Charles Goddard Clarke
Encyclopedia
Charles Goddard Clarke was a British
businessman and Liberal
politician.
The son of Richard Clarke and his wife Mary née Millard, he was educated in Liverpool
. He left school early, entering employment with a relative. In 1873 he married Rebecca Potter and in 1875 became a partner in Potter & Clarke Limited, wholesale druggists, of Artillery Lane, London. He lived in the Peckham
area of South London, and was a member of the Coopers Company
of the City of London
. A Baptist
, he was a member of the Metropolitan Tabernacle
.
At the 1895 general election
he unsuccessfully contested the constituency of Dulwich
for the Liberal Party. In 1898 he was elected to the London County Council
as a member of the Liberal-backed Progressive Party
majority group, representing Peckham. He was re-elected in 1901 and 1904.
In 1900
he was once more a Liberal parliamentary candidate, standing at Mile End
, but again without success. With the creation of the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
in 1900, Clarke was made an alderman
on the borough council, and was mayor
of Camberwell in 1902–1903.
The 1906 general election
was Clarke's third attempt to enter the Commons, and he was chosen to contest the constituency of Peckham
. There was a large swing to the Liberals, and he won the seat, defeating the sitting Conservative
member of parliament
Sir Frederick Banbury
. Although not formally a member of the Liberal-Labour
group, he was described by The Times
as "an addition to the Labour group of members".
Early in 1908 Clarke became ill, and died of pneumonia
at his home at Champion Hill
in March, aged 68. He was buried at Nunhead Cemetery
.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
businessman and Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
The son of Richard Clarke and his wife Mary née Millard, he was educated in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He left school early, entering employment with a relative. In 1873 he married Rebecca Potter and in 1875 became a partner in Potter & Clarke Limited, wholesale druggists, of Artillery Lane, London. He lived in the Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
area of South London, and was a member of the Coopers Company
Worshipful Company of Coopers
The Worshipful Company of Coopers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The organisation of Coopers existed in 1422; it received a Royal Charter of incorporation in 1501...
of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. A Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, he was a member of the Metropolitan Tabernacle
Metropolitan Tabernacle
The Metropolitan Tabernacle is a large Reformed Baptist church in the Elephant and Castle in London. It was the largest non-conformist church edifice of its day in 1861. The Tabernacle Fellowship have been worshipping together since 1650, soon after the sailing of the Pilgrim Fathers...
.
At the 1895 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
he unsuccessfully contested the constituency of Dulwich
Dulwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Dulwich was a borough constituency in the Dulwich area of South London, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
for the Liberal Party. In 1898 he was elected to the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
as a member of the Liberal-backed Progressive Party
Progressive Party (London)
The Progressive Party was a political party based around the Liberal Party that contested municipal elections in the County of London.It was founded in 1888 by a group of Liberals and leaders of the labour movement. It was also supported by the Fabian Society, and Sidney Webb was one of its...
majority group, representing Peckham. He was re-elected in 1901 and 1904.
In 1900
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
he was once more a Liberal parliamentary candidate, standing at Mile End
Mile End (UK Parliament constituency)
Mile End was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Mile End district of the East End of London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, but again without success. With the creation of the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in the County of London. The borough was created in 1900 by the London Government Act 1899, covering the area of the ancient parish of Camberwell...
in 1900, Clarke was made an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
on the borough council, and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Camberwell in 1902–1903.
The 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
was Clarke's third attempt to enter the Commons, and he was chosen to contest the constituency of Peckham
Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)
Peckham was a borough constituency in South London which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
. There was a large swing to the Liberals, and he won the seat, defeating the sitting Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Sir Frederick Banbury
Frederick Banbury, 1st Baron Banbury of Southam
Frederick George Banbury, 1st Baron Banbury of Southam PC , known as Sir Frederick Banbury, 1st Baronet, from 1903 to 1924, was a British businessman and Conservative Member of Parliament....
. Although not formally a member of the Liberal-Labour
Liberal-Labour (UK)
The Liberal–Labour movement refers to the practice of local Liberal associations accepting and supporting candidates who were financially maintained by trade unions...
group, he was described by The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
as "an addition to the Labour group of members".
Early in 1908 Clarke became ill, and died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at his home at Champion Hill
Denmark Hill
Denmark Hill is an area and road in the London Borough of Southwark. The road forms part of the A215; north of Camberwell Green it becomes Camberwell Road; south of Red Post Hill it becomes Herne Hill. Its postcode is SE5. Nearby streets whose names refer to different aspects of the same...
in March, aged 68. He was buried at Nunhead Cemetery
Nunhead Cemetery
Nunhead Cemetery is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries in London, England. It is perhaps the least famous and celebrated of them.. The cemetery is located in the Nunhead area of southern London and was originally known as All Saints' Cemetery. Nunhead Cemetery was consecrated in 1840 and...
.