Guide to the Papers of John Benjamin Graham (as filmed by the AJCP)
M373-M376
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2018
Online Items
Series M373(B). Diaries, 1841 - 1858
Diary of J.B. Graham, 8 March 1841 - 19 March 1842 (File 1)
The diary contains relatively brief entries dealing with Graham's life and work in Adelaide, including the management of his general store, his association with his partner Michael Featherstone, stocktaking, the shipment of goods to New Zealand, the re-arrangement of the store, the receipt of goods, visits to the bond store, the Flinders Hotel, the state of the money market, ship arrivals, his health, visits to the chapel, bird shooting, and the weather.
Diary of J.B. Graham, 1 January 1842 - 24 July 1842 (File 2)
The diary contains similar kinds of entries, with references to the state of the business, trade with German settlers, shortages of tea and coffee, the flour trade, ship arrivals, visits to the Featherstone Family, Graham's health, visits to the chapel, the purchase of an accordion, and the weather.
Diary of J.B. Graham, 12 January 1848 - 2 March 1849 (File 3)
The diary, which was written for Graham's mother and step-father in Adelaide, has more substantial entries. It begins with 'A few thoughts and hints for a long journey and when far away from home.' It refers to Graham's departure from Adelaide, the weather, the seas, sightings of sharks, porpoises and other ships, accordion playing, his arrival at Calcutta, impressions of the town and Fort William, his transfer to a steamship and the voyage to Madras, Aden, Suez, Alexandria, Malta and Southampton (28 May 1848). The later entries describe his life in London, letters to his mother, Michael Featherstone and Henry Ayers, a visit to Ireland (June-July 1848), travels in England, church services, business meetings with Richard Hallett, social life, outings with Louisa Rymill, news from South Australia, the purchase of mining stock, and Graham's health. At the end of the volume is a list of suggested purchases.
Diary of John Adams, 28 July 1848 - 19 March 1849 (File 4)
The diary was written for Graham by his step-father, John Adams. Many of the entries are quite lengthy and deal with the affairs of the Burra mines, meetings of directors of the South Australian Mining Association, Henry Ayers, the secretary of the Association, the trial of Thomas Burr, the superintendent of the Burra mine, industrial trouble at Burra, committee meetings, meetings of the Church Society Committee, meetings of the trustees of Pulteney Street School, an examination of the scholars at Pulteney Street School (22 Dec. 1848), the arrival of the new Governor Sir Henry Young (Aug. 1848), church services, St John's Church, Adelaide, a fete at Prospect House for the children of Trinity and St John's Churches (3 Jan. 1849), gardening, purchases, ship arrivals, news of Graham in England, and the weather. There are references to Sir Henry and Lady Young, Bishop Augustus Short, Rev. W.J. Woodcock, Rev. James Farrell, Michael Featherstone, Capt. William Allen and Marshall McDermott.
Diary of J.B. Graham, 3 March 1849 - 31 December 1849 (File 5)
The diary contains brief entries referring inter alia to a meeting with Capt. Charles Sturt, Graham's marriage to Louisa Rymill at Brompton Church (20 March 1849), their honeymoon in France, letters from Adelaide, business dealings with R. Hallett, and financial transactions with the Bank of Australasia.
Diary of J.B. Graham, 1 January 1850 - 31 December 1850 (File 6)
The diary contains brief entries referring to the birth of Graham's son, Harry Graham (20 Feb. 1850), his life in London, riding, skating, social events, exhibitions, church services, meetings with R. Hallett, Burra shares, a deputation to Lord John Russell (2 March 1850), letters sent to Adelaide, goods sent to Henry Ayers, and travels in England and Scotland.
Diary of J.B. Graham, 1 January 1851 - 2 June 1851 (File 7)
The diary contains brief entries referring to purchases, shares, social events, church services, meetings with R. Hallett, preparations for the move to a new home, and numerous visits to the Great Exhibition, which opened in London on 1 May 1851. Graham was involved in the organisation of a geological exhibition as part of the Great Exhibition.
Diary of J.B. Graham, 17 January 1858 - 13 June 1858 (File 8)
The diary contains quite detailed entries covering Graham's visit to Australia. It describes his voyage from Marseilles to Malta, Alexandria, Suez, Aden, Port de Galle, Melbourne and Sydney (16 March), sightseeing in Sydney, the voyage from Sydney to Melbourne and Adelaide (10 April), meetings with Henry Ayers, Henry Rymill, Francis Dutton, John Ellis, Marshall McDermott and others, meetings of shareholders and directors of the South Australian Mining Association, a journey to Burra and inspection of the mines, a visit to a property at Clare, the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide, financial transactions, and his departure from Adelaide (12 May). The return voyage from Melbourne followed the same route via Ceylon and from Marseilles Graham travelled overland to Frankfurt.
