Patricia (Trish) Clarke, only daughter of Wilf and Jean Batey, was born in 1942 in Richardson Street, Carlisle.

She was educated at Robert Ferguson Infants (at the same time as her husband to be, unknown to her...) then Morley Street Primary and Carlisle and County High School for Girls.

Her beautiful soprano singing voice was first discovered, and nurtured, by Miss Simpson at the High School and, thereafter, Trish followed in the footsteps of her mum Jean, Uncle Bob Dixon and cousin Ian Dixon, onto the stage – performing her first principal role at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Carlisle in 1960 in ‘The New Moon’.

Trish went on to have singing lessons with the renowned Ena Mitchell and, at age 19, won the ‘Cumberland News Challenge Cup’ at Carlisle Music Festival. Trish loved all sorts of music, from the Beatles to Tina Turner to Puccini, often frequenting Crown & Mitre dances in her teens and jiving in the kitchen with her great friend Dee.

Following completion of her studies at Underwood Secretarial College, she began work at West Cumberland Farmers in Cecil Street, where she met her husband to be, Ian Clarke. They began courting in and around the Lakes in Ian’s trusty Ford Anglia, enjoying holidays in Italy and day trips to Blackpool and Edinburgh.

Trish and Ian became engaged in 1962 (with Wilf insisting upon a two-year engagement) and in 1964 they were married at St Cuthbert’s… just three days after the two-year period was up!

Trish continued to sing for many years, first joining Carlisle Musical Society, then Carlisle Choral Society with whom she played the lead in many Gilbert and Sullivan operettas throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. Her two children, David and Julie, vividly remember the excitement of sitting in the front row of the City Hall balcony, watching Trish perform in The Mikado, Gondoliers, Pirates of Penzance, etc, before joining her backstage for the end of show celebrations.

Trish joined Austin Friars School as Bursars’ Secretary in 1972 and spent over 30 very happy years there working for a succession of Augustinian priests and lay bursars. Trish sang for many charities over the years and, in 1986, was invited to a Buckingham Palace garden party in recognition of her extensive charitable work.

As a lifelong Royalist, this was a huge thrill for Trish – as was the opportunity to meet her singing idol, Dame Kiri te Kanawa, in Edinburgh some years later, which Ian arranged as a surprise.

Following her retirement, Trish carried on singing with Cantonelle Ladies Choir and also enjoyed many cruises and exotic holidays with Ian and frequent stays with Julie in London for shopping and theatre trips.

Trish was never happier, however, than when she was at home in Carlisle, surrounded by her family and many friends. She was a devoted, and very proud, Granny to Lucy, Greg and Josh, an extremely loving Mum to David and Julie and a much cherished friend to so many. She also adored Claire and Elliott, her daughter- and son-in-law.

Trish saw the best in everybody and was unfailingly kind and generous – lighting up rooms with her radiant smile and infectious laugh. She lived her life by her father Wilf’s maxim – ‘do unto others as you would have done to you’ – and her innate goodness enriched the lives of all those who were lucky enough to know her.

Her marriage to Ian lasted a lifetime; they celebrated their Golden Wedding in 2014 with a surprise party attended by their best man, bridesmaids, family and friends and as Trish often said, they were truly “two peas in a pod”. An elegant, classy, wonderful lady – Trish Clarke will be forever loved and forever missed.