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Ellis Clarke

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His Excellency
Sir Ellis Clarke
TC GCMG
1st President of Trinidad and Tobago
In office
1 August 1976 – 19 March 1987
Prime Minister
Preceded byElizabeth II as Queen of Trinidad and Tobago
Succeeded byNoor Hassanali
2nd Governor-General of Trinidad and Tobago
In office
15 September 1972 – 1 August 1976
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterEric Williams
Preceded bySolomon Hochoy
Succeeded byPosition abolished (himself as President of Trinidad and Tobago)
Personal details
Born(1917-12-28)28 December 1917
Belmont, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Died30 December 2010(2010-12-30) (aged 93)
Maraval, Trinidad and Tobago
NationalityTrinidadian
Spouse
Ermyntrude Hagley
​
​
(m. 1952; died 2002)​
Alma materUniversity College London

Sir Ellis Emmanuel Innocent Clarke TC GCMG (28 December 1917 – 30 December 2010)[1] was the first President of Trinidad and Tobago and the second and last Governor-General. He was one of the main architects of Trinidad and Tobago's 1962 Independence constitution.

Early life

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Clarke attended Saint Mary's College, winning an Island Scholarship in Mathematics in 1938. Ellis Clarke attended University College London of the University of London, where he received a Bachelor of Law degree and was called to the bar at Gray's Inn. He returned to Port of Spain in 1941, taking up private practice there.[2]

Political career

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President Sir Ellis Clarke (left) meeting with U.S. President John F Kennedy (right) while serving as Ambassador to the United States

He served as Solicitor-General from 1954 to 1956, Deputy Colonial Secretary 1956–57, and Attorney General 1957–62. After Independence in 1962 he served as Ambassador to the United States, Canada and Mexico, and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

In 1972 he succeeded Sir Solomon Hochoy as Governor General. When Trinidad and Tobago became a republic in 1976, Clarke was unanimously elected the country's first President by the electoral college, which comprised the elected members of both Houses of Parliament. He was re-elected by the People's National Movement-controlled electoral college and completed his second term in 1987. Disagreements with the new National Alliance for Reconstruction government resulted in Clarke's decision not to seek a third term. He was succeeded by Noor Hassanali.

Clarke was invested as a Companion of St Michael and St George by Queen Elizabeth II in 1960 and was awarded a knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of that order in 1972. Although he ceased to use the title Sir after the country became a republic, after retirement from the presidency he re-adopted his title and was generally referred to as "Former President, Sir Ellis Clarke" or Sir Ellis.

He was married to Lady Ermyntrude Clarke (1921–2002) for almost fifty years.[3] They had three children: Peter Ellis Clarke (married to Suzanne Traboulay, a former beauty queen), Margaret-Ann (married to Gordon Fisken) and Richard (who died as a young child).

Ellis Clarke was one of six experts worldwide asked to submit reports to Australia's Republic Advisory Committee in 1993 detailing his country's experience in moving from a constitutional monarchy to a republic.[4]

Death and funerals

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On 24 November 2010, Clarke suffered a massive stroke.[5] He died on 30 December 2010, two days after his 93rd birthday.[6] Clarke was laid to rest on 7 January 2011. A private funeral was held at the Church of the Assumption on Maraval Road in Port of Spain. Both his living children as well as his four grandsons gave tributes. Following the private funeral, a state funeral was held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts Building situated at the Queens Park Savannah. It was an inter-religious celebration at which the President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice paid tributes. In attendance were members of Parliament, senators, members of the diplomatic corps, and foreign heads of state and dignitaries. A procession through Port of Spain followed the service. Sir Ellis' coffin, draped in a Trinidad and Tobago flag, was set atop a cannon and pulled by a military vehicle. The procession concluded at Lapeyrouse Cemetery, where he was buried at the Clarke family plot, which burial was attended by family and friends.

References

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  1. ^ "T&T's first President Sir Ellis Clarke is dead". CTNT World. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  2. ^ "Profile of Honoree: Sir Ellis Clarke" (PDF). Ceremony for The Presentation of Graduates. University of Trinidad and Tobago. 2009. p. 10. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  3. ^ Paul Donovan, "Obituary: Sir Ellis Clarke", Independent Catholic News, 1 February 2011.
  4. ^ An Australian Republic: The appendices, Republic Advisory Committee, Australian Government Publishing Service, 1993, page 206
  5. ^ Julian Neaves, "Sir Ellis Is Dead", Trinidad Express Newspapers, 31 December 2010.
  6. ^ Lord, Richard (31 December 2010). "Sir Ellis passes at 93". Trinidad Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
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Political offices
Preceded by Governor-General of
Trinidad and Tobago
1972–1976 		Office abolished
Preceded by President of Trinidad and Tobago
1976–1987 		Succeeded by
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