Charles Valentine and Ada Clarke

[Mike Herbold]

I'm researching all passengers destined for California, and other than limited info on ET and Ticehurst's Titanic's Memorials, can find little about them. Why were they going to San Francisco? And what about Mrs. Clarke's sister, Mrs. Young, who lived across the bay at 142 Ox Point, Richmond.

 

[Mike Herbold]

On a lark I tried mailing something to the occupants at 42 Ox Point, Richmond, Calif, but it came back "Not Deliverable as addressed". Is there anyone out there in the San Francisco Bay area that can help? I'd like to get a picture of the house if it still exists. Maybe the address was 42 Ox, Point Richmond.
Thanks, Mike

 

[Jan C. Nielsen]

I live in the Bay Area so I looked on a map. Of Richmond (which is located across the bay, on the east side of it, directly across from San Francisco), there wasn't any "Ox" anything. I did find an Oxford Avenue, but the street no.s appear to be in the 2000 range. "Point Richmond," north of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, is part of a national park although there are some residents and farms in the park. Frankly, I wouldn't go cavorting around Richmond, California, looking for a house to take a picture of, because it's sort of run down, the neighborhoods aren't all that great, somebody might try to sell you some drugs, etc.

 

[Jan C. Nielsen]

Just a follow up on my previous message. There's a neighborhood in San Francisco named "Richmond." It is located on the ocean side, just south of the Golden Gate Bridge, where the Golden Gate Park, Presidio, Cliff House, Sutro Baths, etc. are contained. Except for the Presidio, most of Richmond was built up after the Second World War. Before that, it was sand dunes and the like. There is an Oak Street which runs into the Richmond neighborhood, from an old neighborhood called "Haight-Ashbury." Again, these house nos. tended to be high (in the 1000 range). Probably the only thing you can do is contact the cities of San Francisco, and Richmond - - I'm sure they have websites. For your information, perhaps you're aware that Dr. Washington Dodge was a Titanic passenger, who survived, but some years later committed suicide. There is a "Dodge" street in San Francisco, which I believe was named after him. No "Ox Point" though.

 

[Mike Herbold]

Thanks, Joe. I lived in the Bay Area for about 25 years before moving back to Southern Calif. I know what you mean about Richmond, but Pt. Richmond is right on the bay next to Richmond, just a little southwest of the Chevron refinery. There's some nice houses out there and a sailing marina. If I remember right, you drive through a tunnel right next to the Natatorium, an indoor pool. You might be on to something, though, because everyting I've seen on the Clarke's said they were going to San Francisco. Maybe they were headed for the Richmond District of San Francisco. Yes, I'm aware of Washington Dodge. Have you ever read his address to the Commonwealth Club about the Titanic Disaster in May 1912? It's available from the Titanic Historical Society in a small pamphlet titled "The Loss of the Titanic". I'm trying to find out all the info I can about all California bound passengers. Rather than us creating a chatroom on ET, why don't you contact me sometime at [email protected]. Thanks for checking the address.

 

[Jan C. Nielsen]

Hi Mike: thanks for the interesting feedback. I'm sorry, I think I had "Point Richmond" confused with "Point Reyes."

 

[Mike Herbold]

Hi Joe:

Point Reyes is definitely nicer than Richmond or Point Richmond.

Where in the City is Dodge Street, by the way?

 

[Jan C. Nielsen]

"Dodge Place" is a tiny street located near the intersection of Larkin and Turk streets, in the Civic Center area of San Francisco. It is very close the Federal District Court building. If you proceed down Turk Street, going east, or, in other words, in the direction of the financial district and the Bay Bridge, you'll hit it just after crossing Larkin. It's about two long blocks east of Van Ness, and about four short blocks south of Geary. I didn't know about it until one day I was walking a different route back to the BART station, after a hearing in the Federal District Court, and there it was!!! I guess I'm speculating somewhat that it was named after Dr. Washington Dodge, because I'm not absolutely sure, but it's a very good guess. Take care, Mike.

 

[Mike Herbold]

Thanks, Joe. We'll have to find a way to find out how to determine who streets are named after. I've got Clark Avenue down here that runs through Long Beach, Lakewood, Bellflower and Downey that I suspect is named after Walter Miller Clark or some other Clark relative. The Church that was mentioned in his ET bio is one block off Clark. I've got a local historian researching it for me. I've got another development up your way. Please contact me direct at [email protected]
Thanks. I might be delayed in getting back to you. Best Regards, Mike

 

[Mike Herbold]

Eureka!!

