Clarence Graham

Sir Clarence Johnston Graham, 1st Baronet (8 May 1900 – 22 December 1966) was a businessman and an Ulster Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland.

Background

The son of John Graham JP and Margaret (née Moodie) Graham was educated at Banbridge Academy and the Queen's University, Belfast.

Business career

He was director of his family's firm, John Graham (Dromore) Ltd., engineering contractors (est. c. 1788) from 1955. The company, historically referred to as Graham of Dromore, now called John Graham Construction Limited operates under the trading style Graham Construction and is part of the John Graham Holdings Limited. Graham Construction remains one of the largest construction firms in Northern Ireland and operates throughout the UK.

Politics

He was Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Ulster Unionist Council from 1947 to 1963. Graham was Chairman of Dromore Urban Council (1928–32) and of Iveagh Unionist Assoc (1935–65), he was President of the latter from 1965 until his death.

Controversially, along with Brian Maginess QC, he called for the UUP to encourage Roman Catholic membership whilst speaking at a Young Unionists meeting in 1959.

Baronetcy

Having been knighted in 1952 he was, in 1964, created Baronet, of Dromore, County Down. There were nine baronetcies created in 1964, no more were created until 1990, when Denis Thatcher was a recipient. Sir Clarence was succeeded by his son, John Moodie Graham (born 1938), upon his death. Sir John Graham, the second baronet, lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida before returning to Northern Ireland

External links

• GRAHAM