George Somers Clarke [commonly known as Somers Clarke; also known as George Somers Clarke, Jnr.] was born in Brighton, Sussex, England on 22 July 1841 and was the nephew of the architect. George Somers Clarke (1822–1882). "After five years’ unwilling servitude in the law" [1], in 1864 he became a pupil of Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878). From 1876 he was in partnership with John Thomas Micklethwaite (1843-1906), a fellow pupil of Scott, in London. The practice was responsible for the repair of numerous churches. The partnership was dissolved in 1892.
Clarke was Surveyor of Chichester Cathedral, 1900-22 and of St Paul’s Cathedral in London from 1897 to 1906. He was also an archaeologist and spent much of his latter years in Egypt. He also wrote extensively on Egyptology.
He was elected a Fellow of Society of Antiquaries in 1881 and a member of the Art Workers Guild in 1884. He was also a member of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society with whom he exhibited in 1888 and 1910 and a member of the Comité de Conservation des Monuments de l’Art Arabe in Cairo.
His address was given as 15 Dean's Yard, Westminster, London in 1888 and 1904; and 48 Albert Court, Kensington Gore, London in 1910 and 1920.
Somers died in Mahamid, Egypt on 31 August 1926.
A Biographical File on Clarke is available on request from the Enquiry Desk, RIBA Library, London
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[1] Who's Who and Who Was Who
Works by Clarke and his practice: the restoration of St. Martin's Church, Brighton, Sussex (1871-75); Wyfold Court near Rotherfield Peppard, Oxfordshire (1874-76); Parish church of St John the Divine, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire (1885); Holy Trinity Church, Ardington, Berkshire (1887); St Mary's Church, Potton, Bedfordshire (1889); St Peter's parish church, Marsh Baldon, Oxfordshire (1890); St Saviour's parish church, Folkestone, Kent (1892). New builds by Clarke and his practice included and Belmond Reid's Palace, a hotel in Funchal Bay in Madeira, Portugal (1891); and Frank James Hospital at Cowes on the Isle of Wight (1893).
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See also Historic England - a list of architectural projects by Somers Clarke [Note it also includes some works by his uncle, George Somers Clarke (1822–1882)]
Binney, Marcus. ‘Wyfold Court, Oxfordshire.’ Country life ol. 194, no. 29, July 20 2000 pp. 78-81.
‘Obituary’. RIBA Journal vol. 33, 1926, pp. 576, 617
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 131, 3 September 1926 p. 361