George Thomas Clark

George Clark of Talygarn

Colonel George Thomas Clark (26 May 1809 – 31 January 1898) was a British surgeon and engineer. He was particularly associated with the management of the Dowlais Iron Company. He was also an antiquary and historian of Glamorgan.

Clark was born in Chelsea, London, He was educated at Charterhouse School then articled to a surgeon, Sir Patrick Macgregor, in 1825 and later to George Gisborne Babington. Clark became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1832.

By the mid-1830s, Clark was in the employ of Isambard Kingdom Brunel as an engineer on the construction of the Great Western and Taff Vale Railways. His position was a senior one and he, anonymously, authored two guidebooks on the railway.

From 1843 to 1847, Clark worked on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, surveying and planning the first passenger line in India, from Bombay to Thana which was opened in 1852.

In 1855 Clark took control of Dowlais Ironworks. In 1876 he was also president of the British Iron Trade Association.

In 1850, Clark married Ann Price Lewis. The Clarks had a son and a daughter. In 1865, Clark purchased Tal-y-garn Manor,

Clark died on 31 January 1898 at Tal-y-garn and was buried there.

RCT CBC have created a blue plaque in his memory

More information about Clarke can be found here

At the engineering timelines site here

And at Biography Wales here