The Late James Fallon, Vinyardist.

Colonial engraved portrait of James Thomas Fallon (1823?-1886), vigneron and wine merchant. On 31 August 1841 Fallon arrived in Sydney and farmed for some years. He then opened a store in Braidwood and in 1854 moved to Albury, opening a general store in Kiewa Street and later became part-owner of the paddle-steamer Cumberoona. He was soon one of the town’s most important citizens and in 1857 subscribed £100 to a reward for the local discovery of gold. In 1859-62 Fallon was Albury’s first mayor.

The Murray Valley Vineyard, 640 acres (259 ha) with 150 (61 ha) under vine, was established about 1858 by a company of which Fallon was a director, but border customs caused a loss of some £7000. About 1861 Fallon acquired the vineyard and soon became a successful vigneron and wine merchant as well as storekeeper. His well-known cellars in Kiewa Street were the scene of many local celebrations. By 1872 he had set up a distillery, a central depot in Sydney and cellars in Melbourne and exported wine to England, America, India, Ceylon and New Zealand. His wines continued to win prizes, notably in 1873 at Vienna and in 1882 at Bordeaux.

From the original edition of the Town and Country Journal.