Clark's Butchers, Dewsbury

The following source list was originally available only on paper in one of the West Yorkshire Archive Service offices. It may have been compiled many years ago and could be out of date. It was designed to act as a signpost to records of interest on a particular historical subject, but may relate only to one West Yorkshire district, or be an incomplete list of sources available. Please feel free to add or update with any additional information.

The Clark family were in business as Butcher's in Dewsbury from c1880. Beaumont Clark opened a butcher's shop in Oastler Street off Boothroyd Lane. Together with his brother Tom Clark, they opened more shops in Earlsheaton and Ravensthorpe in the years leading up to the First World War as well as having a stall on Dewsbury Market. In the early 1920's the main premises was moved from Battye Street to 1 Corporation Street where they remained. In 1920 the firm made the news when it bought a bullock bred on the King's estate at Sandringham. The bullock was being auctioned at the York Fatstock Christmas Show, the money going to the York County Hospital. In 1932 Beaumont Clark died and Tom Clark took over control of all the shops. In 1934 new premises were opened at Ravensthorpe. Eventually, Tom's son, Henry took over the business. He retired in 1972, handing over to his nephew David Clark Smith. By this date the firm had four shops, a mobile shop and a meat products and pie factory in Boothroyd Lane. Clarks The Butcher finally closed in the late 1980's. The firm had 2 shops, the premises in Corporation Street was still a butchers shop in 1992, run by Brown's Butchers.

These records are held by WYAS Kirklees, collection reference KC608.