 191321 Feb 19173yr(s) 2mth(s) 16day(s)23rd (1913 - 1917)
Member for Wickham24 Mar 191718 Feb 19202yr(s) 10mth(s) 26day(s)24th (1917 - 1920)
Honorary Minister15 Mar 19151 Jun 19152mth(s) 18day(s)
Minister of Agriculture1 Jun 191514 Jan 19204yr(s) 7mth(s) 14day(s)
Printing Committee No.630 Nov 191023 Dec 191024days22nd (1910 - 1913)
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.116 May 191116 May 19111day22nd (1910 - 1913)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.216 May 19111 Aug 19112mths 17days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Printing Committee No.630 May 191113 Jul 19111mth 14days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Operations of the Australian Jockey Club Committee No.813 Jun 19111 Aug 19111mth 20days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.230 Aug 19113 Oct 19111mth 4days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Printing Committee No.612 Sep 191128 Mar 19126mths 17days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Claims of Mr Gustave William Engel Committee No.1310 Oct 191118 Oct 19119days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Operations of the Australian Jockey Club Committee No.2220 Feb 191228 Mar 19121mth 9days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.231 Jul 19125 Dec 19124mths 5days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Printing Committee No.67 Aug 19124 Dec 19123mths 28days22nd (1910 - 1913)
City Tattersalls Club Committee No.913 Sep 191219 Sep 19127days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Newcastle Iron and Steel Works Bill Committee No.1110 Oct 191231 Oct 191222days22nd (1910 - 1913)
The Governor’s Opening Speech Committee No.123 Jul 191323 Jul 19131day22nd (1910 - 1913)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No.229 Jul 191315 Oct 19132mths 17days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Printing Committee No.66 Aug 191315 Oct 19132mths 10days22nd (1910 - 1913)
Governor's Opening Speech3 Mar 19143 Mar 19141day23rd (1913 - 1917)
Governor's Opening Speech Committee No. 13 Mar 19143 Mar 19141day23rd (1913 - 1917)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 23 Mar 191418 Apr 19141mth 16days23rd (1913 - 1917)
The Governor's Opening Speech Committee No. 17 Jul 191423 Feb 19157mths 17days23rd (1913 - 1917)
Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 221 Jul 191423 Feb 19157mths 3days23rd (1913 - 1917)

Political Party Activity

Australian Labor Party (ALP), whip 1914 - 1916; personally opposed to conscription, left ALP with Holman; stood as an Independent in 1920; later was a supporter of J.T Lang.


Qualifications, occupations and interests

Jeweller. Little formal education; worked on family farm and at prawning; moved with family to Newcastle, apprentice in family's jewellery business; acted as a traveller; after death of wife moved to Gosford in c.1924, established a garage and car sales business; purchased land in the area, also the Gloucester Timber Company (Newcastle) and another timber business; lost both in the depression; president of Gosford Chamber of Commerce; noted athlete in youth; Good Templar.


Local Government Activity

Alderman at Wickham from 1900 until 1907, councillor of Erina shire from 1933 until 1936, and on creation of Gosford municipality, first Mayor from 1936 until 1944


Personal

Son of William Grahame, farmer, and Isabel Calman. Married (1) Emily Smith in 1885 and had issue, 7 children. Married (2) Myra Lascelles Campbell in 1925 and had issue, 2 sons. Methodist. Buried in Point Clare cemetery. He was involved in three scandals during his ministerial career: a coal contract which was alleged to have given special consideration to a colliery owner who was an associate of Grahame's; a contract for construction of wheat silos which was seen as unduly favourable to the contractor; and the purchase of a large amount of wheat from the Government pool by a speculator at a very advantageous price. A Royal Commission investigated the last scandal and, though its findings were inconclusive, Grahame resigned from the Ministry in January 1920.


Additional Information

Report of Royal Commission into circumstances surrounding the making of contract dated 20 February 1919, for sale to George Georgeson of 72,000 tons of wheat of what is known as 1916-17 wheat (Hon. Mr Justice Robert Darlow Pring). New South Wales Parliamentary Papers, Session 1919, Volume 1, page 179



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