Sir Clarence Johnston Graham, 1st Baronet (8 May 1900 – 22 December 1966) was a businessman and an

Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a Unionism in Ireland, unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the I ...

politician in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

Background

The son of John Graham JP and Sarah (nee Porter) Graham was educated at Banbridge Academy and the

Queen's University, Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

. He was director of his family's firm, ''John Graham (Dromore) Ltd'', engineering contractors (est. c. 1788) from 1955. Graham Construction remains one of the largest construction firms in Northern Ireland and operates throughout the UK.

Politics

Graham was Chairman of the Standing Committee of the

Ulster Unionist Council The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a Unionism in Ireland, unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the I ...

from 1947 to 1963. He was Chairman of Dromore Urban Council (1928–32) and of Iveagh Unionist Association (1935–65), and President of the latter from 1965 until his death. Controversially, along with

Brian Maginess William Brian Maginess, QC (10 July 1901 – 16 April 1967), was a member of the Government of Northern Ireland, who was widely seen as a possible successor to The 1st Viscount Brookeborough as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Life He was ...

, he called for the UUP to encourage Roman Catholic membership whilst speaking at a Young Unionists meeting in 1959.

Baronetcy

Having been

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

in 1952 he was, in 1964, created

Baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14t ...

, ''of

Dromore, County Down Dromore () is a small market town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies within the local government district of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. It is southwest of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast–Dublin road. The 2011 ...

.'' There were nine baronetcies created in 1964, no more were created until 1990, when

Denis Thatcher Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet, (10 May 1915 – 26 June 2003) was an English businessman and the husband of Margaret Thatcher, who served as the first female British prime minister from 1979 to 1990; in turn, he became the first male prime ...

was a recipient. Sir Clarence was succeeded by his son, John Moodie Graham (born 3 April 1938), upon his death. Sir John Graham, the second baronet, lived in

Fort Lauderdale A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to th ...

, before returning to

References

External links

GRAHAM company website

https://www.geni.com/projects/Graham-baronets/17666
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Clarence 1900 births 1966 deaths Ulster Unionist Party councillors Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom Knights Bachelor People educated at Banbridge Academy Councillors in County Down