James Barclay

James Barclay
Born	1826 Dublin, Ireland
Died	18 August 1862 Bald Hills
Nationality	Irish
Occupation	Publican
Years active	1860-1862
Known for	Bald Hills Hotel
Home town	Bald Hills
Spouse(s)	Anne Madden
Children	Simon (1857) James (1857) Patrick (1857) Charles (1857) John (1858) Martin (1860)
Parents	Simon Barclay (father) Anne (mother)

James Barclay was a publican in the Ballarat district, <1860-1862.

History

James Barclay was born in Dublin in 1826, the son of Simon and Anne Barclay. Barclay married Anne Madden, an Irish girl from Tipperary, in 1855. They had quadruplets in 1857: Simon, James, Patrick and Charles. Simon died at three days, and Patrick died aged 9 in 1866. Two other sons, John born 1858, and Martin born in 1860 also died as infants.

Barclay opened the Bald Hills Hotel on 4 August 1860:

"Since Saturday Mr James Barclay has opened a public house in the said locality, called " The Bald Hills Hotel," and as Mrs Barclay is presiding over the household - the lady who presented her lord and master with four pledges of conjugal affection at one birth - we have no doubt that their establishment will be extensively patronised by all classes of the community."

The hotel was described as having two sitting rooms and five bedrooms.

He was was publican of the Bald Hills Hotel until his death in 1862.

He died on 18 August 1862:

Suicide: The Bald Hills yesterday morning presented a scene of great excitement, the news having spread that Mr James Barclay, the well-known landlord of the Bald Hills Hotel, had died suddenly.

From inquiries made by our reporter on the spot, it appears that Mr Barclay, who yesterday, at about 9 a.m., seemed to have been in good health, was noticed standing outside the hotel, whilst one of the Ballarat coaches was waiting for passengers. He was then for a short time, playing with his two little boys, and subsequently in his capacity as post-master, went for a few minutes to the Post-office, a building close by, whence he returned to the hotel. In ten minutes afterwards he was a corpse, Mrs Barclay, in looking for him, breakfast waiting on the table, being the first who discovered him in a bed-room, near the sitting-room, suspended from a rafter. The deceased had cut a hole in the ceiling, and then committed suicide by tying a comforter and neckerchief together, and thereby strangling himself. Some difficulties in money matters seem to have led the deceased to the rash act. Mr Barclay, who was very much respected at Creswick, Clunes, and the Bald Hills, leaves a wife and two boys behind, the latter being the surviving two children of four born at one birth on Creswick. An inquest was held yesterday; the particulars will be found in another part of our columns.

Inquest into James Barclay:

SUICIDE AT THE BALD HILLS. INQUEST ON THE BODY. On Monday an inquest was held by the Creswick District Coroner on the body of James Barclay, of the Bald Hills Hotel After the jury had been empanelled and viewed the body, the coroner proceeded to call witnesses. James Madden deposed: I am a miner at the Bald Hills. Deceased is my brother-in-law. I lived in the same house with him. Deceased came to my bed about 8 o'clock this morning, and wanted the razor and strop for shaving. He then left me. About 20 minutes after I heard a woman screaming in the house. I got up and went into several rooms and opened the one opposite my apartment, where I found the deceased suspended from a brace on the roof by his handkerchief and comforter. The feet of deceased were about three feet from the floor. With the assistance of Patrick Molloy I got deceased down, and found he was quite dead. I thought deceased looked rather wild this morning when he spoke to me. I cannot say if he was the worse for liquor, as I had only a few words with him. I was speaking to deceased for an hour and a half yesterday evening. I then thought he was not in his right mind. Deceased has been in the habit of drinking more than usual lately. For the last two weeks he was very foolish in his manner and his business generally. He spoke to me last night of a bill he had to meet this day, of L100. It seemed to trouble him very much, and he said he was afraid he could not meet it. It was my bill I said I would not press him, but would make it all right. The bill was for cash lent. If there had been any struggle in the room where deceased was found I must have heard it.

Ann Barclay deposed—Deceased was my husband He slept in my room last night as usual. He left me this morning about eight o'clock to go to the bar. I got some hot water for him to shave with. I thought he had gone to our own room. In about ten minutes I went to our room for deceased, as I wanted him to come to breakfast. He was not in his own room. I then looked into several bedrooms, and found deceased suspended from the ceiling. I screamed out and left the room. My brother then got out of his bed and came into the.room. Dr Foster was sent for. Deceased went to bed last night before 12 o'clock. He was sober, but had had a little drink. I have not noticed anything particular about deceased. I cannot say that he was lately in the habit of taking more drink than he usually did. He could take a great deal of drink without it being noticed on him. I never heard deceased threaten to hang himself. I have been married to deceased seven years. I have two male children alive and four dead. He was about thirty years of age, a native of Dublin, kept the Bald Bills Hotel for nearly two years, and kept a store before he came to the Bald Hills. If deceased had made any noise or struggled much the men must have heard him. I know nothing about my brother's bill.

Patrick Molloy, who assisted, in taking down deceased, corroborated part of the previous evidence, and added that deceased had asked him on the previous day whether he had heard any one say he was hard up for money, when witness replied in the negative.

Thomas Foster, medical practitioner, deposed—I saw deceased alive this morning about a quarter to nine o'clock. About twenty minutes afterwards I was called, and saw the deceased lying on a bed with his clothes on. I know deceased had been drinking to excess for some time back. He frequently told me he was ill, but took no medicine. I have attended deceased on several occasions for delirium tremens. Deceased looked very pale and nervous when I saw him this morning. I believe deceased was dead about ten minutes when I was called in this morning.

The jury returned the following verdict: The deceased was found on the morning of the 18th of August suspended by a handkerchief to the roof of his room. The jury are of opinion that the deceased committed the act himself whilst labouring under a temporary fit of insanity.

His wife, Anne Barclay, took over the license until her death in 1864, aged 32.