Grahams Castle - Research

Graham's Castle

"Graham's Castle"

Or

"Prospect House"

Rumoured to be the first haunted house in South Australia, Grahams Castle was located in Prospect, South Australia, just north of Adelaide.

The house was built J.B. Graham, an Adelaide Business man, who had invested in the Burra mines, and made a small fortune.

Newspaper Articles and Timeline

 1868

The South Australian Advertiser

 Saturday 5 December 1868

DIED

BATHE. —On the 4th December, William Nicholas M. De Bathe, aged 21 years, only son of James Bathe, Esq., of Graham's Castle, Prospect Village.

 

1870

South Australian Register

 Wednesday 25 May 1870

. ROMAN CATHOLIC PICNIC.

The annual picnic of St. Laurence  Christian Doctrine Society was held at Graham's Castle, on the Lower., North-road,the property .of Mr. Valentine. Shortly before 10 a.m. about 250 children, with teachers and mends, assembled at the church, and headed by tho Concordat Band,' marched through Jeffcott street to Graham's Castle, which was reached about 11.

Besides influential laymen, the clergy were represented, there being on tho grounds Arch Deacon Russell, and Fathers Hintoroeker, O'Connell, and Theodore Bongaerts. The Committee had taken great pains to provide amusements for the picnicians. In one place young couples danced to the strains of the band and a violin. At another youngsters raced and jumped for small money prizes. Cricket, football kiss in the ring, swinging, and other amusements found admirers.

Plenty of refreshments were to be had, there being two stalls, the principal under the superintendence of Mr. Smith, of Hindley-street. During the day tho Committee waited upon Mrs. Valentine, and thanked her for placing the grounds at their disposal. After spending a pleasant day all reassembled and proceeded to the church, which they reached about 6 p.m. Service having been, held, the pleasure-seekers dispersed.

South Australian Register

Wednesday 25 May 1870

HER MAJESTY'S BIRTHDAY.

Tuesday, May 24, was ushered in with Queen's weather, and all who were Bent upon pleasure seeking had no 'room 'for, grumbling on this head.

Closed shutters along the business thoroughfares showed that the day was fixed in the trades holiday calendar, and shop, mart, Bank, and 'Change were deserted. At noon for once' a salute was not fired; but loyalty was exhibited in various other ways, and the levee was moderately attended.

Some of our young city men left by train to attend the Gawler Athletic Sports; numerous citizens found means of reaching favourite parts of the beach or nooks elsewhere; Port Adelaide attracted others to the stream, where yacht and canoe races were in vogue. In the outer country districts there were various sports, at Graham's Castle a picnic, and in town at night soirees, public meetings, and a concert. During the day Adelaide stay-at-homes- had many, country cousins visited the ever-pleasing Gardens

1887

South Australian Register

 Wednesday 25 May 1887

SUNDAY-SCHOOL PICNIC

  THE Anglican Mission Church of the Good Shepherd, Bowden, celebrated the anniversary of the Sunday school on Tuesday by a picnic on the grounds of Graham's Castle, prior to which a service was held in the Church. The Rev. Mr. Beaumont officiated. Notwithstanding the unfavourable weather about 150 joined in the various sports and games, The canal refreshments were provided.

1898

Border Watch

Wednesday 3 August 1898

SNAKES.

ADELAIDE. August 2,

A family of 33 snakes was discovered and killed in a building called "Graham's Castle,"near the city which is being pulled down.

 1901

The Register

 Tuesday 3 September 1901

REMOVAL OF AN OLD LANDMARK.

Travellers on the north line and the Lower. North road have for years been familiar with a building off Brand road,Prospect, which attracted .attention on account of its castellated walls, which, doubt less, caused it to be known as Graham's Castle. In a few days it will have disappeared, as it is now being demolished. Graham's Castle has had many vicissitudes. It was built about 1840, and had an at tractive appearance. Among pictures of old colonial scenes in the possession of different people there is one representing a picnic held in 1842 in the grounds surrounding the house, which is excellently drawn and painted. The property passed through various hands, and the castle became so dilapidated that it has been found necessary to remove it.

 1922

The Register

Wednesday 15 March 1922

  GRAHAM'S CASTLE.

From A. T. SAUNDERS:— The correspondent is very much at sea regarding Graham's Castle, Prospect House, Ac Graham's castle was demolished 20 years ago. Mr. Whinham lodged his boarder boys in it for some time. Some of them also boarded at his Buxton street establishment.