Series M373-M375(C). Correspondence, 1848 - 1926
Official letters from Henry Ayers to John Graham, 7 February 1848 - 6 October 1857 (File 1)
The letters, which are numbered 1-65 (a few are missing) were written by Graham's agent in Adelaide, Henry Ayers. Ayers had been secretary of the South Australian Mining Association since 1845 and in 1850 was elected managing director. The letters deal with the agency, the Burra mines, discoveries of lodes in particular shafts, labour, wages, copper prices and the copper market, share prices, reports of meetings, the activities of directors and staff, the election of directors, payment of dividends, smelting works, land sales, properties of Graham left in Ayers's hands (1858) and gold discoveries in eastern Australia. There are references to John Adams, Michael Featherstone, Capt. William Allen and Henry and Frank Rymill.
Official letters from Henry Ayers to John Graham, 8 June 1858 - 4 January 1870 (File 2)
The letters are numbered 1-137 (a few are missing). In this period Graham was living near Heidelberg in Germany. Ayers continued to be his Adelaide agent until 1867, when H. & F. Rymill took over the agency, although Ayers continued to act in some business matters until 1870. In these years Ayers was heavily involved in politics and he was Premier of South Australia several times between 1863 and 1873. The letters refer to Graham's account, quarterly remittances, the South Australian Mining Association, meetings of shareholders and directors, dividends, share purchases, visits to the Burra mines, the discovery of new lodes, industrial disputes, a contact with the English and Australian Copper Company, the Karkulto Mines, copper mines at Wallaroo and Moonta, the formation of new mining companies, the offer of Henderson and others to purchase the Burra Mines, the re-organisation of the company, the construction of a railway to Burra, economic conditions in South Australia, the Bank of Adelaide, the development of the Northern Territory, gold discoveries in New Zealand, and the transfer of many of Ayers's business interests to his son H.L. Ayers and Henry Rymill. There are many references to Henry and Frank Rymill, including Frank's marriage to Lucy Baker (1861), and also to Henry Roach, the captain of the Burra Mine, John Ellis and Charles B. Fisher.
Unofficial letters from Henry and Frank Rymill to John Graham, 1858 - 1866 (File 3)
The letters from Louisa Graham's brothers in Adelaide deal with John Graham's business interests in South Australia, the Burra Mines, shares, dividends, financial transactions, copper prices, mineral discoveries, the Wallaroo mines, Henry Rymill's relations with Henry Ayers, the possibility of the Rymills taking over Graham's agency, Henry Rymill's marriage to Lucy Baker (1861), building plans, Frank Rymill's visit to England (1864), the death of their father Robert Rymill (1862), news of Graham's acquaintances in Adelaide, letters received from Louisa Graham and the travels of John and Louisa Graham in Europe. There are references to the Ayers and Baker families, Capt. Walter Hughes, John Morphett, Henry Roach and Sir Dominick Daly, the Governor of South Australia. Most of the letters were written by Henry Rymill.
Official letters from Henry and Frank Rymill to John Graham, June 1867 - December 1876 (File 4)
The letters are numbered 1-127. Although they are mostly signed H. & F. Rymill, they were almost all written by Henry Rymill. They deal with the engagement of the brothers as Graham's agent in Adelaide (1867), their relations with Henry Ayers, the formation of their partnership, the South Australian Mining Association, meetings of shareholders and directors, the copper market, the Burra Railway Bill, visits to Burra, mining machinery, wages, smelting operations, the future of the Burra Mine, mineral surveys and the Kapunda, Wallaroo and Moonta mines. The letters also touch on their growing pastoral interests, property transactions, Canowie and Curnamona Stations, visits to Canowie Station (1873-74), shearing, agricultural production, and the Royal Agricultural Show...
Official letters from Henry and Frank Rymill to Harry R. Graham, January 1877 - January 1879 (File 5)
The letters, which were written to John Graham's eldest son, are numbered 1-28. The subjects include the death of John Graham, his will, power of attorney, the Burra Mine, the Bank of Adelaide, Canowie Station, Curnamona Station, sheep sales, the Royal Agricultural Show, a visit by Malcolm Graham to South Australia (1878), economic conditions in South Australia, and family news. There is also a letter from J.F. Hayward (Bath) about the Canowie partnership (11 April 1877) and copies of letters from Graham to R.B. James on the same subject. There are references to Harry Ayers, Sir Henry Ayers, John Beck, John Darlington, J. Frederick Hayward, Richard Boucher James and William Sanders.
