Thomas Clark (abt. 1810 - 1892)

Born about 1810 in United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 19 May 1892 at about age 82 in Antechamber Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Thomas Clark, an Englishman #S8, was present in the British Colony of South Australia in its early years. A biography of his son Robert Clark says that Tom arrived in Australia in 1835, #S6 which was before the establishment of the colony of South Australia, and that he came to South Australia from Tasmania (then Van Diemen's Land) to join the whale fishery at Encounter Bay. Tom Clark's ship of arrival is not mentioned in his Obituary #S2. He had a brother named James Clark, also a whaler at Encounter Bay. #S1

A Thomas Clark, Whaler, left Launceston on the whaling vessel Thistle for Port Fairy on 20th October 1836. #S10

A Thomas Clark departed Hobart for Adelaide on the Will Watch on 19th March 1844 #S3A

He is mentioned in newspapers as a headsman, and then chief headsman at the Encounter Bay whaling fishery from 1844. #S3 He distinguished himself for his strength and the number of whales he caught. #S4 His appointment as headsman implies some years of prior experience as a mariner and whaler. He was thus employed until at least 1851. Off-shore whaling was seasonal and he may have had other employment elsewhere in the off-season.

In 1850 Tom Clark partnered with Barnett to hunt whales near Rapid Bay, in a spot now known as Fishery Beach. Whaling commenced in May 1850. Tom was manager and lived there with "Mrs Clark" in a slab hut, remains of which have been excavated by archaeologists. They kept ducks, fowls and pigs, probably for their own use and to supplement the diet of the whalers. #S11 #S12 #S14

There were twelve whalers, but few whales. Only one was caught in the entire season. #S13 Tom had plenty of time to build three rowboats in sheds on site. At the end of the season, the fishery was sold to Bennett's #S14. Tom is recorded as having been in Bennett's employ in 1851 #S3 ; this could have been at either Rapid Bay or Encounter Bay, though his son Robert is said to have been born at "Port Victor" (Encounter Bay) #S6 .

The woman posing as "Mrs Clark" was Mrs Mary Louisa Stone #S5 Tom and Mary's son Robert Clark was born in 1851.#S6. One source says that a second son, William, was born in 1855. #S6A In 1858 they had a daughter, Eliza Jane Clark. #S7 By 1861 Mary Louisa had left Tom and was using the name Buckley. #S7A

In 1853 Tom Clark was one of the locals who assisted survivors of the shipwrecked steamer Osmanli at D'Estrees Bay, Kangaroo Island. He offered to take charge of the salvage operation. #S8

Tom spent his later years on Kangaroo Island where his son Robert became a successful farmer and grazier.

He passed away in 1892, aged 82 at Antechamber Bay, Kangaroo Island. #S9

Sources

• OLD RESIDENT TELLS STORIES OF WHALING DAYS
• AN OLD KANGAROO ISLANDER
• FamilyHistorySA.info: CLARK Thomas, headsman (1846 Hagen, 1847 Wilde, 1848, 1849 Barnett, 1851 Bennett) Names in brackets are his employers as a whaler. Source: South Australian Government Gazettes 1844-51
• SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1844, March 22). The Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), p. 2
• What we know of Tom Clark's and Mary Stone's relationship is from a newspaper report of a divorce suit brought by Mrs Stone's husband, Joseph.[ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49826783 Supreme Court - Stone vs Stone and Clark
• Cyclopedia of South Australia 1909, pp.1021-1022
• Bibliographical Index of South Australia, May 1986 There's no formal registration of this birth. Not known where the BISA got it from. In 1880, a William Clark, son of Thomas Clark, married Ellen Harris in Adelaide (BDM 124/835) but no certainty of connection.
• Mary called herself Louisa Stone: CLARKE Thomas, Louisa STONE, parents of child born 1858-03-08 named Eliza Jane at Encounter Bay (data courtesy Family History S.A.)
• Hearing re Marriage of Mary Ann Stone and Ezra Moore: "LAW AND CRIMINAL COURTS." South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) 30 November 1861: 3. Web. 13 May 2018 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50080691.
• Letter from Thomas Clarke to South Australian Free Press, , 4th March 1854
• Death Thomas CLARKE died 19 May 1892, aged 82yrs, born approx 1810, at An techamber Bay which was also his residence at time of death. Ref: District: Yankalilla Book/Page: 202/409 per South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society.
• Tasmanian Names Index - Departures
• New Whale Fishery at Cape Jervis
• Shipping - Cleared Out

The Whaling Season SKETCHES OF THE PRESENT STATE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. No. VIII.-CAPE JERVIS

Research Notes

• Tom Clarke was immortalised in Simpson Newland's book "Paving the Way".
• In 1835 the Schooner Adelaide brought whaler Thomas Harris to Kangaroo Island. Could it also have brought Tom Clark?
• In 1836 a Thomas Clark left Launceston on the whaling ship "Thistle" for Port Fairy. https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/search/results?qu=NI_NAME%3DThomas&qu=NI_NAME%3DClark&qf=NI_DEPARTURE_PORT%09Departure+port%09Launceston%09Launceston
• in 1850 the Barnett whaling company, owned by Joseph Barnett, became a partnership, Joseph Barnett & Thomas Clark (Source: http://www.familyhistorysa.org/sahistory/whaling.html Whaling in South Australia). Tom Clarke worked for Barnett in 1849, and Bennett in 1851 but no employer is recorded for 1850. Most whaling ceased at Encounter Bay about this time.