Life Stories
Timothy Paul Clarke
Timothy Paul Clarke (1969 BA Agricultural & Forest Sciences) died on 26 April 2024 aged 72.
Born in Essex, Tim had a twin brother and two sisters; they all grew up on the family farm in Ongar. His childhood ignited the love of country life which defined him. Tim was educated at The King’s School, Canterbury. In 1969, he went up to Keble College, Oxford, to study for a BA in Agriculture and Forestry.
It was at Oxford that Tim discovered target rifle shooting. He joined the OURC and was soon in the university team, competing at his first Bisley Meeting in 1970. In 1972, he was team captain and top-scored as Oxford were successful in both the Chancellors and the Humphry competitions, ending a decade of Cambridge dominance. These successes were soon spotted by the Essex County shooting establishment and over the next fifty years, Tim was a high scoring stalwart in the county team.
Tim’s talent, in spite of poor eyesight, soon propelled him to international level; in 1975, he was selected for the GB Team to Canada. In that team he became friendly with three other rising stars, with whom he formed the Central Bankers Rifle Club, taking a lease on a tatty, cramped Bisley hut in the same year. The “Bankers”, and their families, became lifelong friends and, had Tim not been so cruelly taken from us, were due to share their 50th Imperial Meeting together in 2024.
Tim remains one of only four people to have shot for a winning GB team against Malaysia, at Langkawi Range in 2001. Individually he won many trophies; these included The Fakenham Laundry Cup in Norfolk, the Suffolk “Ajar” meeting (so called because it was neither “Open” nor “Closed”), the Admiral Hutton (fittingly as Tim enjoyed quoting the Admiral in lighter moments), and the silver badge for being runner-up in HM The Queen’s Prize in 1987.
The Central Bankers travelled many times to compete in the Scottish Championships, in recent years hiring large Victorian sporting lodges on the Atholl Estate, and sharing with friends. Tim was a regular competitor in the South African championships in Bloemfontein, enjoying the climate and the companionship. Whether at Bisley, or on his travels, Tim was an excellent cook, a discerning wine drinker, and an engaging dinner companion.
His shooting career was not all play, and he served for over thirty years as Treasurer of the West Suffolk Rifle Club, whilst also helping out as range officer at Thetford Range on club shoot days. His final words to his old “Banker” friend, Tim Webster, butt officer on a recent club day, were: “Message 10”.
Tim enjoyed a distinguished career in land management, starting out with Strutt and Parker in Bury St Edmunds, and eventually retiring after many years as resident agent at the Grimsthorpe Castle Estate in Lincolnshire, where projects included hosting the Game Fair. His job included responsibility for management of the Drummond Castle Estate in Perthshire.
Aside from target shooting, Tim was equally passionate about horses; as a young pony club enthusiast, he manned the scales at the Marks Tay point-to-point; holidays with Ruth were sometimes spent on riding safaris; he latterly hunted with the Cottesmore. A perfect hunting day would end with a hot bath, hot buttered toast with Gentlemen’s relish, washed down with tea and whisky. Throughout his hunting life, he kept the orthopods busy with repairs to broken bones.
Tim was chairman of the Cottesmore Hunt point-to-point committee, having also served as the hunt treasurer. He served in community roles such as secretary of the PCC. He was interested in history and culture and was a member of the Fitzwilliam Museum Society. He still found the time to grow vegetables which were enjoyed at, amongst other places, the Bankers’ Hut. He was an avid reader.
Tim was married to Ruth, an Essex farmer’s daughter who shared Tim’s love of the country, horses and dogs, for over forty-five years. They had two sons who shared their diverse interests; Robert, who shot for London University and GB U-25s, and Ollie, who captained the Cambridge University polo team. Tim was a loving husband, proud father and much-loved grandfather.
Tim was understated; he was bright, he was wise and blessed with a wonderful dry wit; he was enormous fun to be with and made many friends in his various communities. He was meticulously organised and made the most of every moment of his busy life. Nothing worried Tim, and it is hard to believe that he is gone; for those close to him, life will never be the same again.
P.S. Shooting stats (in which Tim had no interest whatsoever): Tim shot in 12 Queens (plus one Kings) Finals between 1972 and 2023. He represented England in 5 National, 3 Mackinnon and 23 Lawrence Matches; he toured 5 times with the Great Britain Rifle Team, shooting in the Australia (then Empire) Match and the Palma Match in 1979. He was twice a reserve for Great Britain in the Kolapore Match.
Kindly provided by his friend, John Webster (Oriel 1975)