John Charles Clarke (27 May 1950 - 26 Apr 2019)

I worked with John at Swiss Bank Corporation for many years. John’s sense of humour made work fun ! and I had the time of my life working with him, and Ian Bond in Deposits. What a lovely, lovely man who I would like to thank for his genuine friendship over those years. Sorry for the late message but I have only recently hear this ver sad news. God bless John

The Eulogy had to be fairly brief and was already longer than it should have been so sadly the extra memories below didn't make the cut but want to share them still for everyone. If anyone has other stories I'd really appreciate it f you could also add them.

Bits that didn't make the eulogy from Uncle Derek;

Our Grandad Charlie was a Baker and kept us engrossed with his first world war stories and we always remembered his saying rats as big as cats. Grandad was very much loved by both of us.
Our Nan Ethel was a great cook and the family Christmas was a time to remember with Nan doing all the cooking and all the family being together on boxing day. At weekends we used to go downstairs when Grandad got home in the morning from work and he would give us most of his breakfast.
Whilst at Poplar Bill used to take us out buy us shilling saving stamps (5p in todays money) every week.

At Poplar we had a kids gang and played football in the street and one day done the off after putting the ball through a window. This was stupid because the owner of the house new us and one of our gang was Terry Dowl who was ginger and lived next door to the house with the broken window. We then owned up and paid 2 shillings and 6 pence (25p today) and the man put a new window in.
Whilst living in Poplar our neighbours were Maude and Harry Hutchinson who had 2 children David and Linda.
When we were kids Harry used to drive us to the museums in Kensington which was quite a drive from Poplar

John bought a Honda moped 49cc but gave up after a week when he had a minor accident and was followed home by the Police, our Dad made the most of this.
Whilst at school your Dad supported the labour party but changed later but our neighbours in Poplar and our Grandparents were all labour
Also when we moved to Bearing way we had separate bedroom's for the first time and on the second night your Dad kept calling me whilst I was in bed telling me it was urgent and he needed help so I finally got up went to his bedroom and he asked me to turn the light out which he forgot and didn't want to get out of bed himself. I called him a few names but did turn the light out so it worked.

Extra bits from Jeff that didn't make it;
The time he and I were financially induced (2/6d each - with inflation, about £5 in today’s money) by the headmistress at Manorfield to play our Tenor Recorders in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty Waltz” in a schools concert at Bow Civic Centre. We’d previously said to her we didn’t want to do so (stage fright I think is the official term). We played but always felt guilty about taking the money and years later we mentioned as much to the Head when we went back to Poplar on a trip down memory lane and paid a visit to the school.

You’ll know how significant the Hammers were to him so I dare say Christine has told you of the time when she wrote to the letters page of the local newspaper to say how they’d had to arrange their wedding on a weekend when West Ham were playing away so that John didn’t miss a home game. The letter was published with a photo (as I remember he was sporting a Zapata moustache at the time) as the "letter of the week” and earned them, I think, £10.00.

On an occasion in the 60’s when we were walking to the King’s Head pub in Stratford Broadway a police car pulled up alongside and we were asked where we going. We told them and they then explained they were looking for guys to take part in an identity parade at the local station and would we help (we obviously looked the part in Donkey Jackets and the like). So we piled in to the back of the car and off we went. I can remember John asking whether the car was "souped up”. When we arrived the PCs were told that they’d got enough guys and we weren’t needed so they took us to the King’s Head and we were dropped off outside. What they didn’t knows, though, was that we were all under the drinking age at the time so to be taken to the pub by the police we thought was highly amusing.

In general terms, and football aside, in the 60’s I remember John and I going to stock car meetings on Friday nights at the West Ham Stadium; the many evenings the George Green lads spent together drinking and playing bar billiards in the Chimes pub in Poplar; or the times when we’d all go over to the Leytonstone Tenpin Bowling Alley; later, I remember many Monday nights with him in the Con Club on Canvey spent just chatting or playing pool, snooker or cards (cribbage) and having the occasional bevvy. All good times.

Mostly, though, I remember him as a really good mate. Someone I was pleased to know for nearly 65 years and who I still can’t quite believe has gone.

Eulogy read at funeral;
Oh cobblers!! Dad’s favourite word! He never stopped using it.
Our Dad, John was born on 27th May 1950 at St Andrews Hospital, Poplar. He was joined a few years later by his brother our Uncle Derek. They lived with their parents Catherine and Patrick, their Nan and Grandad and Catherine’s sister Evelyn, known as Auntie Bill in Brunswick Rd, E14 until John was around 13 yrs old.
John went to Manorfield school and met many of his best friends Jeff, Len and Alan.
Jeff recalls a time in 1960 when Mr Gordon, one of the teachers invited John and Jeff to accompany him to a mid-week evening reserve team match between Leyton Orient and Charlton at Brisbane Road. Mr Gordon was refereeing the match and they had seats in the stand and tea and biscuits with the match officials at half-time in their changing room. They thought we were the bee’s knees at the time. It was their first match attendance and the forerunner of many more to come.

I actually now have Dad’s ‘little black book’ which isn’t an ordinary little black book but contains every football match he ever went to documenting all the games he went to with Derek, his children and grandchildren. Come and find me later to see it but I can tell you that game Jeff refers to finished 4-0!

John and Derek first started to go to West Ham in 1962 and later started to follow them away travelling on Lacyies coaches agreeing to try to go to all the league ground's managing 69. John passed this down to his children and have many happy memories of attending games including the last at Upton Park and first at London Stadium.

