John Frederick Preston Clarke (born Chorlton, Manchester, England; on July 28th, 1883) was the son of John Robert Clarke (b. 1865) and Ellen Preston (b. 1861) who had married in 1883. His father was a native of Croydon, Surrey and was described on the 1881 census as a law stationer (clerk), whilst his mother was a dressmaker from Sandal, Wakefield, Yorkshire. The eldest of three children, John had two sisters: Ellen Mary (b. 1885) and Emily Florence (b. 1887). John seemingly came from a musical family and his maternal aunt Mary was described as a musician on the 1891 census.