Ephraim Mayo Clarke (21 August 1846 – 15 April 1921) was an Australian politician who was a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 1901 until his death, representing South-West Province. He was a minister in the second government of George Leake. Clarke was born in Australind, in Western Australia's South West region. He initially worked on his father's property at Australind, but later farmed at his own property, near Harvey. In 1874, Clarke moved to Bunbury, where he was a storekeeper and warehouse owner. He was eventually elected to the

Bunbury Municipal Council The City of Bunbury is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, covering an area of along the coast about south of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. The City of Bunbury is one of four local governments co ...

, and served four periods as Mayor of Bunbury (in 1888, from 1894 to 1897, from 1899 to 1900, and in 1908). Clarke entered parliament at a 1901 Legislative Council by-election, which had been caused by the death of the sitting member, William Spencer (a former mayor of Bunbury). In December 1901, just months after being elected, he was made a

minister without portfolio A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister who does not head a particular ministry. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet w ...

in the Leake ministry. However, George Leake died in June 1902, and Clarke was not retained in the new ministry formed by Walter James. After his initial election, Clarke was re-elected four more times (in 1902, 1908, 1914, and 1920), eventually joining the Nationalist Party.Ephraim Mayo Clarke
– Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 4 June 2016. He died in Bunbury in April 1921, aged 74."DEATH OF MR. E. M. CLARKE."
'' The West Australian'', 16 April 1921.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Ephraim 1846 births 1921 deaths Australian people of English descent Mayors of Bunbury, Western Australia Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council Nationalist Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Western Australia People from Bunbury, Western Australia Western Australian local councillors