Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Robert Clarke, an iron stone worker, born 1855 in Blisworth, Northants., and his wife Betsy Clarke (nee Griffin, (married 1874), born 1858 in Blisworth, Northants., in April 1881 the family resided at 21, Westleys Buildings, Blisworth, Northants., the children being, Annie E., a schoolgirl, born 1877, Martha S., born 1880 and Joseph T., born 1881, all the children were born in Blisworth, Northants. In April 1891 John Robert who was a schoolboy and was born in 1884 in Blisworth, Northants and was residing at Northampton Road, Blisworth, Northants, this being the family home of his maternal grandparents, Thomas Griffin, an agricultural labourer, born 1825 in Blisworth, Northants., and his wife Sarah Griffin, born 1827 in Blisworth, Northants and their son, John Griffin, a farm wagoner, born 1862 in Blisworth, Northants., together with his widowed mother, a charwoman and his siblings, Martha, a schoolgirl, Joseph, a schoolboy and Alfred, a schoolboy, born 1883 in Blisworth, Northants. In March 1901 John was employed as a railway painter, and was residing at Northampton Road, Blisworth, Northants., the family home of his maternal grandparents Thomas and Sarah Griffin, together with his maternal uncle, John Griffin a horseman and his widowed mother and brother Joseph a general labourer. In April 1911 John was employed as a railway guard and was residing in the family home at 5, London North Western Cottages, Peterborough, Northants., together with his wife Ann, born 1886 in Nottingham. On Friday November 16th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – DEATH OF A LOCAL PRISONER OF WAR. – Mrs. Clarke, who resides at Great Northern Cottages, Scalford Road, Melton Mowbray, has received news of the death of her husband, Pte. John Clarke, of the Suffolks. Deceased was taken a prisoner by the Germans a considerable time since, and he died of dysentery in an internment camp in Germany on September 13th. Prior to the war he was a guard in the service of the L. and N. W. Railway Company.