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- From Longtown, County Cumberland, across the river Esk from Netherby Hall (which was one of the 19 Roman outposts built in the 1st century, supporting Hadrian's Wall).
Sailed from Tynemouth on the "Jeanette" as unassisted immigrants in Sept 1853 together with John's younger brother Thomas.
Arrived in Melbourne in January 1854.
They first settled on a farm at Wooragee in northern Victoria between Wangaratta and Wodonga.
Following the death of their mother in 1853 and their father in 1856, two brothers David and George and sister Mary came to Australia. They arrived in Melbourne as unassisted immigrants in September 1857.
John acquired land in Wahgunyah in 1859 and moved there. George remained in Wooragee.
John was originally an engineer.
In 1865 Thomas and David returned to England to purchase machinery. Thomas (Tom) married his childhood sweetherat whilst there. Thye (Thomas, his wife, brother William and is wife Mary, [with their three children], David and a Miss G Graham. They boarded the Plymouth on 4th january 1866. The ship was caught in a severe storm and sank in the Bay of Biscay on 11th january 1866.
When John Graham died in 1868 aged 44 years, his wife was left to run the property "Netherby" with only her brother in law George until the boys were old enough to take over. She wrote to the Normans and asked if they would come and help. She paid their fares and they came over in 1869. They later moved to Hopefield.
John Graham cultivated the first vineyard in Wahgunyah in 1859 at Netherby
In 1862 imported the first steam plough into Victoria. It trenced to a distanceof 20" for planting vines. it cost 1200 pounds.
In 1870 the 40acres produced 1100 gallons of wine
In 1878 and 1889 GS Smith and John Graham received the only gold medals for Austrlain wines at the Paris Exhibiition
1883 added an American Vineyard Plough
1887 St Stephens Church of England was consecrated. The Bishop and Mrs Coe from Melbourne satyed at the Graham's martin Graham was a vestryman.
Graham Bros. land holdings:
1885 190acres
1891 190acres
1895 300acres
1899 350 acres
In 1907 he built the new Netherby at Rutherglen. This was 300m south of the cellars and office. It is now called Allawah and was ownws by Peter Smith and his wife.
"Re graves near the Wilson"s is the rather sad Graham grave with some young people , the family had a hereditary ailment, which at that time could not be cured they were the original settlers on the Wilson property,before they went to Rutherglen to establish their winery. One of the family and his new bride were lost in the wreck of the" London 'on their way back to Australia with farm machinery he had purchased in
England. A bit more probably useless information for those who can remember Sir Walter Scott"s " Fair Ellen Of Brave Lochinvar" was one of our Graham"s"
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Abt 1823 - 1868 (~ 45 years)