PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Messrs AUSTIN C CLARK (DEVONPORT) Ltd
The Plymouth business house of Messrs Austin C Clark (Devonport) Ltd, printers, was located at 51 Chapel Street, Devonport, before the Second World War, and at 24a Benbow Street, Devonport, thereafter. The business was founded in 1876 by his great-grandfather, Mr Josiah Clark. [1] Josiah was born in Tavistock circa 1836 [2]. At the time of the 1861 census he was a gardener living at Blacklands Lodge, Blacklands, Plympton [2] but ten years later he was the Librarian at the Devonport Mechanics' Institute, 33 Duke Street, Devonport [3]. He was still Librarian in 1881 but his 17-years-old son, Headley Clark (sic), was a bookseller so may have been running the shop for him [4]. Mr Hedley Richard Clark married Miss Eliza Chandler on February 8th 1887 at Stoke Damerel Parish Church [4a]. His business as printer, book binder and stationer, was located in 1890 at 16/17 Cumberland Street, on the corner with Cumberland Ope, and also at 51 Chapel Street. [5] At the time of the 1891 census, Josiah and his wife, Mary, and their 22-years-old son, Sydney Clark, were living at number 9 Valletort Place, Stoke, along with Mrs Dorcas Barfett, his blind moth-in-law, and Miss Grace Crocker, a 21-years-old shop assistant. [6] Josiah's eldest son, Mr Josiah B Clark, was by this time set up as a bookseller and stationer at 6 West Street, Tavistock [7]. The business was continued by Mr Hedley Richard Clark and eventually passed to Mr Austin Chandler Clark, who in 1961 formed it into a limited company. [1] Mr Austin Chandler Clark died on Thursday June 6th 1963 at the age of 73 years. During his life he had been an active committee member of the Fifth Devon Old Comrades' Association and an inspector in the Special Constabulary. A Freemason, he was also an honorary life member of the Torpoint Rowing Club and had been chairman of the Services Snooker and Billiards League. [1] The business passed to his son, Mr Peter H C Clark [1]. He was born in Devonport but educated at the London Choir School [8]. He had married Miss Doreen Davey at Saint Stephen's Church, Devonport, on December 29th 1940 [4a]. The business was sold in 1986 and Mr Peter Hedley Chandler Clark died at Derriford Hospital on December 12th 1991 at the age of 74. He was survived by his widow, Doreen, and three children, Vivien, Marilyn and Adrian. The funeral was held at Stoke Damerel Parish Church on December 19th 1991 and he was buried at Weston Mill Cemetery. [8] Principal Source:
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