JAMES CLARK snr

James Clark was born in Motherwell 1881 and died, May 1948.

He, his sister Mary and brother Joseph were born out of wedlock and not registered, they took their mothers name. James’ mother later married but the sibling remained Clarks. His father remains a mystery.

James moved to the East end of Glasgow where he worked as a bolt maker. He played football the very successful Ashfield FC in the Scottish Junior Football league. In 1905 played in the team that won five trophies including in Scottish Junior Cup and the Maryhill trophy. He was noted to be a splendid central defender and despite interest from Rangers his career ended abruptly the following pre-season due to injury.

James Clark had married his first wife, Ellen Kerr Kelly, in 1904 in Bridgeton Glasgow, in 1919 the union ended in disgrace. Follow a trial Ellen Kerr Kelly and Charles Henderson were jailed for bigamy for one month. Unbeknownst to James, Ellen had been having an affair for up to four years. James and Ellen had five children at the time of the trial and Ellen was pregnant with Charles Henderson's child. The parentage of the youngest three "Clark" siblings is disputed. The fracas made the national paper.

James Clark remarried in 1923 to Isabella Gallacher. They had three children, James, Isabella and John who came as an addition to Isabella’s two Margaret and Peter. In uniting the families James renounced his protestantarianism and made a public apology to the parish at St Alphonsis. Otherwise Isabella, who was Catholic, would not have been able continue to prastice her religion.

Isabella, their second child only lived for 20 days. The surviving Clarks and Gallachers lived together as one family.

James Clark was a good man and well known in the Calton .  His nickname was Elky and he worked at the blacksmiths fixing the barrows of the hawkers including the famous Mary Ann Brown.

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