Clements,

CLEMENTS,John Crossman(1855–1931) was born at Bideford, Devon, England, eldest son of Henry Clements, a timber merchant, and Sarah Crossman. By 1871, when his father died, John had commenced training as a joiner. He married Bessie Willsford/Welsford at Bideford in November 1878. By then his younger brother, James (1856–1945), a carpenter, had migrated to Queensland. By early 1882, Clements was in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, when their first daughter was baptized. On 13^th July, following James, they embarked at Plymouth for Queensland, arriving at Townsville in November 1882. Initially he worked as a carpenter with James as Clements Bros in Townsville in 1883 and Normanton in 1885. Thereafter he was an important contractor in the Gulf country of north-west Queensland including for Post Offices at Camooweal, Cloncurry and Croydon. For three months after the contract for the last was signed, work was delayed by the non-arrival of teams with the roads totally impassable. Without pine for letter boxes they were obliged to substitute cedar. At Normanton he succeeded Andrew MURPHIE as Assessor for the Divisional Board until 1892. He remained a contractor at Normanton until 1896 when he was declared insolvent. Later he worked for Queensland Railways until obliged by age to retire. After returning to Townsville where James was living, he resumed contracting until shortly before his death. When he died at Townsville in July 1931, his role with building in the remote north-west was overlooked. Instead, he was remembered as the city’s most prominent poultry breeder and judge.

Education

-1878

Joiner, Bideford

Qualifications / Membership

Migration and Travel

1882

8 Nov 1882: Arr Cleveland Bay (Townsville) from Plymouth, passengers on “Compta”

Employed:

-1882

Joiner, Wednesbury, Staffordshire, Eng.

-1887-

Assessor, Divisional Board, Normanton -1892

-1905-

Queensland Railways

Self-employed:

1883

Carpenter, Townsville

1885

Carpenter, Normanton

Genealogy

[F] Henry Clements (1831–1871) b. 1831, Landcross, Devon, Eng; d. Apr 1871, Barnstaple, Devon, Eng.

[M] Sarah Crossman (1829–1907) b. 1829, Bideford, Devon, Eng.; d. Oct 1907, Bideford, Devon, Eng.

[SF, Oct 1883, Bideford] Heli Hunt (1831–1892) b. 2 June 1851, High Bickington, Devon; c1832; d. 7 Feb 1892, Bideford, Devon
[3C/1-2B]John Crossman CLEMENTS(1855–1931) b. Mar 1855, Bideford, Devon, Eng; d. 3 July 1931, Townsville, Qld.
[S, Oct 1878, Bideford, Devon / M] Elizabeth Welsford (1856–1920) b. c1856, Bideford, Devon, Eng; d. 8 June 1920, Qld.
[C/1-G] Clara Emma Clements (c1879–1953) b. c1879, Bideford, Devon, Eng; d. 9 June 1953, Qld.
[C/B] Ernest Edwin Clements (1883–?) b. 1883, Qld; d. 22 May 1972, Qld [labourer, Townsville, 1943],.
[C/B] Bertie Clements (1886–1953) b. 1886, Qld; d. 7 Sep 1953, Qld [fitter, Townsville, 1943].
[C/G[ Florence Emeline Clements (1890–1941) b. 1890, Qld; d. 17 Nov 1941, Qld
[C/G] Bessie Crossman Clements (1891–1960) b. 1891, Qld; d. 16 June 1960, Qld.
[C/G] Clarice Normie Clements (1894–1955) b. 1894, Qld; d. 10 July 1955, Qld
[C/G] Lillian Maud Clements (1896–1950) b. 1896, Qld; d. 28 Mar 1950, Qld.
[3C/2-2B] James Nichols Ernest CLEMENTS (1856–1945) b. Jan 1856, Bideford, Devon, Eng.; d. 6 Feb 1945, Townsville, Qld. [[carpenter, Townsville, 1937]
[S, 24 Aug 1880, Qld / M] Mary Rhoda Lehy (?–1935) b. ? ; d. 13 Jan 1935, Qld
[3C/G] Clara Nichols Clements (1858–1940) b. Dec 1858, Bideford, Devon, Eng; d. 14 Oct 1940, Bideford, Devon, Eng.
[S, 25 Dec 1880, Nottingham / F] George Draper (1858–?) b. c1858, Charlbury, Oxfordshire, Eng; d. Unknown

Other Activities

1896 Insolvent

1897- Poultry breeder, importer, exhibitor and judge.

References

Insolvency file, SCT11/S 1896/21 QSA; Brisbane Courier: 17 Nov 1882, 4 and 27 Mar 1896, 5; North Queensland Register, 13 Oct 1897, 29; Daily Bulletin (Townsville) 6 July 1931, 6 and 16 July 1931, 4.