Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

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david macdiarmid
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Location: Fife,Scotland

Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by david macdiarmid » Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:12 pm

Hello Again,Can anybody help me with trying to find out about the life and times of Col Bennet Clark and his Beautiful Wife Flora MacDonald.Our family have a small link to this family.When Col B.C died Flora and my Uncle Harry lived as Man and Wife in Leith Walk until they both passed on,Harry at sea in 1948 and Flora in 1953 in Queensberry House Hospital,Canongate Edinburgh.Col Bennet Clark Married in 1918 in Edinburgh whilst he was a Captain but also a temporary Liet Colonel.His parents were George Bennet Clark,Writer to the Signet and Harriet Sophia Martin.Her parents were Thomas MacDonald Pvte 79th Cameron Highlanders and Mary Ann Carruthers (Skinner ?)I have heard from my Mum that it is rumoured of a skeleton in the cupboard regarding this family,which i could not possibly reveal without concrete proof.What i would like advice on would be how i could find some sort of archive of photographs,i have to assume him being a Colonel there would be photos of him and his Wife at some "do" or other.His Military record must be interesting and what is a Wrter to the Signet?Anything at al as always is very much appreciated,David ps I have contacted The Royal Scots forum but nothing back as yet
Banks,Bennet-Clark,Bird,Cholat,Clark,Clay,Dupre,Dupuis,Fraser,Grant,Gunn,Hooper
Kelly,Leburn,Livingston,MacDonald,Paris,Reymond,Russell,Sommerville,Sutherland & Watson.All Scottish searches,apart from the four obvious French names.Merci Beaucoup !!!

apanderson
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Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by apanderson » Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:21 pm

I don't know where you could find photos, but a Writer to the Signet (often abbreviated just to W.S.) was a solicitor.

Have a wee look at this thread (the Great War Forum): http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... try1274093

Is this the same man?

There's also a mention of A Mr. Bennett Clark of NewmillsHouse, Balerno here: http://uk.geocities.com/cc_pipe_band/Band_History.htm

Anne

david macdiarmid
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Joined: Sat May 31, 2008 8:10 pm
Location: Fife,Scotland

Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by david macdiarmid » Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:51 pm

Hi Anne,I have looked at the Great War Forum but i was not allowed to make a comment.This family was from Edinburgh and by all accounts pretty wealthy.It is a mystery to me how Flora would end up in 22 Leith Walk,but it will be interesting to find out,I think there a lot of Bennet clarks and i cant help thinking they are related,thanks Anne.By the way i think Robbie talking on the GWF is talking about the same family.Georges Father,George died in 11 Charlotte Square a nd Robbie mentions that address.David
Banks,Bennet-Clark,Bird,Cholat,Clark,Clay,Dupre,Dupuis,Fraser,Grant,Gunn,Hooper
Kelly,Leburn,Livingston,MacDonald,Paris,Reymond,Russell,Sommerville,Sutherland & Watson.All Scottish searches,apart from the four obvious French names.Merci Beaucoup !!!

AndrewP
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Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by AndrewP » Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:10 pm

22 Leith Wallk looks like part of a Georgian(?) building. On the view from link below, it should be the house upstairs from the solicitor's office.

Google map street view showing 22 Leith Walk

All the best,

AndrewP

david macdiarmid
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Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by david macdiarmid » Sun Oct 25, 2009 12:48 am

Hi Andrew,My Mum seems to remember that they stayed on the corner of Jane Street and Leith Walk which was probably Victorian and not the splendid Geogan houses you refer to.I am becoming very interested in Flora's life and at this stage i know so little.My elderly Mum and her Brother call her Auntie Flo as if she were Blood.I also think Col GBC must have had a fascinating life,Regards,David
Banks,Bennet-Clark,Bird,Cholat,Clark,Clay,Dupre,Dupuis,Fraser,Grant,Gunn,Hooper
Kelly,Leburn,Livingston,MacDonald,Paris,Reymond,Russell,Sommerville,Sutherland & Watson.All Scottish searches,apart from the four obvious French names.Merci Beaucoup !!!

Currie
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Location: Australia

Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by Currie » Sun Oct 25, 2009 12:10 pm

Hello David,

Just some odds and ends.

