Researched by Megan Butler
and Di Cummings

JACOB CLEAL'S story began in England.
The earliest we know of the CLEAL family is that
James CLEAL married Jane ?? sometime before 1755.
He died in 1787 in Somerset, England. She died in 1814 at Horton, Ilminster, Somerset
They had James, Jane (c.1755), Joseph (c.1757), Benjamin (1761)

Their eldest son James CLEAL (sometimes referred to as Jacob) was a Clothier
He married Sarah Gawler and had ten children:

Sophia (c.1792), Phoebe (c.1794), Arabella (c.1796), James CLEAL (b.1799), Hannah (b.1802), Thomas (b.1804),
Daniel (1806-1882), Jacob (1809-1898), Jane (b.1811) and Sarah (b.1814) She was living at Donyatt, Somerset when christened at 1830.

Jacob CLEAL (1809-1898)

Jacob was born in Illminster, Somerset, England
Religion: Protestant Dissenter, Uniting Church

Jacob married Mary Ann Young on the 21.9.1829
at St. George's Church, off Hanover Square, in London.
To see their Marriage Record CLICK HERE

Click the photograph above to see a bigger image.

Jacob was about 19 when he married. The marriage was by Banns
and was officiated by the curator, James Glen. The witnesses were
Daniel Cleal (Jacob's brother) and a C. Lantham
(we think this is Catherine Lantham who married Daniel Cleal,
in this same church, the year following the above marriage.
In fact, between 1827 and 1833 at least five of Jacob's siblings
were married in this same church.

They had 1 child: Mary Ann Young born on 11 Jul 1807
in Fewston, Yorkshire, England. She died sometime before 1840.
We understand that Mary Ann was possibly a relative of
Brigham Young, one of the leaders of the Mormon church.
On her husband Jacob's death
and her daughter Emma Priscilla's second marriage,
the respective informants call her Mary Ann Whittaker.
As she died relatively young, they may have been told the
wrong name by someone and simply
repeated what they had been told.

Jacob and Mary Ann had three children together:
FREDERICK (c.1830-c.1840), ROSABELLA (1831-1925), EMMA PRISCILLA (1835-1944)

In 1832, Jacob listed himself as a green grocer. Later in life he was also listed as a Builder,
a baker and confectioner, a Hotel keeper and a Licenced Victualler.
The only address noted for Jacob around this time was Dean St., in St. Anne's parish, Westminster, London.
By the time Emma was christened the family had moved into the parish of St. Pancras, in London.
We do not know exactly when or where Mary Ann died, except to guess it was in the late 1830's
and there is some evidence that his son Frederick was also dead.

From that time on it is unclear where Jacob got to for about ten years. He either went to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
with his brother Daniel or he remained in England, and sent his two young daughters to Canada with Daniel.
Certainly in 1842 Daniel was having children with his wife Catherine in Ontario.

Jacob's eldest daughter Rosabella was married (aged 16 and without her parent's consent)
to William Barrett (a baker) on July 1, 1848 in Hamilton, Canada.

The only address noted for Jacob around the 1830s was
Deane St., in St. Anne's parish, Westminster, London.

Click Map to see a larger picture.

We recently discovered an Canadian Directory listing confirming
that Jacob Cleal was a baker in Toronto, Canada.

Jacob then married Helen surname not known (born c.1815 possibly in Hampshire, England).
Jacob and Helen emigrated to Australia, in around 1852 and no-one else.
We wonder if Jacob arranged for his two children to come to Australia (they arrived on the "Reinhard" in March 1858).
There was no recorded issue from this marriage. Helen died on the 15.9.1856, of puerperal fever.
She was 41 years old and is buried, with four other members of the Cleal family, in Melbourne General Cemetery.
The details for Helen's death certificate were handled by a Mr. Cornish who was present when she died.
Her death certificate notes Jacob Cleal as her husband but does not note where or when they got married
or any of her family details (apparently Jacob did not even know her parents names).
To see this Certificate CLICK HERE

Jacob then married Elizabeth Amelia DRUCE (21) on the 10.3.1857 at St. Stephen's Church, in Richmond
To see their Marriage Record CLICK HERE.
Elizabeth came to Australia with her parents and lived in Emerald Hill, South Melbourne.
Elizabeth Amelia Druce was born to William Druce (musician) and Mary Ann (nee Hatch)
in the district of All Saints, Liverpool, England.
Once again Daniel Cleal witnessed his brother's marriage.
Jacob listed previous issue on this marriage certificate as: two living and two dead.
So obviously, he'd had either another child with Mary Ann or he had one child to Helen,
that had not survived (which is probably why it wasn't recorded on his death cert.)

