Ceramco founder dies at 88

Sir Tom Clark

Ceramics industry entrepreneur and sportsman Sir Tom Clark has died in North Shore Hospital after a short illness. He was 88.

A family spokesman said: "His great humility and zest for life has enriched all who knew him."

Born in Hobsonville, north-west of Auckland, Sir Tom left school at 14 during the Depression to work in the family business, Amalgamated Brick and Tile.

His entrepreneurial streak led to diversifying into ceramics - one of the first crockery contracts of the New Lynn plant was for New Zealand Rail cups and saucers.
Later he was founder and managing director of Crown Lynn Ceramics and Ceramco.

He drove at Formula One level and survived a serious crash before turning to the racetrack of the sea.

Victories there included the Sydney-Hobart race and he set the trends and the pace on the Auckland waterfront with the yachts Saracen, Infidel and Buccaneer.

A friendship with the younger yachtsman Sir Peter Blake led to Ceramco sponsoring him in the Whitbread Round the World Race and then building Lion and Steinlager 2, which Sir Peter sailed to second and first places respectively.

An adviser and trustee of Team New Zealand, it was Sir Tom who brought Sir Peter into the triumphant America's Cup campaign in San Diego.

He retired to Kawau Island and farmed at Kaipara South Head, where he turned the garden into a showplace.

He was knighted in 1987, received the Halberg Award for Services to Sport in 2002 and the Bernard Ferguson Sailor of the Year trophy in 2003-04. In March this year he received the Key to Waitakere City at a function attended by 100 former Crown Lynn employees.

He is survived by his wife, Lady Patricia, nine children, 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.