author
Best known for a rare 1921 guide to the dangerous trade of steeple-jacking, this writer left behind a vivid snapshot of work done high above city streets. His book blends practical know-how with the grit and confidence of a highly specialized craft.
by Clarence James Murray
Clarence James Murray is known from the 1921 book The Steeple-Jack's Instructor, published in Chicago by The S. J. Lee Publishing Co. The book was presented as a practical manual showing the methods used by successful steeple-jacks, the workers who climbed and repaired smokestacks, spires, poles, and other tall structures.
Because reliable biographical sources on Murray are scarce, only a few details can be confirmed with confidence. What does come through clearly is his technical knowledge: the book covers equipment, rigging, knots, climbing methods, and pricing for work at height, suggesting hands-on familiarity with the trade rather than a purely literary interest.
Today, his work survives mainly as a useful historical record of an unusual profession. Modern readers often come to Murray not for personal history, but for the window he offers into early 20th-century skilled labor, safety practices, and the everyday bravery demanded by steeple-jacking.