Friends of Hastings Cemetery


Clarke, E. E. Annie & Hubert cont.

Mr. E. E. Clarke's Sad Loss - Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 13 June 1908

Much sympathy is felt with Mr. E. E. Clarke and Miss Callard-Clarke, of Robertson street, Hastings, in the mournful intelligence of the disappearance of Mr. Clarke's elder son, Mr. Hubert Callard-Clarke.  Mr. Clarke, jun., who was only 29 years of age, was third engineer on board the British India Line steam-ship Golconda, and has made 18 voyages to the East and back.  He was returning to England, when he mysteriously disappeared.  Mr. E. E. Clarke was apprised by telegram on his return from Rouen.

On Wednesday Mr. Clarke, accompanied by the family solicitor, attended the official enquiry in London as to the circumstances, and had an opportunity of examining the officers, including Captain Cave, of the Golconda, the chief engineer, et al.

It appeared that Mr. Clarke jun. was on the midnight watch on the night of the 2nd inst.  According to custom, the engineer, whose watch was terminating, came at ten minutes to twelve to call him in his cabin.  Mr. Clarke, jun. aroused and was seen dressing.  Afterwards, in his boiler suit, he stepped from the cabin to the deck, at midnight precisely.  As he did not arrive in the engine room, the retiring engineer came to look for him, but he could not be found.

After an exhaustive inquiry the result arrived at was entirely negative.  Captain Cave's words were: "To the best of my judgement, his health was perfectly normal.  He was on no bad terms with anyone in the ship.  He was perfectly sober.  His work was thoroughly satisfactory, and indeed exemplary.  There is no possibility of thinking of foul play.  His disappearance is a mystery to us all, and as master of the ship, I can suggest no reason why he should be missing." He was in even better spirits than usual on the evening before his disappearance, and had been singing with others at six o'clock.

At the time of the Boer War, Mr. Clarke, jun., visited Mauritius, St Helena, and other places when his ship was engaged in the repatriation of Boer prisoners.  An interesting souvenir in the form of a pipe carved by one of the prisoners and given to him , is in the possession of Mr. E. E. Clarke.

Mr. Clarke jun., it may be mentioned, held higher certificates and was awaiting promotion.  His father has already received messages of sympathy from France, and sympathetic allusions to the sad occurrence have appeared in he Rouen newspapers.  In consequence of this melancholy event, Mr. Clarke is prevented from going to Paris with the Hastings water polo team.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 26 November 1910

Obituary

Mr E. E. Clarke

Literary and artistic circles in Hastings have sustained a great loss by the death of Mr. Mr. Edward Eugene Clarke, of Roberston-street.

Mr. Clarke had for about five weeks been seriously ill from an internal malady, for which an operation was performed.  He was taken to a Nursing Home at St Leonards, where everything possible was done, but he succumbed early last Saturday morning.  The immediate cause of death was septic poisoning, which had prevented a second operation.

Mr. Clarke came to Roberston-street, Hastings, from Chelsea, where he had been in business, about 30 years ago.  A successful business man, he devoted practically all his spare time to literary and scientific pursuits, and held many honorary offices in connection with various societies.  He was President of the Cage Bird Society up to the time of his death.  He had frequently lectured before the Literary Society, and he took the chair at the first meeting of the Dickens Fellowship in Hastings.  He took interest in the formation of the local Natural History Society.

It was as a supporter of the Entente Cordiale that Mr. Clarke was most prominently before the local public in recent years.  He co-operated in England with the Marquis de la Rochethulon et Grente and the Souvenir Normand in France for a closer relationship between Hastings and Normandy, and it was mainly through his efforts that the members of the Souvenir Normand visited Hastings and the surrounding districts, on two  occasions, and prominent Hastingers, including Mr. Clarke, paid several visits to Rouen and other French towns, and took part in national and historic fetes held there.  A very gratifying result of the work of Mr. Clarke and other friends of the Entente Cordiale has been the increasing number of French visitors to Hastings and St. Leonards.

Mr. Clarke was 67 years of age, but was a very active man and appeared much younger.  He leaves one son and one daughter.  Mrs. Clarke pre-deceased him 23 years ago.  His daughter, Miss D. Callard-Clarke, is well know for her musical abilities.

The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon, at the Borough Cemetery.  The Rev. Sholto J. H. Newman, Vicar of Emmanuel, officiated.

There is a further report in HSLO from the Journal de Rouen -

"We had yesterday the deep regret to learn the death of Mr. E. E. Clarke, the sympathetic secretary of the Souvenir Normand of Hastings...........

....this learned and charming speaker (he spoke our language with the greatest of ease).......