1902 Pattern Royal Artillery Full Mess Dress

[jholl72]

Hi guys,

This arrived in the mail today. I was hoping someone can confirm it's what I think it is and it's correct.

If so, can anyone provide me any information on Capt. Clarke. I have tried the Gazette but came up empty handed.

Regards,

Jeff

Edited January 8, 2009 by jholl72

[jholl72]

pics

[jholl72]

Last pic, detail of the cuff.

[Guest Rick Research]

1935 Who's Who has

Lieutenant Colonel and Honourary Colonel (Retired) commanding 3rd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment 1906-12 Stephenson Robert Clarke, CB (1911), JP, LL.D:

This would seem not to match the buttons on this tunic (?) but it notes he was married in 1891 and had 3 sons and a daughter-- so perhaps this is one of the sons, 1920s with loops for Pip, Squeak, and Wilfrid?

The combination of 2/?3 generations of Stephenson paired with Clarke would seem to indicate it's this tribe. Pehaps the Colonel's London Times obit might name his sons and so on...

[jholl72]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the information, that gives me another lead to follow up on to try and track down this fellow.

I will post back here if I turn anything up.

Regards,

Jeff

[TS Allen]

You beat me to bid on that by about an hour on Manions, I think. Nearly ruined my Xmas. How are the Victorian sabre slings that were part of the lot? I don't see them displayed with it.

Good luck researching it,

~TS

[Gunner 1]

Lt-Col Ralph Stephenson Clarke, TD, MP, RA

Born at Chesham Street, London, SW on 17 August 1892, the eldest son of Col. Stephenson Robert Clarke, CB, JP and his wife. Edith Gertrude, third daughter of Joseph Godman, JP, DL of Park Hatch, Surrey

Educated at Eton from 1905 to 1910 (Shooting Viii, 1910; Oppidian) and King's College, Cambridge, BA, 1913, MA, 1919

Served with the Sussex Yeomanry (attached to the Royal Sussex Regiment) from 1914 to 1919 in Egypt, Gallipoli and Palestine

Wounded in Beersheeba in 1917

ADC, Commander-in-Chief Southern Command in 1918

On 15 December 1921 he married Rebecca Mary, daughter of Gerald Buxton of Birch Hall, Theydon Bois, Essex and they had three children, Robert Hunn Stephenson Clarke born on 17 April 1925; Simon Edward Stephenson Clarke born on 5 September 1926; and Anne Stephenson Clarke, born on 1 March 1923.

From 24 November 1922 to 1933 he commanded 389th Battery, 98th (Surrey and Sussex Yeomanry) Field Brigade, RFA TA

From 1933 he commanded 98th Field Brigade, RA TA

Deputy Lieutenant, Sussex from 4 June 1932

1936- MP, East Sussex (East Grinstead Division)

From 1938 to 1939 he was Parliamentry Private Secretary to Earl Winterton

Lt-Col, OC, 2nd Field Training Regiment, RA from 1939 to 1941

Lt-Col, OC, 12th (Finsbury Rifles) LAA Regiment, RA from 1941 to 1944 in Iran, Iraq and Sicily (Mentioned in Despatches)

Military Member, Sussex Territorial Army Association

Hon. Colonel, 344th (Sussex Yeomanry) LAA/SL Regiment, RA TA

Director of Stephenson Clarke and Associated Companies, Ltd. and of A. P. Austin and Son (Sunderland) Limited, shipbuilders.

Sources: Who's Who in Sussex, 1935; The Old Public School-Boys Who's Who, Eton; List of Etonians Who Fought in the Great War 1914-1919; Eton School Register, Part VIII 1899-1909; A Register of Admissions to King's College, Cambridge, 1797-1925; List of Etonians Who Fought in the World War 1939-1945; Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes; Who's Who, 1950; Fifty Years of Sport, Eton, Harrow, Winchester.

Regards, Gunner 1

[Guest Rick Research]

Great! :cheers:

[jholl72]

You beat me to bid on that by about an hour on Manions, I think. Nearly ruined my Xmas. How are the Victorian sabre slings that were part of the lot? I don't see them displayed with it.

Good luck researching it,

~TS

Hi TS,

I bought this one of another forums for sale section. There was nothing else offered with the uniform. He may have had it listed on Manions, I don't know, I have never been to that site.

Thanks for the best wishes in the research..it looks like gunner1 has done the hard part.

