William Clarke (apothecary)

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William Clarke (c. April, 1609 (records show he was baptised April 23) - 1682) was an apothecary who provided lodgings for a young Isaac Newton whilst he attended the King's Grammar school in Grantham (Newton's mother remained in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, which is eight miles away).

William Clarke married twice, first to an unknown woman who bore him two children - Joseph and William. His second marriage was to Catherine Babington Storer who was from the same line as Anthony Babington. Catherine had several children from a previous marriage, including daughters Catherine and Anne as well as sons Edward and Arthur Storer, and bore William two more children named John and Martha. All of his sons except John followed him into the apothecary trade.

During the English Civil War, William sided with the parliamentarians. The town of Grantham was captured by Royalists in March, 1643 and on April 11 he was indicted for high treason. On May 22, 1643, however the town was recaptured by Oliver Cromwell and Clarke was released. Following the war William attained wealth and landholdings but lost much of his fortune following the restoration. Clarke eventually retired to Loughborough in Leicestershire, leaving his business to his son, William. William apparently had some tensions with his family as his 1671 will contained a clause stating that: "If any be not thanken (sic) that person or persons shall have none".

According the Clarke's grandson, Ralph Clarke, also an apothecary in Grantham, Newton left signs of his presence in the garret where he slept in the apothecary’s house on Grantham’s High Street: he carved his name into the boards, and drew charcoal drawings of birds and beasts, men and ships, and abstract shapes on the walls. Newton was said to have had 'a passion' for Clarke's step-daughter, Catherine Storer (later Mrs. Vincent).