Harry was born at Yardley Gobion, a small village about 1 mile from the registration district of Potterspury and around 5 miles NW from the (now) City of Milton Keynes. At the time of the 1891 Census Harry was living with his mother and sister Ethel at 1 Skevingtons Buildings, Cosgrove with his uncle and aunt (Alfred and Emma Durrant) - his father and grandfather were living at Woodford Halse, presumably their place of work as they were shown as bakers lodging with another baker.
The 1901 Census recorded Harry living with his parents and younger siblings (Ethel, William and Nellie) in Miswell Lane, Tring, where his father was a baker.
Harry was killed in a tragic accident,
as reported by the Bucks Herald on 7th August 1936:
"Harry Clarke, aged 48, of 6 Surrey Place, Akeman Street, Tring
lost his life in tragic circumstances on the Hall Park Estate, Berkhamsted, on
Friday afternoon. Employed by Messrs. Donald Lockhart Ltd. of Berkhamsted
as a builder's labourer, he was engaged in digging a trench when a part of one
side of the trench fell in and completely buried him ..... Clarke was a married
man, with six children. He had resided in Tring almost 17 years. He was a member
of the Tring branch of the British Legion, and was well known in Tring ..... [at
the inquest] William John Baker, a baker, of Tring, giving evidence of
identification, said the late Harry Clarke was his step-father, whose age he
believed was 48 .... The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death" from
suffocation and the injuries described."
The notice of his funeral in The Bucks Herald reported
that "The family mourners were: Mrs Clarke (widow); Mr W.Baker (stepson); Mr and
Mrs Gray (son-in-law and daughter); Miss F.Clarke (daughter); Mr C.Clarke (son);
Messrs. T. and W.Clarke (brothers); Mrs W.Clarke (sister-in-law); Miss F.Clarke
(niece); Mrs Dunton and Mrs Crawley (sisters); Mr A.Pinkney (brother-in-law);
Mrs E.Pinkney (sister-in-law; [Eva, wife of George
Pinckney]); and Mr G.Brackley (friend)".
His wife was awarded compensation after the accident and bought a house at the
Cow Roast, about a mile south of Tring. Harry died intestate
(no trace of a Will or Admons in the GRO Indexes
for 1936 or 1937).
The gravestone in Tring Cemetery, erected after Rose's death, reads: "In loving memory of Rose Elizabeth Clarke 1889-1976, also of Harry Clarke 1888-1936" [presumably the incorrect birth years were errors made at the time of the gravestone being made].
Page last updated: May 2008
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