Anthony Peter Clarke, Baron Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony, (13 May 1943 – 16 April 2026) was a British lawyer and senior judge.Rainey, Simon. The Law of Tug and Tow and Offshore Contracts Preface & King's College Cambridge – New Honorary Fellows (Accessed 5 April 2018) He was one of the 11 founding Justices of the newly created Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, and was the first to be appointed directly to that court without previously having heard cases, as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, in the House of Lords. He retired from the Supreme Court in September 2017 at the age of 74.

Clarke was also a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong from 11 April 2011. Clarke was previously Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice in England and Wales.

Early life and education Clarke was born in Ayr on 13 May 1943, to Harry and Isobel () Clarke. The family later moved to Lincolnshire. He was educated at Oakham School. In 1957 the trial of suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams first made him interested in pursuing a career in the law. He read Economics and Law at King's College, Cambridge.

Career Clarke was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1965. He developed a commercial and maritime law practice.

He became a Queen's Counsel in 1979, and was a Recorder sitting in both criminal and civil courts from 1985 to 1992. In 1993, Clarke became a High Court judge and, as is customary, was appointed a Knight Bachelor. He was allocated to the Queen's Bench Division and, in April 1993, he succeeded Mr Justice Sheen as the Admiralty Judge. He sat in the Admiralty Court, the Commercial Court and the Crown Court, trying commercial and criminal cases respectively.

Clarke was promoted to the Court of Appeal of England and Wales in 1998 and sworn of the privy council. Shortly thereafter, he led the Thames Safety Inquiry and in the following year the judicial inquiry into the Marchioness disaster. He was Master of the Rolls from 2005 until 2009.

On 15 April 2009, it was announced that he would be created a life peer, his appointment was gazetted on 29 May 2009 with the title of Baron Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony, of Stone-cum-Ebony, in the County of Kent. He took his seat, as a crossbencher, in the House of Lords on 1 June 2009.House of Lords – Minutes of Proceedings

It was announced on 20 April 2009 that Clarke was to be appointed to the Supreme Court with effect from 1 October 2009. He retired from the Supreme Court in September 2017. From that point, he was then able to sit in the House of Lords, which he did until his retirement from the House on 14 September 2020.

A member of the Shipwrights' Company, Clarke was an Assistant from 2000 and Prime Warden for 2014–15.

Personal life and death Clarke lived in Kent and London with his wife, Rosemary, née Adam, whom he married in 1968. They had three children—Ben, Thomas and Sally—and six grandchildren.

Clarke suffered from Alzheimer's disease in his later life. He died on 16 April 2026, at the age of 82.

Arms

List of decided cases Pennington v Waine OFT v Abbey National plc Autoclenz Ltd v Belcher

See also Judicial titles in England and Wales

Notes

External links The Court of Appeal (HM Courts Service) Senior judiciary biographies – Master of the Rolls (Judicial Communications Office)

www.parliament.uk