Joseph Graham O’Connor was born in King’s County, Ireland and migrated to New South Wales with his family at the age of two. O’Connor was educated by the Christian Brothers and at Sydney College, and was then apprenticed to a wood engraver and printer.
In the late 1850s O'Connor began his own business ‘as an engraver and printer and in 1860 produced the short-lived Sunbeam for the Catholic Young Men's Society. In 1864 he joined W. B. Dalley, W. J. Macleay and J. J. Harpur in bringing out the unsuccessful Sydney Times, devoted to 'the promotion of Australian literature and the advocacy and encouragement of native industry'. In 1867 he began the Balmain Reporter, one of the earliest suburban newspapers.’ By 1876, O’Connor had accumulated debts of ‘over £1400’. He sold his press and ‘was not discharged from bankruptcy until 1884’.
O’Connor’s other journalistic endeavours included the editing and printing of the Catholic Association Reporter (1870-1871), the Catholic Times (in opposition to The Freeman’s Journal) and the Nation. Debt again plagued O’Connor and, in 1890, he closed the Nation and his estate was sequestered.
O’Connor moved to Newcastle where he was appointed ‘chief clerk on the Water and Sewerage Board’. He retired from that position in 1909. Throughout his life, O'Connor was active in Irish Catholic affairs. He supported the Catholic Association, the Irish State Prisoners’ Fund and the Irish National League. He was also the member for Mudgee in the Legislative Assembly from 1873 to 1875.
Source: Mark Lyons. 'O'Connor, Joseph Graham (1839–1913).' Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
Sighted: 08/10/2013
