Ralph Clarke (British politician)
Encyclopedia
Colonel Sir Ralph Stephenson Clarke, KBE TD
, DL
(17 August 1892 – 9 May 1970) was a British Conservative Party
politician who served as Member of Parliament
(MP) for East Grinstead
from 1936 to 1955.
He was elected to the House of Commons at a by-election in July 1936, after East Grinstead's Conservative MP Henry Cautley
was ennobled as Baron Cautley. Clarke held the seat until he stood down at the 1955 general election
.
He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant
of West Sussex
in 1932, and in the 1955 New Years Honours List, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE), "for political and public services".
; Lucy's father was Joseph Whitwell Pease and her maternal grandfather was Alfred Fox
, who created Glendurgan Garden
.
The Stephenson Clarkes were the founders in 1730 of Stephenson Clarke Shipping
, Britain's oldest shipping company. In 1892, Ralph Clarke's father purchased a 200 acre (0.809372 km²) estate at Borde Hill
, near Haywards Heath
in West Sussex
, and from about 1912 began collecting trees and shrubs began by financing plant-collecting expeditions to the Himalayas
and China
. Ralph Clarke took up residence there is 1949, after the death of his father, and opened the gardens to the public in 1965.
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(17 August 1892 – 9 May 1970) was a British Conservative Party
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...
politician who served as 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,...
(MP) for East Grinstead
East Grinstead (UK Parliament constituency)
East Grinstead was a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. It first existed as a Parliamentary borough from 1307, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons elected by the bloc vote system...
from 1936 to 1955.
He was elected to the House of Commons at a by-election in July 1936, after East Grinstead's Conservative MP Henry Cautley
Henry Cautley, 1st Baron Cautley
Henry Strother Cautley, 1st Baron Cautley KC , known as Sir Henry Cautley, Bt, from 1924 to 1936, was a British barrister, judge and Conservative politician.-Background and education:...
was ennobled as Baron Cautley. Clarke held the seat until he stood down at the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
.
He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
in 1932, and in the 1955 New Years Honours List, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE), "for political and public services".
Family
Clarke was the son of Colonel Stephenson Clarke. He married Rebekah Mary Buxton, daughter of Gerald Buxton and Lucy Ethel Pease, on 15 December 1921, and they had three children. His wife was from the Pease family of DarlingtonPease family (Darlington)
The Pease family was a prominent English and mostly Quaker family associated with Darlington and County Durham and descended from Joseph Pease of Darlington, son of Edward Pease . They were 'one of the great Quaker industrialist families of the nineteenth century, who played a leading role in...
; Lucy's father was Joseph Whitwell Pease and her maternal grandfather was Alfred Fox
Alfred Fox
Alfred Fox, of Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, was owner and developer of Glendurgan Garden, now a National Trust property. He was a member of the Quaker Fox family of Falmouth.-Business interests:...
, who created Glendurgan Garden
Glendurgan Garden
Glendurgan Garden is a National Trust garden situated above the hamlet of Durgan on the Helford River in Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Glendurgan Garden was laid out by Alfred Fox in the 1820s and 1830s...
.
The Stephenson Clarkes were the founders in 1730 of Stephenson Clarke Shipping
Stephenson Clarke Shipping
Stephenson Clarke Shipping Limited, established in 1730, is Great Britain's oldest shipping company. The company specializes in short sea bulk cargo such as aggregates, alumina, grain, coal, fertilizers and steel.-History:...
, Britain's oldest shipping company. In 1892, Ralph Clarke's father purchased a 200 acre (0.809372 km²) estate at Borde Hill
Borde Hill Garden
Borde Hill Garden is a garden located north of Haywards Heath, West Sussex in southern England. It features over of garden, park and woodlands accompanied by spectacular views across the Sussex High Weald....
, near Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath
-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, and from about 1912 began collecting trees and shrubs began by financing plant-collecting expeditions to the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Ralph Clarke took up residence there is 1949, after the death of his father, and opened the gardens to the public in 1965.