Private Stanley Abel Clarke was born in 1887 in Hendon, one of the nine children of Samuel Albert George Clarke and Susan Clarke. His father was a Gardener.
On 17 February 1889 he was baptised, together with two of his siblings, Ethel Louise Clarke and Bertie Clarke at Christ Church, Hampstead. The 1891 census shows his family living at 10 Golders Hill Terrace, North End Road, Hampstead and they were still there at the time of 1901 census with his occupation recorded as an Errand Boy.
The 1911 census states he was now a Jobbing Gardener, still living at his parents home at 10 Golders Hill Terrace. In the 1st quarter of 1915 he married Miriam Willis (b.1880) in the Edmonton registration district and their daughter Maudie Clarke was born on 26 February 1915.
He enlisted in the 2nd/10th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Hackney), service number 424186, and entered France on 30 May 1917. He was killed in action, aged 30 years, on 27 September 1917. As he has no known grave he is commemorated on Stone 151 at the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
His widow was sent his army effects totalling £1-7s-6d on 16 January 1918 and a £3-0s-0d war gratuity on 6 November 1919. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
