Obituaries Australia

One of the leading sporting men of the colony has passed away during the month, in the person of Mr. Thomas Biggs Clarke, who expired at his residence, Quorn Hull, on the 11th instant, after a protracted illness. Mr. Clarke was the son of one of the earliest Tasmanian colonists, Mr W. J. T. Clarke, formerly of Hobart Town, but more recently of Victoria, where he removed some few years before his death, and where his other sons, the Hon W. J. Clarke, M.L.C., of Sunbury, and Mr Joseph Clarke of Toorak, (late of Norton Mandeville, Tasmania) now reside. The deceased was a native of Tasmania, and was about 45 years of age at the time of his death. His only education was received at Mr. Thompson's School, Hobart Town, where he was a schoolfellow of the hon John Lord, and other well-known Tasmanians; afterwards he went to England to finish, as all the brothers did. He was married to a daughter of Mr. Henrie Nicholas, of Cawood, near Hamilton, and leaves several children, who are well provided for by the elder Mr. Clarke's will, a large sum having been left to each. The deceased has for a number of years resided at Quorn Hall, and has been intimately connected with the sporting events of the colony. The large Park was well stocked with deer, and the Quorn Hall hounds are a household word in Tasmania. He was the owner of a large quantity of blood stock and valuable sheep. The chief circle, however, in which he was known was the racing world, and his four-in-hand was always one of the sights of our great race meetings. He was not only a racer but a breeder of horses, and the imported sire Horror, which recently died, was located at Quorn Hull, where there were also a large number of really valuable brood mares of various very old strains of blood. Fingal, the well known Victorian-bred cross-country horse, and the flat racers Canezou, Yougogo, Sir John Moore, and King Arthur, all of which are now in training, were Mr. Clarke's property. He was well liked in racing circles as an enthusiastic and straight-going sportsman. The body was brought by train to Hobart Town on Saturday, 14th instant, and was interred in the Sandy Bay Cemetery. A large number of his friends in the city followed the remains to the grave. None of the Victorian relatives of the deceased were present, his mother having also died during the week, and her funeral taking place in Melbourne on the same day.