Ellis Emmanuel Innocent Clarke (born December 28, 1917) was the second Governor-General of Trinidad and Tobago the first President of Trinidad and Tobago. Sir Ellis (knighted in 1963) was also one of the main architects of Trinidad and Tobago's Independence constitution (1962).
After winning an Island Scholarship in Mathematics in 1938, Ellis Clarke attended London University where he received a Bachelor of Law degree and was called to the bar at Gray's Inn. He returned Port-of-Spain in 1941 where he took up private practice.
He served as Solicitor-General from 1954-1956, Deputy Colonial Secretary 1956-1957, Attorney General 1957-1962. After Independence he served as Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
In 1972 he succeeded Sir Solomon Hochoy as Governor General. When Trinidad and Tobago became a Republic in 1976, Clarke was unanimously elected the country's first President by the presidential electoral college, which comprised the elected members of both Houses of Parliament. He was re-elected by the PNM-controlled electoral college and completed his second term in 1987. Disagreements with the new National Alliance for Reconstruction government resulted in Clarke's decision not to seek a third term. He was succeeded by Noor Hassanali.
Ellis Clarke received three knighthoods from Queen Elizabeth II, the Trinity Cross (Trinidad and Tobago's highest honour). Although he ceased to use the title Sir after the country became a republic, since retirement from the presidency he has generally been referred to as 'Former President, Sir Ellis Clarke'.
He was married to the late Lady Ermintrude Clarke (1921-2002). They had three children, Peter, Margaret Ann, Richard (who died as a young child).
