Stan Clarke The visitor approached Stan Clarke and said, “Good morning, Sir, I’m taking the census.” “There’s none here,” replied Stan. Such was the wit of Stanley Melvin Clarke. One of the more colourful characters you will ever meet. Sharp, witty, humourous, and friendly, Stan would meet you with a welcome. Just be prepared to expect the unexpected. Long a fixture at his Swansea Salvage Yard, Stan reached near-legendary status. Stan was born August 30th, 1932. His parents were Augustus and Laura Jane Clarke. Stan left school after Grade 3; but his lack of formal schooling was in no way a hindrance to him. He was obviously intelligent and industrious, and his life certainly reflects that. He began earning his own living at the age of thirteen when he “..went to the Labrador.” At age sixteen Stan went to work at an American base in Greenland as a “kitchen helper”. He says that “..was one of the best jobs I liked.” He stayed there for three years. From there he went to Argentia as a labourer for a couple of years. He worked his third American base in Goose Bay for two or three years after that, again as a kitchen helper. From there Stan worked on Bell Island as a Linesman. He then returned home and worked on the Government Farm in Swansea with Hal Cole. Mixed in among all those years, Stan also worked in the lumber woods, and spent several seasons at the fish plant. It was in the 1960s that Stan became known far and wide as the owner of the Pig ‘N’ Whistle. That gathering place in the basement of his house on what was known as Tilt Path, now part of the Bottom Loop, got its name from an old television show, based on an old English pub. There are quite a few stories and memories associated with the Pig ‘N’ Whistle. Perhaps one day we’ll tell a few of them. In 1973 Stan began Stan’s Salvage Yard, better known as Stan’s Place. For thirty years he ran this business and made a good living at it. “I just got the idea one day and started scrapping cars,” he says. Before he knew it his place on the Bottom Loop couldn’t handle it. He bought a garden on Swansea Road from Cal Priddle and moved everything there. He soon outgrew that, too and moved further up in Swansea. Soon, there were several sprawling buildings bursting with “parts”. Whatever you needed for a vehicle, Stan could provide. Whatever you needed for anything else, Stan could find for you, too. He retired from the salvage business in 2004 when he sold out to his nephew, Melvin Clarke. He soon found out he just couldn’t sit around doing nothing. You can find him still helping out around the salvage yard in Swansea. Drop by. Stan always had time for a chat. He even had a chair or two out front for you.Stanley Clarke was a charter member of the Victoria Lions Club and a member of the Retired and Honorary Firefighters of Victoria. Stan had four children. He was quite the character.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 21:11:59 +0000
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