The Titanic Commutator, v. 16, #1, May-July 1992, Part two of "The Clark Family of Los Angeles" by Don Lynch, page 18, reads:

"....there is a street in Redondo Beach named for the Clark family"
That would be Clark Lane, which is just a few blocks long.

"The Los Alamitos Sugar Factory closed its doors in 1926 when the farmland which produced the beets became more valuable to developers. The Clark family's Montana Land Company was sold during the late 1940's, with the Long Beach property becoming what is now the city of Lakewood. Once again one of the streets is named for the Clarks."

That would be my very own Clark Avenue, which starts at Pacific Coast Hiway (Hwy 1), and runs north through Long Beach (just a few blocks from where Titanic survivor Anna Turja Lundi lived), through Lakewood (just a few blocks from where yours truly grew up), through Bellflower, and finally ends up in Downey.

Sorry to bore the rest of you, but that made my day. People like Brian Ticehurst that live in Southampton, where every street seems to have a Titanic memorial of some sort will think this is funny, but we don't have that many connections out here.

Mike Herbold
Lakewood, California

 

[Barry L Clarke]

Hi Brian,
If is not too much trouble do you have any further information on Charles Valentine Clarke and his wife Ada Maria
Regards
Bazzer

 

[Brian J. Ticehurst]

Barry - Morning - Here is my printout on Mr. and Mrs. Clarke - I hope that ithelps?

Clarke, Mr. Charles V. Missing. Picture in the Hampshire Post, Cosham.
There is a fine plaque in his memory in the St Peters and Paul Church, Wymering, Sussex. UK.
also he is named on his wife's gravestone (see below).
Aged 29 years.
Dairyman going to California.
CLARKE, Mrs. Ada Maria. Saved in Lifeboat number 14. (Wife of above). Colaba, Grange Lane, Netley Abbey, Southampton, Hampshire.
Sister of Mrs. Ada West, who survived the Titanic with her two daughters, sadly her husband was lost in the disaster.
Returned to England on 25th April 1912 via SS Celtic.
(From: Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund Booklet, March 1913)
Number P. Clarke, Ada, widow received £1 0s 0d. per week.

(From The Emergency and Relief booklet by the American Red Cross, 1913).
No. 76. (English). A dairy man, 29 years old, was drowned. He was accompanied by his wife, who was saved, and intended to settle in California. There are no children. The widow estimated the property loss at $1,200; from other relief funds in this country she received $250. She returned to England in April, and from the English funds was granted a pension of 20 shillings a week.
Died in 1959 and in interred in the churchyard of the Church of Holy Trinity, Weston Lane, Weston, Southampton. The inscription reads:
Ada Marie Clarke passed away February 8th 1959 aged 69 years. Survivor of the Titanic disaster 1912.
Also Charles V. Clarke, her beloved husband who lost his life on the Titanic. Reunited. Also In loving memory of their daughter May West 1963 aged 77 years.

Best regards - Brian J. Ticehurst Southampton UK.

 

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

Afternoon Brian,

You say that survivor Ada West was a sister to either Charles or Ada Clarke, also Titanic passengers. Is this true? I have never seen the family connection anywhere else before.

Cheers,

Boz

 

[Brian J. Ticehurst]

Dear Boz,
Ref the Ada West / Ada Clarke link-up.
I have tried to prove this over the years but have been unable to do so.
Mrs. Barbara West (nee Dainton) as you know has for many years now wanted nothing to do with the Titanic after being upset by some of our American cousins.
I have been corresponding with Barbara for over 20 years now and I have never been able to get her to confirm or deny it.
How the information came about was that not long after I discovered Ada Clarkes grave in the Weston Cemetery the Vicar there rang me up and asked for exact details as he had a couple of Ada Clarkes relatives there and they had told him of the relationship - I asked for a contact address but sadly never got one.

I was wary of publishing the link up but hopefully someone else may have more information etc., to either prove or disprove it.
Best regards


Brian

 

[Peter Engberg-Klarström]

Hello Brian, I trust everything is well with you? I hope to see you in Southampton next month. Have you ever found an interview with the Wests? How they abandoned ship, I mean.

Best wishes,

Peter