Unnumbered letters from Henry and Frank Rymill to Harry R. Graham, July 1879 - October 1910 (File 6)
Most of the letters were written by Henry Rymill, except when he was ill or on holidays when Frank Rymill would write in his stead. The letters were addressed to 'Cousin' until 1882, when Rymill switched to 'Nephew'. The subjects include Harry Graham's visit to South Australia (1879), Malcolm Graham's activities in South Australia, Graham's accounts and those of his sister Louisa, the death of William Sanders (1880), South Australian Mining Association meetings, the closure of the Burra Mine, Burra dividends, the sale of Burra Mine (1889), Canowie and Curnamona Stations, wool shipments, lambing, shearing, financial transactions, the Melbourne International Exhibition (1881), Henry Rymill's visit to England (1881-82), agricultural shows, land purchases, the collapse of the Commercial Bank of South Australia (1886), the 1886 Colonial Exhibition in London, the purchase of Warcowie Station (1886), Graham's defeat in the 1886 General Election and his victory in the 1892 General Election, silver mania in the eastern colonies (1888), the visit of Frank Rymill to the United States and Japan (1888), industrial disputes in Australia (1892), Frank Rymill's visit to England (1892), economic conditions in the colony, meetings of the Canowie Pastoral Company, Baratta Station, the visit of Graham to South Australia (1901), relations between the Rymills and Graham and R.B. James and J.F. Hayward, Rymill's losses from Canowie, the subdivision of the Canowie estate (1909), the illness of Malcolm Graham (1909) and family news. There are references to Sir Henry Ayers, John Beck, John Darlington, Charles B. Fisher, Thomas Goode, Edward Hamersley, J. Frederick Hayward, John Regan and the Sanders Family.
Correspondence concerning Canowie and Curnamona Stations, 1910 - 1926 (File 7)
Letters received by Harry Graham concerning the sale of parts of the Canowie Estate (1910), the position of A.G. Rymill on the board of the Canowie Pastoral Company (1925), the possible sale of Curnamona Station (1925), the refund of capital and the disposal of Canowie freehold lands. The correspondents include Henry Rymill, Frank Rymill, Arthur G. Rymill (son of Henry Rymill), J.C. Morphett and the Bank of Adelaide (London). In addition, there are notices of meetings and a copy of the Memorandum and articles of association of the Canowie Pastoral Company (1894).
Series M375(D). Canowie Station Reports, 1869 - 1908
Series M376(E). Accounts of J.B. Graham and his children, 1854 - 1906
Accounts of J.B. Graham with Henry Ayers, 1860 - 1867 (File 1)
Accounts of J.B. Graham with Henry Ayers, 1854-70 (quarterly) and statements of the property of J.B. Graham in the hands of Henry Ayers, 1860, 1862, 1863, 1865, 1867.
Accounts of J.B. Graham with H. & F. Rymill, 1867 - 1872 (File 2)
Accounts of J.B. Graham with H. & F. Rymill, 1867-76, and statements of the property of J.B. Graham in the hands of H. & F. Rymill, 1870, 1872.
Accounts of the estate of the late J.B. Graham, 1876 - 1906 (File 3)
Accounts of the estate of the late J.B. Graham, 1876, Louisa Graham and Henry Graham, 1877, Malcolm Graham, 1877, and Henry R. Graham with H. & F. Rymill, 1878, 1893, 1906, and statement of the property of Henry R. Graham in the hands of H. & F. Rymill, 1879.
Series M376(F). Canowie Station accounts, 1869 - 1894
Accounts of Sanders, James & Co. with H. & F. Rymill, 1869 - 1880 (File 1)
Accompanying the statements are various supporting documents including the station manager's report (1874), summaries of stock returns (1870-72, 1877, 1879), valuations of Canowie Station (1871-76), expenditure in working Canowie Station (1871-75), particulars of employees on Canowie Station (1871-74, 1877, 1879), Canowie lambing account (1871), return of sheep (1871, 1873, 1877), sales of sheep (1873, 1875, 1880) and sales of stock (1874, 1876). There are also covering letters from H. & F. Rymill to Sanders, James & Co. (1875).
Accounts of the Canowie proprietors with H. & F. Rymill, 1880 - 1894 (File 2)
Accompanying the statements are various supporting documents including the station manager's report (1885), valuations of Canowie and Curnamona Stations (1880, 1882-84, 1886, 1890, 1892-93), stock returns (1880, 1882-84, 1886, 1888-93), returns of employees (1880, 1883, 1885-87, 1889-90, 1892-93), improvements made at Canowie (1880), sales of sheep (1881-82, 1886), returns of sheep (1882, 1884-85, 1887, 1889), lambing returns (1886, 1888-89, 1892-93), shearing returns (1886, 1888) and expenditure and income (1886).