SOLD
William Graham, Manchester
19th century
I think this may be a bale wrapping for cotton coming from India. A most interesting piece of Manchester history. William Graham & Co, were Manchester, Lancashire textile manufacturers and East India traders, importing Indian cottons. William was founder of the Lancefield Spinning Company.
According to J. Edward Graham in his book Short account of the Grahams of Tamrawer 1895, William (1762 -1836), son of James Graham, married Margaret in1782, sister of John Pattison of Kelvingrove. William established himself in business in Glasgow and established the firm of William Graham and Co in 1784. From this a large number of Graham’s companies, registered in Glasgow, were trading individually in Glasgow and elsewhere, including Portugal and India, as early as the late 18th century. In 1810 the business diversified and began importing wines from Portugal. Graham’s became one of Britain’s most prominent port shippers. Mr. Graham, who was twice married, died in 1836, leaving a large family; of his sons, four were associated with him in the business, and the eldest of these, Mr. William Graham (1817-1885), represented Glasgow in Parliament from 1865 till 1874 as a Liberal MP. At this time William Graham was a Scottish politician, wine merchant, cotton manufacturer and port shipper.*
Graham's set up in Manchester about 1840 and was still going in the early 20th century.
86 Major Street, Manchester, Lancashire.
Cataloguing
An end of a bolt of fine soft Indian cotton with five rows of blue cotton to the end and two rows of white and blue cotton further in, a blue printed stamp of William Graham & Co, Manchester, a further blue stamp 848 and 18 yds, an Indian gold filé thread embroidered leafy spray and 5950.
36 x 39 in; 90 x 1m
Condition
Very good.
Comments
* https://www.thesweetfamily.co.uk/scott/east-india-trade/