Name Index    HOME  
Francis Mallard Clark                           1841-1911
Francis was born on 20 November 1841, the son of Lieut. F. Treboudet de Membray Clark R.N., at Liverpool, Lancashire, where his father was serving temporarily. He was the Grandson of Commander William J. Stephen Clark R.N. and Lieutenant John Courtis R.N., and obviously destined to have a naval career also. On his father's side he was descended from a long line of Naval Executive Officers resident in Portsmouth, while on his mother's side he was Cornish of the Courtis family and natives of Lostwithiel.
Francis was appointed to the Admiralty after examination, on 18 August 1859 by the First Lord of the Admiralty the Duke of Somerset and served for some time as Secretary to the Captains Superintendent of the R.N. Hospital Plymouth. He was promoted in March 1861 after a competition examination in which he took first place with an honors certificate. Later he was transferred as Secretary and Cashier of the R.N. Hospital, Yarmouth.
In 1879 he was appointed to the Department of the Medical Director General of the navy in London as Head of the Supply and Estimate Branch, a post which he held for 22 years, until his retirement in 1901 - from failing sight. In June 1883, - Mr. Clark was appointed Secretary of a Committee under the Presidency of Rear Admiral Sir A.N. Hoskins KCB and Lord Commander of the Admiralty to enquire into the entry and organization of the Nursing Staff of the Navy, afloat and ashore, in the R.N. Hospitals, including the employment of Sisters of which latter none had been yet
  borne for duty. This was a subject in which Mr. Clark had been personally interested for some years - the sick were attended on - one cannot say nursed - by willing but untrained men, pensioners and others, with a handful of women, equally untrained. All this was altered and brought up to date. The Committee held frequent meetings, examined witnesses and visited at the large Naval, Military and Civil Hospitals in England. This report was published as a Blue Book and presented to both Houses of parliament by Command of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria.
For his services, Mr. Clark was informed by the lord Commanders of the Admiralty of their satisfaction of the manner in which he had discharged his duties. From 1885 to his retirement in 1901 Mr. Clark was entrusted with the control of the new Nursing Staff male and female, its appointments and promotion. The staff passed through many vicissitudes and improvements before it evolved in its present efficient state. With an increasing Fleet, the numbers of S.B. Staff men rose from 250 to 1000, and all Nursing Sisters were honored with the title of Queen Alexandra's Naval Nursing Service.
Mr. Clark retired in 1901 on a well earned pension after service in the Higher Division of the Admiralty Secretarial and was informed officially of the "Lordship's appreciation of his faithful services extending over 42 years, for more than 22 years of which he was the Head of Supply and Estimates Branch in the Department of the Medical Director General of the Navy".

Sarah Anne Roe                                   1846-1926
Sarah was born about 1846, the daughter of Robert Henry Roe and Elizabeth Jane Tennant, at Haulbowline Island, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Sarah's father was working for the Admiralty Civil Service in Plymouth. Sarah was attending a Girls school past which Francis Mallard Clark, walked to or from work, or in his lunch hour and saw her over the wall and fancied her. Presumably, they started talking and one thing led to another....she was just 17 and he only 22 (though he was listed on the marriage certificate as a Master Mariner) when they married in 1863.
I have identified the following children.
Francis William Born 23 Sep 1864   Plymouth, Devon Married Edith Gertrude Andrews
Mary Frances Mallard Born 8 Jun 1866   Saltash, Cornwall Married Randal Methven Lambert
Bessie Isabelle Born abt 1867   Yarmouth, Norfolk  
Florence Christiana Mary Born abt 1869   Yarmouth, Norfolk Became a Nun
Charles Robert Born abt 1872   Yarmouth, Norfolk Married Grace Jane Andrews
Edith Annie Born abt 1874   Yarmouth, Norfolk Married Randolph Marriott
Ethel Louise Born 24 May 1876   Yarmouth, Norfolk Married Reginald Frampton
Gertrude Octavia Born abt 1878   Yarmouth, Norfolk Became a Nun
Geoffrey Reginald Born 15 Mar 1883   Croydon, Surrey Married Ethel M. Davies
Winifred Gladys Born abt 1886   Croydon, Surrey Married Valentine Dodds


Birth of Parents
Francis Mallard Clark b: 20 Nov 1841  c: 13 Jan 1842   St. Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire   1841 4Q West Derby 20 837
son of Lieut. F. Treboudet de Membray Clark

Sarah Anne Roe b: abt 1846               Haulbowline Island, Co. Cork, Ireland
daughter of Robert Henry Roe and Elizabeth Jane Tennant

Marriage
4 Aug 1863
Francis Mallard Clark
Sarah Anne Roe
St. Andrews, Plymouth, Devonshire       1863 3Q Plymouth 5b 403

Children
Francis William Clark b: 23 Sep 1864       Plymouth, Devonshire       1864 3Q East Stonehouse 5b 283
son of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe
Mary Frances Mallard Clark b: 8 Jun 1866               St. Stephens, Saltash, Cornwall       1866 2Q St Germans 5c 56
daughter of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House
Bessie Isabelle Clark b: abt 1867               Great Yarmouth, Norfolk       1867 4Q Yarmouth 4b 22
daughter of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House
Florence Christiana Mary Clark b: abt 1869               Great Yarmouth, Norfolk       1869 4Q Yarmouth 4b 10
daughter of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House

