John Erskine Clarke

Who was John Erskine Clarke?

John Erskine Clarke was a British clergyman who issued the first parish magazine. He established several other religious publications and was responsible for founding churches schools and hospitals in Battersea. He also competed at Henley Royal Regatta.

Clarke was born at Cossepor, Bengal, India the eldest son of William Fairlie Clarke an official of the East India Company. Clarke's father died in 1835 and the family returned to Edinburgh. He was admitted to Wadham College, Oxford on 26 June 1846. Clarke rowed at Oxford and in 1849 was in the Wadham College eight that won the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. In 1850 in a single scull he was runner-up in the Diamond Challenge Sculls to Thomas Bone. In 1851 partnering C L Vaughan in a coxless pair, he was runner up in the Silver Goblets at Henley to James Aitken and Joseph William Chitty.

Clarke took Holy Orders and became curate of St Mary, Low Harrogate in 1851. In 1852 he became curate of St Mary, Lichfield until 1856, when he became vicar of St Michael Derby. The east gable of St Michael's fell in during a service in 1856 and it was rebuilt in 1858. While he was at St Michael’s he started the world’s first Parish Magazine in January 1859. He was an active supporter of the Derby Co-operative Society providing a library and as a representative of the Working Men's Association helped provide for a grocery store. He was also president of what was known as the Happy Home Union. In 1863 he founded "The Children's Prize", a paper for young children later called "The Prize". In 1866 he moved to St Andrew Derby and set to work with publisher William Macintosh to produce "Chatterbox", a weekly paper for older children. The first edition went on sale on 1 December 1866. Clarke became a Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral in 1869. In 1871 he started "Church Bells", another religious weekly newspaper.