The Virgin London Marathon is one of two events I visit every April. Like Boston, Chicago, Berlin and New York, the London Marathon is the standard by which all other marathons should be judged.
Former London Marathon chairman dies
James Clarke OBE BEM, former chairman of the London Marathon, has died at the age of 89.
Clarke was chairman of the board of directors of the London Marathon Limited from July 1995 until May 2009. He had been a trustee of the London Marathon Charitable Trust since 1987 and was recently appointed its vice president and had been instrumental in the set up of the London Marathon entry system for the very first event.
London Marathon chief executive Nick Bitel said: “Jim was a true gentleman, a stalwart who turned out at all London Marathon events to support both the competitors and staff and in all weathers. His period as Chairman will be remembered for his calm and measured leadership which helped steer the Marathon towards success. Jim will be sadly missed by all the London Marathon team.”
Clarke joined the board of The London Marathon Ltd, the organisation which runs the annual London Marathon, in 1991. Marathon co-founder Chris Brasher had brought Clarke in to set up and run the entry system because of his expertise, as Chief Executive of the pools company Zetters, in handling mass mail handling operations.
He was a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Glovers, a City livery company with medieval origins that promotes the British glove trade and contributes to young people’s charities and education and had been active in his local church holding a variety of posts.
He remained a director of Zetters, until 2000.
He died peacefully at home, after a short illness on Tuesday 28th August 2012 and is survived by his wife, Jean, and their daughters Patricia and Lynne, their son James having predeceased him.