Mr. Richmond may have been one of the 108 passengers per Ariadne, and may have built Graham'ss castle in 1840; but I have no proof of it. I do not think that Mr. S. Marshall was here in1840  to assemble the organ, but this again, I cannot Say for certain.

Mr. Angas Prospect Lodge was not next to Graham's Castle. It was in Bowden, at the corner of Torrens road, opposite the park lands. It was in existence a few. weeks ago, and it still exists I think. Until quite recently it was tihe property of a descendant of Mr. Angas.

In 1853 John Adams occupied Prospect House, and Mr. (afterwards the Hon.) E. McEllister, occupied Prospect Lodge near Graham's Castle, and he or his widow occupied it well into the 60's or later.

This Prospect Lodge and Mr Angas's house were very different properties. The Register, 22/12/53 (p. 4, c. 5) has this advertisement:—

'To let, Prospect House near North Adelaide, the property of J. B. Graham, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Adams, who are going to England; 52 acres of land; 32 acres laid out; stone wall, folding gates; furniture and organ for saie,'

Evidently the correspondent is also wrong regarding the organ. The Register. 28/7/49 (p. 2) records a deer hunt at 'Mr. Graham's seat, Prospect.' The Register, 29/8/49, records that (20/4/1849), at Holy Trinity, Brompton, John Benjamin Graham, of Vere Lodge, Old Brompton and Prospeot House, near Adelaide, South Australia, married Louisa, eldest daughter of Robert Rymill, Brompton Row.

Mr. Graham bought an estate in Germany, and lived there, and The Register (5/1/77, p. 5, c. 2), records his death in Germany. Mr. Graham arrived per Recovery, 19/9/39, and was in business in Hindley street. He was an ironmonger, but went into various ventures. In April, 1845, Mr. Graham voyaged in the Governor Gawler to Rivoi Bay.

He travelled over the pastoral country to Mount Gambler, and returned in May, just before the Burra discovery. He invested £2,000 in the Burra, and in 1848 was said to be drawing £16,000 a year from, that mine. The South Australian, 15/12/48, has an account of Mr. Graham's life.

The Register, 12/1/48, says, 'Mr. J. B. Graham, the largest proprietor of the Burra Mine leaves today for Calcutta per ship Gellert,' and gives an account of his life. It is recorded, .15/12/4S, that when Mr. Graham reached England, via Calcutta, he called his father's creditors together, and paid them in full as the Good Brother did in after years. In 1844, in Prospect Village, within the municipality (of Adelaide), John Richmond had 40 acres in wheat, barley, and potatoes.

The Register

 Friday 17 March 1922

GRAHAM'S CASTLE

From 'A CORRESPONDENT'— A Yankillila correspondent in The Register of Saturday, has evidently become much mixed up in reference to two well-known northerly- suburban residences of the early days: and even our old -friend, Mr. A. T. Sounders— usually so helpfully accurate— has not unravelled the tangle much. Graham's Castle was about three-quarters of a mile, or a mile, from Prospect Hall— not Prospect Lodge, or Propect House, as mentioned by both correspondents.

It faced the Lower North road, beyond Ovingham, and was surrounded by a strong, high wall Prospect Hall, which became the property of the late Mr. G. F. Angas, early in the sixties, faces the city boundary road, around the parklands, and the old Port road, now called the Torrens road, at the extreme north-east corner of Bowden-on-the-Hill.

It has born* no other name since I have known it than Prospect Hall, certainly the Angas family did not call it by any other name. In July of '1888 received and accepted a cordial invitation from the late Mr. G. F. Angus to take tea with him at Prospect Hall.

This incident brought about an intimate friendship between the family and myself, which has existed until the present day within a few weeks at 60 years! I have held, and still hold the whole family in the highest esteem possible. Mr. McEllister's residence' was nearly opposite to Prospect Hall, in the Prospect district, but not near Graham's Castle, as stated by Mr. A. T. Saunders. Mr. J. H. Angus purchased. Prospect Hall from his father later.

GRAHAM'S CASTLE.