According to the Edinburgh University Calendar published 1907 T. W. Bennet Clark shared the 10th prize for Constitutional Law and History.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Tgc ... t+clark%22

From the Scottish Law Review etc 1963
On the 11th November, Mr. TW Bennet-Clark, W.S. Mr. Clark, who was sole partner in
the firm of Messrs. J. & AF Adam, Edinburgh, qualified as a law agent in 1910, being admitted to the W.S. society in the same year.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=2b4 ... t+clark%22

The Times, Tuesday, Mar 26, 1929; pg. 1
Death of George Bennet Clark (father?)

The Times, Wednesday, Aug 07, 1929; pg. 13
Mentions a Lt. Col. T. W. Bennet Clark, commanding 7th/9th Battalion, Royal Scots.

The Times, Tuesday, May 30, 1939; pg. 1
Death of Harriet Sophia Martin (mother?)

The Times, Wednesday, Nov 13, 1963; pg. 1
BENNET CLARK.—On 11th November, 1963, at a nursing home, Edinburgh, after a short illness, Thomas Wilfrid Bennet Clark, T.D., W.S., formerly Brevet Colonel, 7/9 Battalion, Royal Scots, second son of the late George Bennet-Clark, W.S., 11, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. Service at 11, Charlotte Square on Friday, 15th November, at 2.30 p.m., thereafter to Dean Cemetery.

The Times, Monday, Mar 23, 1964; pg. 14
Late Colonel’s personal estate in England and Scotland £252,532.

He would have some entries in the London Gazette.
http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/

And there’s probably more in the Scotsman.
http://archive.scotsman.com/search.cfm

Hope that helps,
Alan

nelmit
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Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by nelmit » Sun Oct 25, 2009 1:08 pm

I'm sure you'll have these but just in case -

Here is the family of Thomas Macdonald and Mary Ann Skinner at 19 Comely Bank Road -

Thos MacDonald 66 Tailor:?
Mary MacDonald 55
Louisa MacDonald 29
Margaret MacDonald 27
Mary MacDonald 23
Charles MacDonald 19
Flora MacDonald 9
Frank Roberts 25
John Roberts 36

Did Flora give Carruthers as her mother's maiden name?

and George with family at 15 Douglas Crescent -

George B Clark 47
Harriet S B Clark 46
George W B Clark 17
Thomas W B Clark 14
Patrick A B Clark 10
Thomas J Martin 48
Sophia H Smith 35
Barbara Moyes 22
Jane Campion 26
Mary Grant 27
Katherine Cochrane 27

Regards,
Annette

david macdiarmid
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Joined: Sat May 31, 2008 8:10 pm
Location: Fife,Scotland

Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by david macdiarmid » Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:27 pm

Thanks,Anne,Andrew,Alan and Annette,The 4 A's.This is becoming very interesting and i can't wait to unravel it all.It seems that his Brother Thomas got all the laudits for his military activity,can't find anything on George at all,not even his death Cert,did he die in the war? was he divorced to Flora?11 Charlotte Square and that area are indeed palatial and that would explain why they moved in such high circles,involving Royalty no less.I have had a reply from The Royal Scots,but nothing "concrete" so far.I have to imagine that photographs of this couple exist,and i am pinning my hopes on his regiment.Who would the other people be living with these families? servants,friends,family,possibly all three,thank you my four Amigo's =D>
Banks,Bennet-Clark,Bird,Cholat,Clark,Clay,Dupre,Dupuis,Fraser,Grant,Gunn,Hooper
Kelly,Leburn,Livingston,MacDonald,Paris,Reymond,Russell,Sommerville,Sutherland & Watson.All Scottish searches,apart from the four obvious French names.Merci Beaucoup !!!

nelmit
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Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 11:49 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by nelmit » Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:27 pm

George, Thomas and Patrick all served in the 1st World War. Their medal records index cards are at Ancestry. The address given for George in 1921 was 1st Battn Royal Scots, Rangoon.

If you take out a 2 week free trial at Ancestry you'll be able to view them.

Regards,
Annette

Rockford
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Re: Colonel George Bennet Clark The Royal Scots

Post by Rockford » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:52 pm

Hi David,

After the 'A's, we'll let the 'B' team try.....

There are three references to George Bennet Clark in the Scotsman that I've found so far, all of which seem to be the father:

25 March 1929
Death of George Bennet Clark on 22 March, 11 Charlotte Sq, Writer to the Signet, funeral on 26 March at 2pm to the Dean Cemetery

23 March 1929
Notification of his death the previous day - no additional details to those above.

4 June 1913
Legal notice relating to James Davidson, Grocer and Wine Merchant, 96 Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, where George is noted as Sole Trustee and Executor of James Davidson, deceased.
Best wishes

Brian
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