British soldier and dog breeder (1833–1909)
Captain George Augustus Graham (6 August 1833 – 21 October 1909) was a British Army officer, historian and dog breeder. He is best known for reviving the Irish Wolfhound from extinction and establishing the modern breed standard. All present-day Irish Wolfhounds are descended from his wolfhounds, bred between 1863 and 1885.
Early years and family.
Born on 6 August 1833 in Bathwick, George Augustus Graham was the son of Col. Charles Graham , who served in the First Ava War, and his wife Mary Ann Graham. He was educated at Cheltenham College. He was of Scottish descent, his family belonging to the Rednock branch of Clan Graham. In 1863, Graham married Lydia Caroline Potter, with whom he had seven children.
India.
In 1852, Graham was commissioned in the East India Company's Bengal Infantry and dispatched to India to serve with the 11th Native Infantry in Barrackpore, north of Calcutta. In October 1854, he was promoted to lieutenant and in March 1857, took part in the Bozdar Expedition under the command of Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain against the Baloch tribe which was raiding the Punjab. After this punitive expedition, he was awarded the India General Service Medal. Graham played an important role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, serving with his regiment during the infamous mutiny, and was promoted to captain – the rank he was later always known by. He was proficient in Hindustani. While in India, Graham had developed a passion for historic sighthounds and was particularly fond of Scottish Deerhounds. In early 1862, he returned to England and bought the renamed Rednock House, near Dursley.
Irish Wolfhound.
The original Irish Wolfhound was declared extinct in the early 19th century by most authors. This was due to several factors, including the extinction of wolves in Ireland, war and persecution, and over-exportation abroad. In 1863, Graham travelled to Ireland in order to gather the last remaining Irish wolfhounds, and in County Kilkenny, he acquired several hounds both claimed to descend from strains going back to the wolfhounds of old. Another dog, named "Faust", was sold to Graham in Cheshire by an owner who alleged that it had original wolfhound blood. He attempted to breed using only a select group of these "true-bred" Irish wolfhounds, but with a gene-pool too small this was largely unsuccessful.
In the following years, Graham persisted and had formed the opinion that the Irish Wolfhound could be revived and or recreated by selectively breeding large Glengarry strain Scottish Deerhounds, which he believed were derived earlier from the Irish Wolfhound. The Great Dane, also thought to be descended from wolfhounds imported to the Holy Roman Empire, was among several large breeds Graham reluctantly used to create the modern Irish Wolfhound. In 1885, his results were met with a breed standard, approved and ratified by the Kennel Club. Graham is widely credited as having saved the Irish Wolfhound from extinction and creating the modern breed.
References.
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