James Clark, son of James and Sarah Clark, was christened at St Michaels, Gloucester on 22/1/1781, and was educated at the Blue Coat School of Christ’s Hospital. On completion of his classical education, he was apprenticed in the office of the Gloucester Journal, one of the oldest provincial newspapers in the kingdom.
In 1823 James Clark set up a printing press in Chepstow in Castle Parade, Bridge Street. In 1825 he printed and published A Guide to the Stranger Visiting the Town of Chepstow ‘for the use of casual visitors, who, since the introduction of the Steam Packet, resort to Chepstow in great numbers, for the purpose of visiting the immediate Neighbourhood without making the general Tour of Monmouthshire’.
In 1809 he married Mary Baker of Coleford. They had four children:
- George Alfred Clark, born 7/6/1810
- Amelia Clark, born 19/5/1812
- James Henry Clark, born 23/1/1818
- William Edward Clark, born 24/9/1820
In 1830 James Clark bought Wansbrough’s business and moved to Bank Square (now No. 10 Bank Street). His son George Alfred worked as an assistant and James Henry learnt the craft as his devil. He wrote in his old age, ‘My father, to encourage me, purchased a small printing press, which he gave for my sole use, that I might print small hand-bills.’ His son William Edward Clark became a partner in the business, which was later continued by his son and daughter, William Edward New Clark and Emmeline Clark.
On 1st January 1834, George Alfred Clark and his younger brother James Henry Clark, walked through Caerwent, Llanvair Discoed, and Penycaemawr to start as the first printers in Usk. George died the following year, and J. H. Clark, at the age of 17, successfully carried on the business.
In 1849 James Clark, senior, started a monthly periodical, the Chepstow Gleaner, with the motto Fiat Lux – ‘Let there be light’. After the twentieth number the Gleaner ceased publication, and in 1851 the parts were collected into a single volume.
James Clark died in Bank Square on 12th June 1859. His widow died in Chepstow at the house of her son William Edward Clark on 7th January 1878, aged 100.
Books published by James Clark included: A Guide to the Stranger Visiting the Town of Chepstow, the delightful Regions of Piercefield, the Grand Scenery of the Wyndcliff; the Celebrated Ruin of Tintern Abbey, &c.,&c 1st, 2nd, 3rd editions 1s. 6d.
Also published were: The Monmouthshire & South Wales Pocket Guide 1st edition 1834, 2nd edition 1839, 104 pages and The South Wales Itinerary, 1853, 1s.
For additional information about the Clark family publishing in Chepstow, see:
CLARK family, printers and publishers in Monmouthshire, etc.
in the Dictionary of Welsh Biography.