Sir Andrew Clark, 3rd Baronet

Sir Andrew Edmund James Clark, 3rd Baronet,MBE,MC,QC(18 July 1898 – 19 May 1979) was aBritish Armyofficer and barrister, described as "the leading advocate of at the Chancery Bar" byThe Times.

Early life

Andrew Clark was the son of Colonel Sir James Richardson Andrew Clark, Bt. and the grandson of the prominent doctorSir Andrew Clark, 1st Baronet.Clark was educated atEton College.He did not proceed to university owing to the outbreak of theFirst World War.Instead, he was commissioned into theRoyal Field Artilleryin 1916. He saw service in France and Belgium, and was awarded theMilitary Cross.He left theBritish Armyin 1921, and according toThe Times,"there followed seven years which his biographer would find it hard to document but which certainly enlarged his horizon and experience."

Legal career

After completing his studies by correspondence from Monte Carlo, Clark wascalled to the Barby theInner Templein 1928, and joined Lincoln's Inn in 1930. After a pupillage withRaymond Evershed(later Lord Evershed), he joined the Chancery Bar and built a successful practice. In 1939, he was recalled to military service, and served in a number of senior administrative posts. He reached the rank oflieutenant coloneland honorarybrigadierand was appointed aMember of the Order of the British Empire.

Clark became a King's Counsel in 1943 and was elected Bencher of the Inner Temple in 1951. In 1945, he stood as theConservative Partycandidate forBarnet,but lost narrowly to theLabourcandidate.

Returning to legal practice in 1945, Clark was involved in high-profile cases such as theBank Rate Tribunaland theProfumo affair.In 1953, he conducted the inquiry into theCrichel Down affair,which led to the resignation of theMinister of Agriculture,Sir Thomas Dugdale.He inherited his father's baronetcy in 1948. In 1961, he successfully represented The Crown against the election court petition ofViscount StansgateinRe Bristol South-East Parliamentary Election.

Family

Clark married Angelica Taylor in 1921, but she died the following year. In 1924, he married Adeline Frances Derviche-Jones, daughter of Colonel A. D. Derviche-Jones; they had two daughters. Clark died in 1979, when thebaronetcybecame extinct.

References

• The Times,16 November 1979
• Who Was Who