| AdminHistory | The brothers John (1838-1918) and Samuel Flint Clarkson (c 1839-1915) were born in Glasgow. The 1861 census shows them in lodgings in Islington; John described as Architect and Surveyor and Samuel Flint as architect. John, as architect, first appears in the London trade directories for 1865 at 36 Great Ormond Street; in the 1871 census both are shown as living with their mother in St Albans along with their sister Emma and brother William (c 1852-1932) (both born in Bedford). By 1873 John was in partnership with brother Samuel Flint Clarkson, still in Great Portland Street. Their connection with Poplar would seem to date from about 1879 for it is the trade directory for that year that John and Samuel Flint Clarkson first appear at High Street Poplar, and the Clarkson brothers and their children had a long association with the town. By 1905 the trade directory describes the firm as John and William Clarkson of Great Ormond Street and Poplar High Street. Messrs Clarkson were responsible for designing a number of significant buildings in the area some of which are listed below. William Clarkson was a member of the Poplar District Board of Works and Architect to the Poplar and Stepney Sick Asylum and District Surveyor for Poplar. He was also Churchwarden of All Saints, Poplar and involved in various local institutions. On his retirement the business was conducted by his son, also William (d 1935) and partners, W Till and Roland R English. By this time the business conducted was that of auctioneer, surveyor and estate agent, based in Philpot Lane, Fenchurch Street and 87 East India Dock Road, Poplar, though George Flint Clarkson, the son of Samuel Flint Clarkson continued in architectural practice at Great Ormond Street
Buildings known to be designed by Messrs Clarkson include:
Alterations to Poplar Baths, 1886 (J and S F Clarkson)
Factory at 40 Cuba Street, Millwall, c 1887 (J and S F Clarkson)
Polar Library, Poplar High Street, 1893 (John Clarkson of J and S F Clarkson)
St Frideswide's Mission House, Lodore Street, Poplar, 1893
Extension to Polar Town Hall, Newby Place, 1895 (William Clarkson)
Christ Church House, Follett Street, 1898
St Nicholas Church, Yabsley Street, Millwall, 1899 (J and S F Clarkson)
Limehouse Library, 1900 (J and S F Clarkson)
Island Baths, Millwall, 1900 (William Clarkson)
Extension to George Green's School, East India Dock Road, 1902 (William Clarkson)
Factory etc for the Asphalte Paving Company Ltd at Leamouth Wharf, Blackwall, 1903-1904 (J and W Clarkson)
Various buildings at Fowler's sugar refinery at Blackwall, 1903-1928 (John Clarkson of J and W Clarkson and successors)
Warehouse at 76-82 Poplar High Street, 1909 (William Clarkson)
House at 68a East India Dock Road, 1910 (William Clarkson)
All Saints' Institute, Newby Place, Poplar, 1910 (J and W Clarkson)
Warehouse at the Blackwall Yard, 1915 (J and W Clarkson)
Various buildings at Fowler's sugar refinery at Blackwall, 1903-1928 (John Clarkson of J and W Clarkson and successors)
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| CustodialHistory | Formerly in Local History Library pamphlet collection (LP 1097, LP 1098 and LP 1099); appear to have originally been acquired in about 1954 by Poplar Library Service |