1871 Census RG10-1787 3 April 1871 Nelson, Norfolk
Queens Road, Naval Hospital, Officers House
Francis M. Clark
Sarah A. (Wife)
Francis W.
Mary F.
Bessie I. C.
Florence C. M.
Plus 1 Servant
Age 29
Age 24
Age 6
Age 4
Age 3
Age 1
Admiralty Clerk

Scholar
Liverpool

Plymouth
Saltash on Tamar
Yarmouth
Yarmouth
Lancashire
Ireland
Devonshire
Cornwall
Norfolk
Norfolk
20 Nov 1841
abt 1846
23 Sep 1864
8 Jun 1866
abt 1867
abt 1869

Charles Robert Clark b: abt 1872               Great Yarmouth, Norfolk       1872 2Q Yarmouth 4b 9
son of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House
Edith Annie Clark b: abt 1874               Great Yarmouth, Norfolk       1874 3Q Yarmouth 4b 7
daughter of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House
Ethel Louise Clark b: 24 May 1876               Great Yarmouth, Norfolk       1876 2Q Yarmouth 4b 10
daughter of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House
Gertrude Octavia Clark b: abt 1878               Great Yarmouth, Norfolk       1878 3Q Yarmouth 4b 9
daughter of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House

1881 Census RG11-616 4 April 1881 Brixton, Lambeth, London
40 Laughboro Park
Francis M. Clark
Sarah A. (Wife)
Mary F. M.
Bessie I. C.
Florence C. M.
Charles R.
Edith A.
Ethel L.
Gertrude O.
Plus 1 Servant
Age 39
Age 34
Age 14
Age 13
Age 11
Age 8
Age 6
Age 4
Age 2
Clerk to the Admiralty

Scholar
Scholar
Scholar
Scholar
Scholar
Scholar
Liverpool

Saltash
Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Lancashire
Ireland
Cornwall
Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk
20 Nov 1841
abt 1846
8 Jun 1866
abt 1867
abt 1869
abt 1872
abt 1874
24 May 1876
abt 1878

Geoffrey Reginald Clark b: 15 Mar 1883               Croydon       1883 1Q Croydon 2a 283
son of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House
Winifred Gladys Clark b: abt 1886               Croydon       1886 2Q Croydon 2a 285
daughter of Francis Mallard Clark and Sarah Anne Roe, South Pill House

1891 Census RG12-591 6 April 1891 Croydon, Surrey
80 Lansdowne Road
Francis M. Clark
Sarah A. (Wife)
Bessie I. C.
Charles R.
Edith A.
Ethel L.
Gertrude X.
Geoffrey R.
Winifred G,
Plus 1 Servant
Age 49
Age 44
Age 23
Age 18
Age 16
Age 14
Age 12
Age 8
Age 4
Admiralty Medical Dept.


Medical Student
Scholar
Scholar
Scholar
Scholar
Liverpool

Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth
Croydon
Croydon
Lancashire
Ireland
Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk
Surrey
Surrey
20 Nov 1841
abt 1846
abt 1867
abt 1872
abt 1874
24 May 1876
abt 1878
15 Mar 1883
abt 1886

1901 Census RG13-121 1 April 1901 Bishopwearmouth, County Durham
8 South Hill Park Gardens
Francis M. Clark
Sarah A. (Wife)
Geoffrey R.
Bessie I.
Florence C.
Gertrude O.
Wilfred G.
Plus 1 Servant
Age 59
Age 54
Age 18
Age 33
Age 31
Age 22
Age 14
Senior Clerk, Admiralty

Mechanical Marine Appr.
Secretary Y.W.C.A.
Lecturer at Birmingham Univ.
Governess (Private)
Liverpool

Croydon
Yarmouth
Yarmouth
Yarmouth
Croydon
Lancashire
Ireland
Surrey
Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk
Surrey
20 Nov 1841
abt 1846
15 Mar 1883
abt 1867
abt 1869
abt 1878
abt 1886

1911 Census RG14-91 3 April 1911 Plymouth, Devon
9 Woodford Villas, Mannamead   (7 Rooms)
Francis Mallard Clark
Sarah Ann (Wife)
Florence Christiana Maria
Plus 1 Servant
Age 69
Age 64
Age 41
Adm. Clerk Retired

Teacher
Liverpool
Co. Cork
Gt. Yarmouth
Lancashire
Ireland
Norfolk
20 Nov 1841
abt 1846
abt 1869
Sarah had Ten children, and Nine are still living. She was born on Haulbowline Island

Death
Francis Mallard Clark Died 16 Oct 1911       in Urmston, Hoyle Rd. Hoy Lake, Cheshire       1911 4Q Wirral 8a 524

Death
Sarah Anne (Roe) Clark Died 11 May 1926, Age 79,       Whitstable, Kent       1926 2Q Blean 2a 1120

SPECIAL THANKS  to Jane of Ottawa Ontario Canada; the Great Great Granddaughter of Sarah Anne Clark née Roe, for the photograph, and the details provided above.