Whilst at school John also collected bus number's and he still could remember which bus garage the bus came from by its number.
John had a paper round and never missed a day or night and was paid £1 35p per week. He often commented how he’s never been as rich since.
John went to George Green school where he met Richard and Earnie. At this school he went on a trip to Austria which got his travel bug going.

John and family then moved to Bradley House Bow E3 and saw the Bow fly over being built in front of his bedroom window and used to play football indoors with Derek between their beds listening to Bob Dylan LPs. Derek recalls when John was 16/17 he was a bit of a mod and had the small faces trousers (loud check) and bought a white pair of winkle picker shoes which caused great amusement in the family so John dyed them dark blue but when it rained the dye run turning his socks blue and the shoes blue and white stripes.

John often spoke of his family holidays at Jaywick Sands which he loved. His Mum and Dad would take them out every night on holiday and Derek recalls they planned to live there when they grew up, John wanting to be a Suttons coach driver (the coach company which took us to Clacton).

Whilst at Bow with John about to leave school one of his teachers got him a interview at the Swiss Bank and Auntie Bill took him for the interview. He went on to work there for around 25 years.

Aunt Joan played matchmaker at this time and arranged a meet with Christine, and subsequently marriage followed along with setting up home on Canvey Island and children Emma, Hannah and Adam were born.

Memories of his children growing up focus mainly around having two bars in the house. He built a nice bar in the living room, and one in the garden, the “outback bar” followed. John was, when he wasn’t moaning, really quite sociable. Every Friday friends and neighbours would visit, the house was always filled with music, laughter and cigar smoke, it’s a smell that brings a lot of fondness and reassurance. This was a constant theme throughout our lives. I recall being early twenties rolling home at 2am from a local nightclub, not wanting the night to end and inviting friends back to the “outback bar” in the garden to carry on the night. The house in darkness, I turn the bar lights on, beers poured when John’s bedroom light comes on. I feared the end of the night when John comes out, having just been awoken. He straight away lights up a cigar, pours himself a beer and becomes barman. We were out til around 5am when the sun was coming up. Great night.
As mentioned John loved travel and holidays. We were spoilt with many amazing foreign holidays. John saw this as great progress from Jaywick and again would document every flight travelled on and details just like his football book.

Emma’s memories are mainly about her Dad’s hospitality to her friends. Most nights she had her friends round in the garage where we had a pool table and the bar was always open despite us being underage- no one ever went thirsty at Clifton road!
John used to also play taxi to Emma and her friends to (and from) various nights out.
“I’ll never forget the first time I got drunk and being really sick and dreading what Dad would say. After getting an ear-bashing from mum I assumed I’d get the same from Dad- instead dad was very sympathetic and said “don’t worry, we’ve all been there!” And with memories of Dad being sick in the bidet on holiday we know Dad had!”

Hannah’s memories of John mostly revolve 3 things: food, telly and taping. He would often stay up late on a Saturday night, mostly to ensure she was home safely but also so he got a kebab as well: he wasn’t gonna miss out on a doner!

It was common knowledge that John was a bit of a telly addict; if it was on the box he probably watched it! With the telly watching came the military operation of making sure everything was recorded when he went on his holidays. The night before a holiday he would take himself up to his room and plan what programmes would be recorded on all five VCRs. Yes, five! Hannah used to get so stressed about missing a programme (no sky plus in those days) that she demanded payment in the fee of duty free perfume. A good deal she thought and had a perfume collection to rival Debenhams! Hannah remember vividly saying to dad then when he retired he could watch the Jeremy Kyle show, a guilty pleasure for many people. He firmly stated that “there would be no time for Jeremy Kyle, I’ll have things to do.” Well, not only did he watch the show but he also recorded it when he wasn’t going to be in! He would have been gutted to learn that it was axed the other week.

Jamie was John’s first grandchild and having looked after him from 6 months they had a strong bond and a number of ‘in jokes’.
Jamie and John were regulars at the Miley pub so much so that they recognised Jamie when Dan took him in one day commenting “hello Jamie- you’ve brought someone new with you today”!
Jamie used to torture John with numerous games of tennis, hockey and football where they weren’t allowed to stop until Jamie won! John used to be knackered by time Emma got home from work!
“The funniest story was when I got home from work and Jamie announced that “the bus driver shouted at grandad today!” When I asked Jamie why he simply said “the bus driver shouted at grandad because he pooed on the bus!” Upon questioning Dad he explained that the bus driver was moaning at Him as the buggy was in the way so dad told him to shut up and drive the bus. John then said to Jamie “did you see that Jamie- Grandad just poo-pooed the bus driver!”

John was also Grandad to Alfie, Eden and Bonnie in his retirement. He loved them all commenting how they were handsome and beautiful babies. Now he will loving looking after Alfie.

John was kind, generous, loyal and extremely fair. If he gave one chlld/grandchild a present he would then buy everyone else one. He would never forget gifts and generosity and always repay it. A good friend to have and a fantastic Dad. He always said he wanted I’ve got a brand new combine harvester at his funeral as he really liked the song so that’s next and also not to make his statue too high! Up the hammers!

I remember John from a very early age when he played with my elder brother in Poplar. He grew to be a lifelong friend - a friendship that survived our move away from Poplar and on to more distant places. I always looked forward to meeting up with John for a drink when visiting London, and he never changed or disappointed. Smart, funny and always a delight chat with. He will be sorely missed and my visits to London will never be quite the same. Thanks John for all the laughs over the years.

With our love and many fond memories rest in peace John you will be sorely missed xxx

With our love and many memories rest in peace John xxx

So many memories shared forever. Len.

Goodbye old friend, Len

So many happy memories spanning 50 years. Dave & I will miss you John. Rest in Peace x

With our love and memories of a lovely friend xxxx

With love from all the Schafer's