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The Clague collection contains photographic material including postcard images of sailing and steam ships, crew members and views of ports across the world, and items relating to the Blue Star Line. There are also photographic postcards capturing soldiers’ experiences in France during the First World War.
1869 - 1950
Lived at Senhouse Street and The Post Office, Maryport
The Clague's were a Maryport seafaring family. William Clague (1869-1950) was a sailmaker in Maryport. (His father was also a mariner). He served a seven-year apprenticeship at Ritson’s shipyard from 1882 to 1889. Making sails required considerable skill and William’s job would have been one of constant labour, working to replace sails as they wore out, were damaged, or needed to be repaired. William served on Crocodile; a troopship operated by the Royal Navy in the early 1890s where he would have worked aloft, often in very challenging conditions to ensure the sails were maintained.
William married Catherine Robinson in 1893 and they had two sons. Their youngest son William Wilson Clague (1897-1917) was killed in action during World War 1 and received the Victory Medal. Their eldest son, Thomas Robinson Clague (1895-1974) followed in his father’s footsteps and went to sea serving as a Chief Engineer for the Blue Star Line for over 40 years. The Blue Star Line was a British passenger and cargo shipping company formed in 1911-1998. The company supplied beef to allied forces in France during the war. Thomas made regular voyages to South America and later to Australia and New Zealand when the company expanded its operations. His son William Wilson Clague (1917-1999) also served.
