George Clarke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Clarke
George Clarke (1661-1736) (Studio of Godfrey Kneller)
Secretary at War
In office 1690–1704
Monarch	William III
Preceded by	William Blathwayt
Succeeded by	Henry St John
Personal details
Born	7 May 1661
Died	22 October 1736 (aged 75)
Alma mater	Brasenose College, Oxford

George Clarke (born May 7, 1661 – died October 22, 1736) was an important English person from Oxford. He was a politician who served in the British Parliament for many years. He was also a talented architect and a collector of old prints.

George Clarke: A Life of Service and Design

Early Life and Education

George Clarke was the son of Sir William Clarke. He started studying at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1676. Later, in 1680, he became a Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. This meant he was a senior member of the college.

A Career in Politics

George Clarke had a long career in politics. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Oxford University in 1685. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the country's main law-making body, the Parliament.

Serving the Crown

From 1690 to 1692, Clarke worked as the Secretary at War in Ireland. This role involved managing the army's administration. He then became Secretary at War in England from 1693 to 1704. He served under two monarchs: King William III and Queen Anne. He also worked as a secretary for Prince George of Denmark, who was Queen Anne's husband and a very important military leader.

Parliament and Later Years

Clarke continued his political career. He was elected as an MP for Winchelsea in 1702. He also served as a Joint Secretary of the Admiralty, which managed the navy. In 1705, he became an MP for East Looe.

After a short break, he returned to Parliament in 1711 as an MP for Launceston. He also served as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty from 1710 to 1714. When King George I came to the throne, Clarke was removed from this position.

He returned to the House of Commons in 1717, again representing Oxford University. He was re-elected several times, in 1722, 1727, and 1734. By his last election, he had lost one eye and was losing sight in the other.

An Architect's Touch

Besides his political work, George Clarke was also an amateur architect. This means he designed buildings as a hobby, not as his main job. Most of his known architectural work is in Oxford. He even worked with famous architects like Nicholas Hawksmoor.

Designing Buildings in Oxford

Here are some of the buildings George Clarke helped design or rebuild:

• The library in the Peckwater Quad at Christ Church, Oxford (built between 1717 and 1738).
• He helped rebuild The Queen's College, Oxford with Nicholas Hawksmoor (between 1710 and 1721).
• The New Buildings at Magdalen College, Oxford (built in 1733).
• The Hall, Chapel, and Library at Worcester College, Oxford (built between 1733 and 1753).
• The Rectory in Kingston Bagpuize (around 1723).
• He made changes to Cokethorpe House (around 1710).

A Passion for Collecting

George Clarke was also a keen collector of prints. These were like early forms of printed pictures. Famous people like the writer Alexander Pope and the artist George Vertue visited his library in Oxford. They used his special collection of notes and drawings by the architect Inigo Jones.

Today, Clarke's large collection of books, manuscripts, prints, and drawings is kept at the library of Worcester College, Oxford. The library building itself was finished in 1736, shortly before Clarke passed away.

Gallery of Architectural Work

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  The Library, Christ Church, Oxford

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  The rear of The Library, Christ Church, Oxford

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  Quad, The Queens' College Oxford

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  Quad, The Queens' College Oxford

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  High Street front, The Queens' College Oxford

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  Magdalen College, Oxford, New Buildings in the background

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  Front, Worcester College, Oxford

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  Quad, Worcester College, Oxford