Frank Graham
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| Frank Graham | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sunderland |
| 🏳️ Nationality | British |
| 🏳️ Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| 💼 Occupation | Historian, Publisher |
| 📆 Years active | 1958-1987 |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Vera Graham |
Frank Graham (1913-30 April 2006) was a British historian and publisher who specialised in the local history and culture of the North East of England.
Early life and education[edit]
Graham was one of five children, his father working in a draper's shop.
Graham won scholarships to the Bede Grammar School in Sunderland, and later to King's College at the University of London to study Classics. He, however, spent more time at the London School of Economics and became active in student politics, taking part in the fight against Oswald Mosley's rally at the Olympia in London and joining the Communist Party, before running out of money and leaving university to return to Sunderland, there becoming part of the National Unemployed Workers Movement and organising local involvement in the 1934 and 1936 NUWM Hunger Marches to London.
Career[edit]
At the start of the Spanish Civil War, Graham organised other volunteers from Sunderland to join the British Battalion of the International Brigade, arriving in Spain at Christmas 1936. In January and February of 1937, Graham fought at the Battle of Jarama before touring England in April to raise support for the Spanish Republic as a lieutenant in the Saklatvala Battalion, 15th Brigade of the Spanish Republican Army. He returned to take part in the Battle of Brunete and the fighting around Villanueva de la Canada, as a mounted reconnaissance officer. Graham was seriously wounded in March 1938 at the Battle of Caspe, the bullet remaining within him for the rest of his life as it was deemed too dangerous to remove. He would later contribute to Republican radio broadcasts, until contracting typhoid. Graham was repatriated towards the end of 1938, returning to speak at a rally for the International Brigade volunteers from the north east of England at Newcastle City Hall. During the Second World War, Graham was consdered unfit for military service and carried out a number of manual jobs, including working as a milkman for The Co-op in Teesside. Whilst there, he also worked for the Communist Party.
In 1945, Graham trained as a teacher and spent the next 15 years teaching at Wharrier Street School in Newcastle. Whilst teaching evening and weekend classes for the Workers' Educational Association, Graham realised that there had been little north east history published since the Edwardian Period, so produced a pamphlet about Lindisfarne. Holy Island was published in 1958, selling 3,000 copies in the first 18 months. This success led to Graham creating his own publishing firm, producing works on north-eastern history and culture as well as reprinting older works. Graham's most successful work was the publication of Larn Yersel Geordie by Scott Dobson, selling 3,000 copies in 48 hours and 81,000 within the first year, aimed at increasing awareness of the local culture.
When the publishing firm was sold in 1987, it had produced 387 titles - 103 of which were written by Graham himself - and had sold over three million copies, a British record for local publishing. The printing and binding was largely done in the north east, with prices kept low to be more affordable to the general public.
Later life[edit]
Graham remained a member of the International Brigade Memorial Trust, attending annual meetings until prevented by ill health. Following the restoration of democracy to Spain, Graham attended memorial meetings held there in honour of the anti-fascist volunteers. In 1986, Graham planted a tree in the grounds of the Newcastle Civic Centre to commorate the 50th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War.
Graham survived a heart attack in his 90s.
At his death, Graham left his wife of 66 years, Vera, as well as two sons and a number of grandchildren.
Legacy[edit]
Through publishing works deemed worthy of publication without any desire for profits, Graham has been said to have caused a resurgence of interest in printed local music.[1]
External links[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Murphy, Judith (2008). Selling Coals to Newcastle: The media and publishing in relation to North Eastern folk music, 1945-1975. North East England History Institute. Search this book on
- Archaeological Data Service. "Frank Graham". Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- Corcoran, John. "Graham, Frank". Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- Graham, Frank (1992). Bibliography 1958-1991: Complete List of Books published by Frank Graham. Newcastle Upon Tyne: Frank Graham. Search this book on
- Marshall, Ray (2013). "Real Life Battler". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- Open Library. "Frank Graham". Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums (9 May 2015). "Frank Graham, North-East fighter in the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War". Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- Watson, Don (2007). "Celebrating a Generation of Activists: Frank Graham". North East History. 38: 186–191.
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