[TS Allen]

All I knew was that it had the same number of medal loops and it was bought by a Canadian, I figured that the chances were in my favor with an assumption. Guess I was wrong.

Since I forgot to mention it before, beautiful tunic! Fascinating story behind it as well. And I've always thought that these were some of the most striking of period uniforms.

~TS

[jholl72]

Lt-Col Ralph Stephenson Clarke, TD, MP, RA

Born at Chesham Street, London, SW on 17 August 1892, the eldest son of Col. Stephenson Robert Clarke, CB, JP and his wife. Edith Gertrude, third daughter of Joseph Godman, JP, DL of Park Hatch, Surrey

Educated at Eton from 1905 to 1910 (Shooting Viii, 1910; Oppidian) and King's College, Cambridge, BA, 1913, MA, 1919

Served with the Sussex Yeomanry (attached to the Royal Sussex Regiment) from 1914 to 1919 in Egypt, Gallipoli and Palestine

Wounded in Beersheeba in 1917

ADC, Commander-in-Chief Southern Command in 1918

On 15 December 1921 he married Rebecca Mary, daughter of Gerald Buxton of Birch Hall, Theydon Bois, Essex and they had three children, Robert Hunn Stephenson Clarke born on 17 April 1925; Simon Edward Stephenson Clarke born on 5 September 1926; and Anne Stephenson Clarke, born on 1 March 1923.

From 24 November 1922 to 1933 he commanded 389th Battery, 98th (Surrey and Sussex Yeomanry) Field Brigade, RFA TA

From 1933 he commanded 98th Field Brigade, RA TA

Deputy Lieutenant, Sussex from 4 June 1932

1936- MP, East Sussex (East Grinstead Division)

From 1938 to 1939 he was Parliamentry Private Secretary to Earl Winterton

Lt-Col, OC, 2nd Field Training Regiment, RA from 1939 to 1941

Lt-Col, OC, 12th (Finsbury Rifles) LAA Regiment, RA from 1941 to 1944 in Iran, Iraq and Sicily (Mentioned in Despatches)

Military Member, Sussex Territorial Army Association

Hon. Colonel, 344th (Sussex Yeomanry) LAA/SL Regiment, RA TA

Director of Stephenson Clarke and Associated Companies, Ltd. and of A. P. Austin and Son (Sunderland) Limited, shipbuilders.

Sources: Who's Who in Sussex, 1935; The Old Public School-Boys Who's Who, Eton; List of Etonians Who Fought in the Great War 1914-1919; Eton School Register, Part VIII 1899-1909; A Register of Admissions to King's College, Cambridge, 1797-1925; List of Etonians Who Fought in the World War 1939-1945; Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes; Who's Who, 1950; Fifty Years of Sport, Eton, Harrow, Winchester.

Regards, Gunner 1

Gunner 1,

What can say but thank you so much for this information. Not only is it a tonne of great information but it gives me so much to work with.

This guy was involved in a lot.

He came from a long line of wealthy people in the shipping industry(starting in 1735), which as far as I can tell is still in existence today. The family home where Ralph lived is a tourist attraction in Sussex.

He was Knighted.

WOW. I haven't had this much information about someone before. It is going to take me awhile to compile all the information. His portrait is in the National Gallery, but the online image wouldn't load for me tonight, so I will try again tomorrow.

Thanks to this forum, I have a great research project to embark on....I can't wait to get started.

I will post the information back here for anyone interested.

The following is from www.peerage.com

Colonel Sir Ralph Stephenson Clarke is the son of Colonel Stephenson Clarke.2 He married Rebekah Mary Buxton, daughter of Gerald Buxton and Lucy Ethel Pease, on 15 December 1921.1

Colonel Sir Ralph Stephenson Clarke held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.).1 He graduated with a Master of Arts (M.A.).1 He was invested as a Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire (K.B.E.).1 He was decorated with the award of Territorial Decoration (T.D.).1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Conservative) for East Grinstead between 1936 and 1955.1

Children of Colonel Sir Ralph Stephenson Clarke and Rebekah Mary Buxton

* Anne Stephenson Clarke b. 1 Mar 1923, d. 13 Oct 19672

* Robert Nunn Stephenson Clarke+ b. 17 Apr 19252

* Simon Edward Stephenson Clarke+ b. 5 Sep 19262

Below is a pic of the family home...

Edited January 14, 2009 by jholl72