Tony Clarke, Baron Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Honourable
The Lord Clarke of
Office:Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
Term Start:1 October 2009
Term End:30 September 2017
Predecessor:Position created
Successor:Lord Lloyd-Jones
Nominator:Jack Straw
Appointer:Elizabeth II
Office2:Master of the Rolls
Term Start2:3 October 2005
Term End2:30 September 2009
Predecessor2:The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers
Successor2:The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury
Office3:Lord Justice of Appeal
Term Start3:1998
Term End3:2005
Office4:High Court Judge
Term Start4:1993
Term End4:1998
Birth Date:13 May 1943
Birthname:Anthony Peter Clarke
Nationality:British
Spouse:Rosemary,
Education:Oakham School
Alma Mater:King's College, Cambridge
Occupation:Judge
Profession:Barrister
Website:http://www.shipwrights.co.uk

Anthony Peter Clarke, Baron Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony, (born 13 May 1943) is a British lawyer.[1] He was one of the first 11 Supreme Court of the United Kingdom Justices and was the first High Court judge to be appointed directly to that court when it came into existence on 1 October 2009 without previously having sat as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. He was appointed to the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong on 11 April 2011 as a non-permanent judge.[2] He was previously Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice in England and Wales. He retired from the Supreme Court in September 2017.

Early life and education

Clarke was born to Harry and Isobel Clarke.[3] He was educated at Oakham School. In 1957 the trial of suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams first made him interested in pursuing a career in the law.[4] He read Economics and Law at King's College, Cambridge.

Career

He was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1965. He developed a commercial and maritime law practice.

He became a Queen's Counsel in 1979, and was a Recorder sitting in both criminal and civil courts from 1985 to 1992. In 1993, Clarke became a High Court judge and, as is customary, was appointed a Knight Bachelor. He was allocated to the Queen's Bench Division and, in April 1993, he succeeded Mr Justice Sheen as the Admiralty Judge. He sat in the Admiralty Court, the Commercial Court and the Crown Court, trying commercial and criminal cases respectively.

Clarke was promoted to the Court of Appeal of England and Wales in 1998 and sworn of the privy council. Shortly thereafter, he led the Thames Safety Inquiry[5] and in the following year the judicial inquiry into the Marchioness disaster. He was Master of the Rolls from 2005 until 2009.

On 15 April 2009, it was announced that he would be created a life peer,[6] was gazetted on 29 May 2009 with the title of Baron Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony, of Stone-cum-Ebony, in the County of Kent,[7] and took his seat as a crossbencher in the House of Lords on 1 June 2009.[8] It was announced on 20 April 2009 that Clarke was to be appointed to the Supreme Court with effect from 1 October 2009.[9]

Clarke retired from the Supreme Court in September 2017. He sat in the House of Lords until his retirement from the House on 14 September 2020.[10]

A member of the Shipwrights' Company, Clarke was an Assistant from 2000 and Prime Warden for 2014–15.

Personal life

He lives in Kent and London with his wife, Rosemary, née Adam, whom he married in 1968, and has three children - Ben, Thomas and Sally.

Arms

Escutcheon:Or on a fess between three griffin's heads erased Gules a lion passant guardant dimidiating the hulk of an ancient ship Or.
Crest:Emerging from rosemary foliage Proper a griffin's head erased and holding in the beak Gules a key in bend sinister the ward downwards Or.
Motto:Festina Lente (Diligently But Not Hurriedly)[11]

List of decided cases

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Rainey, Simon. The Law of Tug and Tow and Offshore Contracts Preface & King's College Cambridge – New Honorary Fellows (Accessed 5 April 2018)
  2. News: Cheung named next Chief of High Court . The Standard . Hong Kong . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121015163942/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=110065&sid=31994396&con_type=1&d_str=20110412&fc=1 . 15 October 2012 .
  3. Web site: Clarke of Stone-Cum-Ebony, Baron, (Anthony Peter Clarke) (born 13 May 1943). 2020-09-22. WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. en. 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u11052. 978-0-19-954088-4.
  4. News: The Law of the Sea . Sandra . Kessell . Seafarer . Marine Society & Sea Cadets . https://web.archive.org/web/20131023022215/http://sandrakessell.co.uk/pop_seafarer.html . 23 October 2013 .
  5. Book: Thames Safety Enquiry: final report by Lord Justice Clarke. 2000. Stationery Office. 9780101455824.
  6. Web site: Life Peerage for Sir Anthony Clarke . 15 April 2009 . number10.gov.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20091228042430/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19005 . 28 December 2009 .
  7. News: 3 June 2009 . Crown Office . .
  8. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/minutes/090602/ldordpap.htm#minproc House of Lords – Minutes of Proceedings
  9. Web site: 20 April 2009 . Justice of the UK Supreme Court . number10.gov.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20091018225010/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19036 . 18 October 2009 .
  10. Web site: Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 15 September 2020.
  11. Book: Debrett's Peerage . 2019.