James Graham (physician)

Sir James Graham (29 July 1856 – 8 March 1913) was a Scottish-born physician and politician, active in Australia. He was Mayor of Sydney in 1901.

Sir James Graham
38th Mayor of Sydney
In office 1901–1901
Preceded by	Sir Matthew Harris
Succeeded by	Thomas Hughes
Personal details
Born	(1856-07-29)29 July 1856
Died	8 March 1913(1913-03-08) (aged 56)
Nationality	Australian

Graham was born in Edinburgh, son of Thomas Graham, marble polisher, and his wife Jane ( née Square).[1] Graham graduated M.A. at University of Edinburgh in 1879 and M.B. and C.M. in 1882. Graham migrated to Sydney in 1884 but then returned to Europe in August 1888 and studied at Berlin, Vienna and Paris. In 1888, he obtained the M.D. degree of Edinburgh Medical School with gold medal for his thesis on "Hydatid Disease in its Clinical Aspects".[2] Returning to Sydney he was appointed superintendent of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital which, largely by his influence, became an excellent training-ground for the medical profession. From 1897 he was lecturer in midwifery at the University of Sydney (working under Thomas Peter Anderson Stuart) and held this position until 1912. He was founder of the Surgical Appliances Aid Society, the Crown Street Women's Hospital, the Trained Nurses' Association, and was the first president of the New South Wales Dental Board.[3]

Graham was elected a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Sydney-Belmore in 1894 and held the seat until his defeat in 1901.[4][5] In 1898 he became a member of the Sydney City Council and took a prominent part in a successful reform movement. His professional knowledge was also of great use during the plague scare in 1900. Graham was Mayor of Sydney in 1901 during the visit of the Duke of York and was knighted by him.[6] In 1906 Graham opposed Chris Watson for the federal seat of South Sydney but was defeated. At the 1907 state election, Graham was again elected to the Legislative Assembly, this time for Surry Hills[4][7] but lost his seat at the 1910 election.[8] He was for several years vice-president of the Liberal and Reformist Association, later the Liberal Association. Graham died at Sydney on 8 March 1913 and was buried in the Anglican section of Waverley Cemetery. He married in 1890 Fanny, daughter of the Rev. G. W. Millard in 1890, who survived him with a son.

References

1. Caldwell, Margaret (1972). "Graham, Sir James (1856-1913)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Volume 4. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 20 July 2020 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
2. James, Graham (1888). "Clinical study of hydatid disease". hdl:1842/24634. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. Serle, Percival (1949). "Graham, Sir James (1856-1913)". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus and Robertson. Retrieved 25 December 2008.
4. "Sir James Graham (1856-1913)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
5. Green, Antony. "Elections for Sydney Belmore". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
6. "No. 27370". The London Gazette. 1 November 1901. p. 7045.
7. Green, Antony. "1907 Surry Hills". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
8. Green, Antony. "1910 Surry Hills". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 20 July 2020.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by New district	Member for Sydney-Belmore 1894–1901	Succeeded by Eden George
Preceded by Albert Bruntnell	Member for Surry Hills 1907–1910	Succeeded by Henry Hoyle
Civic offices
Preceded by Sir Matthew Harris	Mayor of Sydney 1901	Succeeded by Thomas Hughes