They had twelve children all born in Victoria (Australia):
Frederick (1858), Harry (1859) William (1861-1925)
Minnie (1862-?) Lizzy (1863-1863), Edward William (1864-?)
George (1867-1935), Charles Alfred (1868-1869) Charles Jacob (born?-died?),
Elizabeth Amelia (1873-?) Thomas (1876-?), James (1877-1961)
To learn more about Jacob and Elizabeth's children CLICK HERE

SANDS & McDOUGALLS DIRECTORIES have the following references for CLEAL:
1857-1859  Daniel Cleal - pastry cook and confectioner - 56-58 Swanston St.,Melbourne
          (noted in 1859 as a restaurant)
1857  J Cleal had a boarding house at 74 Lonsdale St., Melbourne. He married Elizabeth Druce
          (also known as the Duchess, because of the airs and graces she put on)
          He listed himself as a builder, living in North Melbourne. They went on to have eleven children.
          Once again Jacob named his first child Frederick and once again the child died as an infant.
From 1858 - 1861 Jacob and his family were living in North Melbourne.
1859  Daniel Cleal - Confectioner and Restaurant, 54-8 Swanston St., Melbourne
1859-1862  Jacob Cleal - boarding housekeeper Alfred Place,1-2 Victoria St. East, N.M.
1860  Daniel Cleal - Hotel and Restaurant - 58 Swanston St., Melbourne
By 1862 Jacob and his family were living somewhere in Melbourne itself, until at least 1876.
1862  D. Cleal - biscuit factory - 2 Brunswick St., Fitzroy.
          Mrs Blake listed as dressmaker in Canning St., Carlton
1863  Photo of Cleal Biscuit Factory in Albert St. betw.Gisborne/Lansdown Sts.
1863  Jacob Cleal - Bignell's Hotel & boarding house - cnr of Victoria and Cardigan Streets, Melbourne
1864-1867  Jacob Cleal - Parisian Cafe - 108 Bourke St. East, Melbourne
1864  Cleal's Biscuit factory, 2 Brunswick St. Fitzroy (then T H Miers Biscuit factory.
1865  William Blake at Canning St,Carlton
1866  Jacob Cleal - Parisian Cafe - 108 Bourke St. East, Melbourne
1868-1878  Jacob Cleal - publican, Cleal's hotel 119 Swanston St., Melbourne (sold to a John Green)
1879  Daniel Cleal - Raglan St., Sandridge (South Melbourne)
1879-1883  Jacob Cleal - 85 Bridport St. West, Emerald Hill (South Melbourne)
1880  Daniel Cleal - 131 Swanston St., Melbourne
1880  Emma Blake Tayler married Rob Walker
1881  Daniel Cleal - confectioner and restaurant - Elizabeth St., Melbourne and Hotel - Cross st.
1882-1883  Cleal, Blum and Evans (Cleal W, Blum E, Evans F) Engravers, 95 Swanston St., Melbourne
1882-1883  William Cleal (Cleal, Blum and Evans) 85 Bridport St., Emerald Hill (South Melbourne)
1883  Blake, W.A. at 7 Hornby St,Windsor
1884  Jacob Cleal - 85 Bridport St. West, Emerald Hill (South Melbourne)
1884-85  Cleal's Hotel & Café,119 Swanston St,Melbourne (Joseph Billin)
1884  Blake & Cleal - Aerated Water Manufacturers, 51 High St,Prahran
1895  Cleal,Wm, Rushall Cres, Fitzroy
1895  Jacob Cleal, 19 Evillwe Place, South Melbourne
1895-8  Ellen Cleal,37 Phillipson St, South Melbourne
1896  Jacob & Elizabeth Cleal, 19 Madden St., South Melbourne
1897  Blake,WA, 44 Harts Pde,Hawthorn or Austin St, Alphington
1897  Cleal,Wm, 29 Rowe St., North Fitzroy
1898  Jacob Cleal died 19 Madden St., South Melbourne
1898  a Daniel Cleal living at 5 Margaret St, South Yarra
1898  Rosa Cleal, 87 Jeffcott St, West Melbourne