James William Clingan 1870–1932
Ron’s great-grandfather
When James William Clingan was born on 17 February 1870, in Waterloo, New South Wales, his father, William, was 46 and his mother, Esther, was 29. He married Amelia Biggs on 29 September 1896, in Narrabri, New South Wales. They had eight children in 17 years. He died on 17 April 1932, in Liverpool, New South Wales, at the age of 62, and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery, New South Wales.
Birth
James William Clingan was born on 17 February 1870, in Waterloo, New South Wales to Esther Dick, age 29, and William Clingan, age 46.
1866 to 1874
James William Clingan was the third born child of William Clingan and Esther Dicks. His siblings, all born in New South Wales, in birth order were:
- Jane Ann Clingan – born in 1866 and passed away in 1938
- John Cornelius Clingan – born in 1868 and passed away in 1950
- Esther – born in 1871 and passed away in 1952
- Thomas George –born in 1873 and passed away in 1874 at the age of one
- George – born in 1874 in Waterloo
Death of Father
James William’s father William passed away on 16 July 1885, in Waterloo, New South Wales, at the age of 61. William Clingan 1824–1885
Following the death of his father, James William Clingan, then aged 17, was charged with the offence of being Riotous and was sentenced to three days gaol from 5–7 July 1887.
Death of Mother
James William’s mother Esther passed away on 16 March 1892, in New South Wales, at the age of 51. Esther Dick 1841–1892
Marriage
James William Clingan married Amelia Biggs on 29 September 1896, in the newly dedicated St. Cyprian’s, Church of England, Narrabri, New South Wales, when he was 26 years old. Their marriage was conducted by the eighth Vicar of Narrabri, Rev. Thomas Edward Fox.
James William Clingan married Amelia Biggs in September 1896 at St. Cyprian’s, Church of England, Narrabri, New South Wales.
Children of James and Amelia born in New South Wales were:
- James William Clingan, born 1894 in Nyngan, passed away in 1954
- Ernest Edward Henry Clingan, born 1896 in Narrabri, passed away in 1968
- Myrtle Lily Jane Clingan, Born 1898 in Walgett, passed away in 1974
- George Albert Clingan, born 1900 and registered in Waterloo, passed away in 1982
- Dorothy May Clingan, born 1902 in Narrabri, passed away in 1967
- Amelia Adelaide Clingan, born 1904 in Walgett, passed away 1981
- David Ronald Clingan, born 1906 and registered in Sydney, passed away 1987
- Victor John Clingan, born 1911 in Waterloo, passed away 26 October 1920
1896 – 1918
During most of his life James’s occupation has been Woolscourer. His job was to take wool as shorn from the sheep that is greasy (or raw) wool; then subject it to further processing including washing to remove dirt, water soluble contaminants (called suint), and wool grease. This process is known as scouring.
During the period from 1896–1918 James William Clingan worked as a Woolscourer, Labourer or Wool Classer at the following places in New South Wales:
- Woolscourer at Narrabri on 29 September 1896;
- Resided in Dangar Village, Narrabri, on May 24, 1902, his occupation was woolscourer;
- In 1910 he lived in High Street, Botany;
- He lived in Botany Road, Botany in 1913, his occupation was labourer;
- On 17 November 1918, he lived in Tramway Street, Mascot; and,
- His occupation on 2 April 1921, was Labourer Wool Classer.
1919 – 1928
James was living in the Sydney working class areas of Botany and Mascot when six o’clock closing was introduced during the First World War. Its introduction was partly an attempt to improve public morality and partly as a war austerity measure. The six o’clock swill was a slang term for the last-minute rush to buy drinks at a hotel bar before it closed. During a significant part of the 20th century, hotels shut their public bars at 6 pm. A culture developed of heavy drinking during the time between finishing work at 5 pm and the mandatory closing only an hour later.
On 11 January 1919 James assaulted his wife Amelia Clingan at Mascot. A warrant was issued by the Redfern Bench for the arrest of William James Clingan, 45 years of age, 5 feet 9 or 10 inches high, thin build dark complexion and hair, dark moustache turning grey, grey eyes; dressed in a grey sac suit and dark soft-felt hat. He was described as a wool-washer.
Seven years later in Sydney, on 6 January 1926 he was charged with “Wife Desertion” and arrested by Sydney Police. James was ordered to pay 15s per week for the support of his wife and £1 19s. 6d. costs.
Death of Wife
His wife Amelia passed away on March 13, 1929, in Marrickville Hospital, New South Wales, at the age of 52. They had been married 32 years.
Before hospitalization, Amelia had been living with her daughter Amelia Adelaide Watt and husband Leslie at 33 Charles Street, Marrickville
At the time of Amelia’s death James William Clingan was living with his son Ernest and his wife Stella at Banks Terrace Street, Botany, New South Wales, Australia.
One year later, in 1930, James William Clingan an invalid pensioner was living at Cowpasture Road, Canley Vale, New South Wales, Australia. It was from Canley Vale that James was admitted to the Liverpool Asylum for the Infirm and Destitute. The Asylum inmates were an extraordinarily diverse assortment of characters from all parts of the world and every rank, religion and occupation. There were ex-soldiers, seamen, miners, explorers, authors, businessmen and professional men. The majority were ordinary honest men, forced into hardship because of sickness, drink, destitution, old age, loneliness or lack of family support.
Death
James William Clingan died on Sunday, 17 April 1932, in Liverpool, New South Wales, when he was 62 years old. The cause of his death was aortic regurgitation probably triggered by chronic syphilis. His funeral left the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Dorothy May Morris, 123 Illawarra Road, Marrickville, at 3 pm on Tuesday, 19 April 1932, for the Church of England Cemetery, Rookwood.
Ancestral Tree of James William Clingan & Amelia Biggs
Ancestors of James William Clingan
Our direct relationship to James William Clingan
- Dorothy May Clingan (1902 – 1967) daughter of James William Clingan
- → Dorothy Amelia Morris (1923 – 1966) daughter of Dorothy May Clingan