Waugh, James William

Scottish publisher, bookseller and stationer in Sydney who wrote and published The Stranger's Guide to Sydney and the Australian Almanac.

Waugh migrated to Australia with his parents and sisters in 1840 to join his brothers David and Robert. The family settled in the Illawarra region. Waugh planned to become a publisher as his father had been in Edinburgh, and moved to Sydney where he worked for bookseller William Piddington before setting up on his own in November 1851, initially at 14 Hunter Street. He published, among other things, a volume of Henry Parkes' poetry, religious, science and art magazines, almanacs and tourist guides as well as a commercial directory to Sydney. He married Mary Lee Stobo in 1856. In late 1862, Waugh closed the business and moved to Bowenfels with his growing family. Waugh was insolvent by 1866 and the family moved to Kiama where they ran the fashionable boarding house Waratah House on Teralong Street. Waugh was also offering his services as a bookkeeper and Latin tutor, and was involved in the Kiama School of Arts. He died at home from 'pulmonary consumption', or tubercolosis, at the age of 48.