The death of Fr John Aelred Clarke on January 16th was received with genuine sorrow by all Amplefordians. He leaves a gap in the ranks of the community. He was a real character well known to all. The mere mention of his name and people smile. It seemed that he could not grow old, and yet if he had lived a fortnight longer he would have reached his seventy-fifth year.
Fr Aelred was born at Brentford and spent his childhood in Nantwich. But the family was a Lancashire one closely associated with the Brownedge parish of Bamber Bridge and John Clarke may truly be said to have been born an Amplefordian. It is true that he first went to school at Woolhampton, now Douai Abbey, but in those days the seminary of the Portsmouth Diocese. He was fourteen years of age when he first came to Ampleforth. Five years he spent in the school and the only distinction he claimed for himself during his school days was that he passed the College of Preceptors Examination third class. But he did begin to make that long list of friends that grew steadily all through his life and made him so popular a figure wheresoever he went.
Joining the Common Novitiate at Belmont in 1886 he had the rather unique experience of spending most of his probation year as the sole novice. This was almost too much for one of his cheerful social nature and nearly led him to, as he used to say, 'resigning the hood.' But even that severe disciplinarian Fr Cuthbert Doyle, the novice master, realised some company was needed by his sole charge and the first and last junior were told to take their recreation with him. Returning to Ampleforth, he made his solemn profession in 1891 and went to Middlesborough to be ordained a priest by Bishop Lacey in 1894.
In the (comparatively speaking) small community then at Ampleforth, Fr Aelred took his full part. Full of life, bubbling over with fun and humour he enjoyed the hard work and community life to the full. For a time he was sub-prefect under Fr Clement Standish, he was the form master for the Preparatory Class, blew the cornet with tremendous energy in the band, and at week ends for a period served the little parish of Brandsby.
Most of his life as a priest was spent in Ampleforth parishes. He began with eighteen months at St Anne's, Liverpool. Then followed twenty years in South Wales, eight at Merthyr Tydfil and twelve at Cardiff. They were years of hard work. All during this period he was assistant to priests in failing health, and his lot was to do most of the visiting, sick calls and saying Mass in the chapels of ease. This included throughout his sojourn in Wales attendance at Workhouses. They had not yet been raised to status of Public Institutions. But Fr Aelred was ever a cheerful giver and he worked on without complaint, lightening the burden for his rectors, bringing his cheerfulness and fun into the dull lives of those it was his duty to serve. He could not live without friends and many a priest in a lonely pit village in the Welsh valleys owed him a real debt of gratitude for his bright and pleasant company. In 1920 he went to Warrington, first as an assistant priest to St Benedict's for three years and then for nineteen years as rector of St Alban's.
He was a humble and timid man. He was fearful that he had little ability and never sought to have responsibility. But at the bidding of his Abbot he became parish priest of Warrington's Mother Church. It was a well established parish and then looked as if it had reached the peak of its possible development. But that was not so, and with the building of the new housing estate 'over Bewsey' new problems arose. Thus Fr Clarke had to face difficulties and go into debt to build the new infant School. A fine job he made of it too. The new burdens coming when he was nearer seventy than sixty did worry him and he often longed for the possibility of lighter and less responsible work. But the war and shortage of priests, depending on the loyal cooperation of his colleagues and his popularity among his own people, and his desire not to embarrass his Abbot, led him to continue going on cheerfully unto the end.
The great love of Fr Aelred was Ampleforth. The visits to his monastery gave him immense joy. He was thoroughly at home in the community. A week at Ampleforth and he had made friends with all members of the community. In return he was really welcomed from the Abbot to the semi-Abbot. During recreation he was ever the centre of a ring of Fathers and Brothers delighting all with his impish and whimsical fun. He will long be remembered as a devoted son of Ampleforth, a simple, humble minded monk, a devoted priest, an ever cheerful companion, who never claimed to do big things but did far more perhaps than he realised to brighten life for all whom he met. R.I.P.
JOHN AELRED CLARKE 16 January 1942
1867 2 Feb Born Brentford
Educ Woolhampton (when managed by secular clergy)
1881-86 Educ Ampleforth
1886 3 Sep Clothed in the Habit at Belmont
1887 21 Sep Simple Vows
1888 3 May Minor Orders
1891 12 Jan Solemn Vows Ampleforth
1892 20 May Subdiaconate
1893 30 Apr Diaconate
1894 15 Apr Ordained priest Middlesborough
Taught in the school & was 3rd prefect
1899 Curate at St Anne's Liverpool under Fr Cummins
1900 Nov Curate at Merthyr Tydvil under Canon Wode
1908 May Curate at St Mary's Canton Cardiff
1920 Aug Curate at St Benedict's Warrington
1923 Jun Parish priest at St Albans
Received the last sacraments
1942 16 Jan Died
Buried at Warrington