Sir William John ClarkePrint Page

The portrait statue with sculptures commemorates Sir William John Clarke (1831 - 1897), a prominent colonist who contributed greatly to all facets of life in Victoria.

Sir William was one of Victoria’s top stud-breeders, but was also heavily involved in other areas such as the Freemasons, the Legislative Council and the Colonial Bank of Australia. Clarke was a great benefactor and freely gave large sums of money to charitable institutes.

He gave generously to the building funds for St Paul’s Cathedral and Trinity College, and supported several other causes. He was actively involved in many areas of public life and was the first Australian to be made baronet. He died in 1897, stepping from a tramcar in Collins Street.

Following Clarke’s death, a public meeting was held to determine how best to memorialise him. The monument, it was thought, must be ‘of heroic size’ and yet in keeping with Clarke’s modesty. Mackennal sculpted the marble in London in consultation with Clarke’s son-in-law and with the final approval of Lady Janet Clarke.

The memorial, erected by public subscription, to perpetuate the memory of the late Sir William Clarke, was unveiled on the 22nd ultimo by His Excellency, The State Governor, Sir George Sydenham Clark. Rain fell during the whole of the ceremony, to witness which a large number of people had assembled. The Mayor of Melbourne invited his Excellency to perform the ceremony of unveiling a memorial to one of the truest and noblest citizens the State of Victoria had known. It was appropriate that this memorial should be the work of Mr. Bertram Mackennal, who had commenced his career in Melbourne and gained one of the highest positions in art.

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