Page:Dictionary of National Biography. Sup. Vol II (1901).djvu/350

 royal engineers by Sir E. J. Poynter, president of the Royal Academy, was exhibited at the Royal Academy exhibition of 1886, and now hangs in the royal engineers' mess at Chatham.

Six feet four inches high, and of massive build, Graham looked every inch a soldier. Of a retiring and reserved disposition, Lord Wolseley once spoke of him as 'a man with the heart of a lion and the modesty of a young girl.' Both morally and physically he did not seem to know what fear was.

Graham contributed several papers on professional subjects to the 'Professional Papers of the Corps of Royal Engineers' (see new series, vols. vi. vii. xi. xiv. and xix., and occasional series, vol. iv.) His translation from the German of the official account, by Captain Adolphe Goetze of the Prussian engineers, of the 'Operations of the German Engineers and Technical Troops during the Franco-German War of 1870-1,' with six maps, was published in 1875. He was also the author of 'Last Words with Gordon,' which originally appeared in the 'Fortnightly Review' of January 1887, and was published separately the same year with additions and appendices. His 'Life, Letters, and Diaries' were edited by the present writer (London, 1901, 8vo).

Graham married, in London at St. Peter's, Eaton Square, on 29 April 1862, Jane Dinah, widow of the Rev. G. B. Blacker (d. 1858), rector of East and West Rudham, Norfolk, and daughter of George Durrant (d. 1877) of Elmham Hall, Suffolk. By her he had six children.  GRAIN, RICHARD CORNEY (1844–1895), public entertainer, youngest son of John Grain, was born on 26 Oct. 1844 at Teversham, Cambridgeshire, and received what he called 'an average middle-class education,' partly in Germany, whither he went when fourteen, became a student on 27 April 1863, and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple on 30 April 1866. For a short period he went on the western circuit. Having much musical and less histrionic proficiency, he sang and acted in private, and on 16 May 1870 joined what was known as the German Reed entertainment, then given at the Gallery of Illustration, appearing in a sketch of his own called 'The School-feast.'

With this company he remained till the close of his life, becoming in the end its principal support. He played or sang with it at St. George's Hall, to which it removed, and in the country, and wrote for it between fifty and sixty entertainments consisting of social sketches accompanied by songs and pianoforte music. He took part at times in the comediettas or other dramatic performances given by the company, but had, as he owned, little taste or capacity for acting. His comic sketches were fashionable, and were frequently given in private houses. He had a large frame with exceptionally large and expressive hands. His death on 16 March 1895, following as it did that, ten days earlier, of his associate, Alfred German Reed, broke up what had been for forty years a popular entertainment [see under ]. His last sketch was entitled 'Music à la Mode.' Grain was responsible for many songs. He wrote 'Corney Grain, by Himself,' which first appeared in 'Murray's Magazine,' and was issued separately in 1888.  GRANT, ALBERT, known as (1830–1899), company promoter, was the son of W. Gottheimer, partner of a foreign 'fancy' business in Newgate Street, London. Born in Dublin in 1830, he was educated at London and Paris, and assumed the name of Grant. Though his career had features in common with that of George Hudson [q. v.], the 'railway king,' he may be described as the pioneer of modern mammoth company promoting. The origin of his success as a promoter is said to have been his notion of obtaining lists of all the clergy, widows, and other small yet sanguine investors. The public which he discovered in this way was greedy to take up companies quicker than he could bring them out. 'All sorts of kind individuals were at his elbow, ready to supply him with the means of meeting the demand,' and he was tempted 