Michael Clarke (priest)

Clarke was educated at St Paul's School, London.Who Was Who 1897–2007. London, A & C Black, 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-19-954087-7}} His education was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I, and he served with the 2nd Field Company Royal Engineers in France during 1918. After the war he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took a first class in 1919 in the mathematics tripos part i, and a second class in 1921 in the history tripos part ii.Crockford's Clerical Directory 1961-62, Oxford, OUP, 1962

He was an Assistant Master at Winchester College from 1921 to 1932, when he was appointed Headmaster of Rossall School, serving for five years until 1937.

In 1937 he became Headmaster of Repton School in Derbyshire.{{Cite web |url=http://independentschools.org.uk/wiki/Rossall_School_(FY7_8JW) |title=Independent Schools Listing |access-date=2010-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110818120903/http://independentschools.org.uk/wiki/Rossall_School_(FY7_8JW) |archive-date=2011-08-18 |url-status=dead }}[http://archives.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk:8080/Archives/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqSearch=RefNo=='W.Temple/1-62/38/118-36'&dsqCmd=Show.tcl National Church Institutions Database of Manuscripts and Archives]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He led the school during one of the most difficult periods of its history, when mounting debts and falling numbers, together with the effects of the war, led to questions as to the continuing viability of the institution.{{Cite journal|authorlink=Nick Hillman|last=Hillman|first=Nicholas|date=1 December 2010|title=The Public Schools Commission: 'Impractical, Expensive and Harmful to Children'?|journal=Contemporary British History|volume=24|issue=4|pages=511–531|doi=10.1080/13619462.2010.518413|issn=1361-9462}} Clarke was obliged to close houses and departments within the school during this period, successfully keeping it open.

Of his six immediate predecessors as Headmaster, five went on to very senior roles in the Church of England - a Dean of Winchester Cathedral, a Dean of York Minster, a Bishop of Oxford, and two Archbishops of Canterbury (William Temple and Geoffrey Fisher). In the same pattern, Clarke left the school in 1943 to pursue an ecclesiastical career.

Clarke was ordained in 1938,Crockford's Clerical Directory 1940-41, Oxford, OUP, 1941 whilst at Repton, and became Rector of Holy Trinity, St Marylebone in 1945. In 1951 he became Provost of Birmingham Cathedral, and held the post for over a decade, retiring in 1962.

Clarke was a prominent Freemason,{{Cite web |url=http://www.warwickshirepgl.org.uk/warks_history.php |title=Warwickshire Freemasons |access-date=2010-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126034751/http://www.warwickshirepgl.org.uk/warks_history.php |archive-date=2010-01-26 |url-status=dead }} under the United Grand Lodge of England. He held multiple lodge memberships, including the prestigious Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No 4 (which predates even the first Grand Lodge of 1717), and the Royal Alpha Lodge No 16, a private lodge of the Grand Master. He rose to prominence in Birmingham Freemasonry, being appointed Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire.{{cite web |url = https://www.stpeterslodge7334.org.uk/history-of-st-peters |title = History of St Peter's |last= |first= |author= |date= |year= |editor-last= |editor-first= |publisher = St Peter's Lodge No 7334 |location= |page= |access-date = 3 November 2018 |quote= }} He was installed in December 1953 by Roger Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough, Grand Master.{{cite web |url = https://www.warwickshirepgl.org.uk/provincial-history |title = Provincial History |last= |first= |author= |date= |year= |editor-last= |editor-first= |publisher = Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire |location= |page= |access-date = 3 November 2018 |quote= }} He held the position until 1965. He was also a very prominent member of the Holy Royal Arch, holding national office as the Third Grand Principal, one of three conjoint national leaders.

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{{Provosts and Deans of Birmingham}}

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Category:1935 births

Category:Headmasters of Repton School

Category:People educated at St Paul's School, London

Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge

Category:Provosts and Deans of Birmingham

Category:Teachers at Winchester College

Category:1978 deaths