John Thomas Clarke
John Thomas Clarke (1860-1932)
1932/33 Obituary [1]
John Thomas Clarke was born in 1860 and was educated at Uppingham School.
He served his apprenticeship with Lucas and Aird and subsequently occupied positions with Yarrow and Co, Leach, Harrison and Forward, and Root and Clarke.
In 1906 he started a motor engineering business in Tunbridge Wells and remained in that town, first as Managing Partner of Clarke and Rawson and from 1910 onwards Managing Director of G. Stevenson (Kent and Sussex Garage) until his death on 31st October, 1932, at the age of 72.
He was elected a Member of the Institution of Automobile Engineers in 1923.
1932 Obituary [2]
JOHN THOMAS CLARKE established in 1907 the motor engineering firm of Messrs. G. Stevenson of Tunbridge Wells, and was associated with the company until the time of his death. He was responsible for a number of inventions in connexion with the motor and cycle industry, including the fitting of handlebar controls to motor-cycles.
Mr. Clarke was born in 1860 at Harringworth, Northamptonshire, and commenced his technical training in 1876 with Messrs. Lucas and Aird, railway contractors. He was engaged on construction work on the Kettering and Manton Railway and at the Royal Albert Docks. In 1881 he joined Messrs. Leach, Harrison and Forward, of Liverpool, and subsequently was appointed by Messrs. Yarrow and Company, as chief engineer of a small fleet of boats built by them for the River Magdalena, South America. This river is very rapid and navigation was dangerous.
Upon his return to this country in 1884, Mr. Clarke set up in business at Herne Bay, and three years later went to Tunbridge Wells, where he first carried on business under the title of Messrs. Clarke and Rawson.
Mr. Clarke was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1915, and his death occurred at the age of 72 on 31st October 1932.