From THOMAS Neill

— As one of the few surviving fellow passengers of the late J. B. Graham in 1839 (I know of four), I was much interested in the paragraph in The Register of Tuesday under the heading of 'Pictures and Prospect. '

I noticed, however, an error in a reference to Graham's Castle as still standing. The building -was demolished a -number of years ago and was not identical with Prospect Hall, as the writer assumes. The later building was not in Prospect, but at the corner of Torrens road and Park terrace, Bowden-on-the-Hill. The name probably had reference to the commanding view of prospect it possessed.

It was the town residence of Mr. G. F. Angas, one of the founders of the State. The reference to the residences of H. Hussey and T. Harkness are  correct.

Graham's Castle was nearly a mile farther north. The walls were finished with battlements and had a castellated appearance. Mrs. Adams, who was a portly dame, was Mr. Graham's mother, and Mr Adams his stepfather

1924

The Register

 Thursday 11 September 1924

OLD WHINHAMITES.

Dr. Angas Johnson, Messrs. R. E. P. Osborne, G. M. Duncan, and myself were chatting together and discovered that we were all old Whinhamites. Mr. Duncan

w.as a boarder from 1875 to 1879. 1 was the youngest of 120 boarders in Bob Whinham's time,' remarked Dr. Johnson. My father sent me to Whinham's to be thrashed,' explained Mr. Osborne, but Bob Whinham never touched me. He was one of the best friends I ever had.' 'He belted me,' said Dr. Johnson. 'And he kicked me from pillar to post,' added Mr. Duncan. Then they fell to recalling the pinkies, bandicoots, and native cats they saw when the boarders were housed at Graham's Castle. George Duncan has had a' wonderfully varied experience. He once managed a racing stud for Dorrie Doolette, another old Whinhamite. He hag had a big nursery for five years. Seven acres of it were under cover. He says too much money goes out in wages, and that it would be better if he had a' smaller place.'

1929

The Advertiser

  Friday 22 February 1929

EARLY YANKALILLA.

From A.T. SAUNDERS:—Respecting the interesting article in "The Advertiser" of Tuesday, I may state that the descendants of Mr. J.B. Graham bad an excellent picture ol Graham's Castle, Prospect, erected by Mr. Graham, about 1847, but not occupied by him for long.

His father died, and his Mother married Mr. Adams, the old couple living in the castle for some years.

Thanks to Mrs. Hancock, of Gladstone. I have Mrs. Adams's visiting card, with her name, and Prospect house. North Adelaide, on it. Mr. Graham arrived here a poor man "With a good reputation, and began business in Hindley-street as an ironmonger, his former employer in Halifax  (England) having helped him.

The "South Australian" quotes from the "Halifax Guardian" an account of this "Lucky Emigrant," who paid his father's debts. In January, 1848, Mr. Graham sailed from Adelaide for Calcutta in the German ship Gellert, and thus arrived in England. He married at Holy Trinity. Brompton, London, Miss Louisa Rymill sister of the gentlemen who. became so -well known here. He bought an estate in Germany, and died late in 1876. He arrived here on the Recovery, 1839, on 19th August, a surviving fellow passenger being Mr. Thomas Neill.

The Advertiser

  Saturday 19 October 1929

GRAHAM'S CASTLE

From A. D. CARLILE, St. Peters:— I was most interested in reading the remarks of Archbishop Spence about Graham Castle, as I was born there in the early seventies. My late mother and father always told the family about them living at the castle for some time, and how they were obliged to leave owing to disturbing noises heard at night. The same thing happened to the family that followed, who took the castle for a term, but only stayed a few months.

 1947

 The Advertiser

Friday 11 July 1947

Haunted By Children And Snakes

To the Editor

(Mrs.) IRENE ALTMANN. 13 Clifton street. Prospect.

Sir—Prospect House, referred to in the paragraph ("The Advertiser," 1O/7/47) regarding the gift of water colours to the National Gallery was the property known locally at that time as "Graham's Castle." The property comprised ( if I remember aright) all that area from Clifton street extension to Rose street, and from Braund road to the Lower North road (now Churchill avenue?). The house was reputed to be haunted. It was, I think, of two storeys, and above the stairs there was a lookout. From this vantage point we children had warning of anyone approaching the building, and by knocking at the front door when visitors were at the back, and vice versa, and hiding successfully in between, I am sure we helped to sustain the reputation of the house. It would not be many seconds before we would see the sight seers making for one of the entrances.

I heard that the walls on demolition, were found to be the home of quite a number of snakes, which may have had something to do with the legend that the "Castle" was haunted

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