George Clark (1815-1885)
George Clarke of Southwick Engine Works, Crown Road, Southwick, Sunderland
1843 Birth of his son, also George.
1848 Company founded - George Clark.
1859 George Clark, Monkwearmouth Engine Works, Sunderland.[1]
1861 George Clark 45, engine builder, lived in Bishopwearmouth with Jane Clark 41, George Clark 17, engine builder, William Clark 13, Thomas Clark 11, John Clark 9, Kate Clark 7, Peter Clark 5, Isaac H H Clark 3[2]
1885 January 15th. George Clark Senior died.[3]
1885 Obituary [4]
GEORGE CLARK was born at Fatfield in the county of Durham en 25th September 1815.
After having served his apprenticeship partly at his father's works in Sunderland and partly at the Bishopwearmouth Iron Works, he worked for two or three years in various parts of the country, gaining experience.
About 1840 he joined his eldest brother and others in the firm of Messrs. John Clark and Co., Sunderland, with whom he remained some three or four years, during which time he was employed principally in erecting engines for drainage in Cambridgeshire, and pumping and winding engines for collieries and ironworks in Durham and other districts.
On dissolution of partnership of the above firm, he was for a short time manager of some small works in Sunderland; after which he was engaged as engineer at the Consett Iron Works for seven or eight years.
He then returned to Sunderland, and commenced on his own account a business which proved very successful, necessitating removals twice to new premises. The last of these, the Southwick Engine Works erected in 1872, which are large and well situated for the purposes of marine-engine building, were visited on his invitation by the members of the Institution in the excursion to Sunderland on the occasion of the Newcastle meeting in 1881.
From an early age he was afflicted with severe asthma, which interfered very greatly with his attention to business ; and during the last few years he was unable to take a very active part in it.
His death took place on 15th January 1885 at the age of sixty-nine, at his residence, Oak Lea, Sunderland.
He was the builder in 1851 of the first iron ship built on the river Wear, an iron sailing ship named the "Loftus," and also of the first marine engines built there ; and his energy and enterprise did much to develop the marine-engine business in Sunderland.
He became a Member of the Institution in 1859.
See Also
Sources of Information
- The Magic of a Name by Peter Pugh. Published 2002. ISBN 1 84046 151 9