Walters, H. A. Locke, c. 1868, Photograph, B 11185
Abraham Fordham. According to a descendant, he established the 'Eagle on the Hill' hotel and owned a number of hotels in Adelaide, including Fordham's Hotel in the 1840s. He also organized and ran the first Adelaide show out of the back yard of one of his Hotels. Abraham Fordham arrived in 1837 at the age of 34. He established himself as a hotelier and opened the Fordham's Hotel, later known as the Sturt Arcade Hotel in Grenfell Street. The hotel was originally built from packing cases in which port wine had been brought out from England. He also established the Anderson's Arms on Mount Barker Road, the name of which was officially changed to Eagle-On-The-Hill in 1855. It was renamed because a large hawk/eagle often sat on a flagpole near the entrance. Bushrangers terroised patrons and travellers near the hotel. Abraham Fordham suffered ill health and died aged 61