Sarah Clarke | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Clarke in 2019 | |
| Lady Usher of the Black Rod | |
| Assumed office 13 February 2018 | |
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Preceded by | David Leakey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1965-10-12)12 October 1965 (age 59) Wolverhampton, England |
| Alma mater | University of Leicester |
Sarah Davina ClarkeCVO, OBE (born 12 October 1965) is a British administrator. Since 13 February 2018, she has served asBlack Rod,[1] the first female Black Rod in the 650-year history of the role. The role is currently formally styled "The Lady Usher of the Black Rod"; for previous incumbents, "The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod" was used.[2][3] She is also the first woman to hold the accompanying posts ofSerjeant-at-Arms for theHouse of Lords, Secretary to the Lord Great Chamberlain and to be appointed an Officer of theOrder of the Garter.
Before taking this role, she was Championships Director in charge of the administration ofThe Championships, Wimbledon.[4] She was the first woman to hold this post and the first woman to be aGrand Slam Tournament Director.
On 11 June 2022, she made a rare public speaking appearance in Liverpool, England to address the Annual Meeting of theWomen's Institute.
Clarke was born on 12 October 1965 inWolverhampton,Staffordshire, England.[5] She was educated atWolverhampton Girls' High School, agrammar school inWolverhampton: it was also the school of the firstSpeaker of the House of Lords,Baroness Hayman. She holds aBachelor of Science degree in Sports Science and Business Studies (1988) from the Roehampton Institute of Higher Education (now theUniversity of Roehampton), a Certificate in Marketing (1993) from theChartered Institute of Marketing, and aMaster of Science degree in Risk Crisis and Disaster Management (2005) from theUniversity of Leicester.[6] She was awarded anhonorary doctorate by theUniversity of Wolverhampton in 2018.[6]
During a thirty-year career, Clarke held many senior positions and board roles, with a broad operational and strategic remit, delivering complex major events and leading operations in a variety of venues across the UK and abroad. Clarke's first job after graduating was working as an event organiser in Durham. By the mid 1990s, she had progressed to heading up player communications in Europe for theWomen's Tennis Association as senior communications manager, at events across Europe and the Far East.
She also worked for theFootball Association in the operations and events teams for several years and atWembley Stadium as operations manager in the late 1990s, combining major sports events with large scale concert delivery.
Between 1996 and 2012, she worked on four Olympic Games, including the2012 Olympic Games in London[3] and was also seconded in 2004 to work on the London Olympic Bid Document. Whilst atUK Sport (2000–2005) she was on the Board of many European and World Championships, including sports such as equestrian, athletics, boxing and football. During this period in 2005, she also was a lead contributor and editor of Major Sports Events: The Guide, working in close collaboration with the wider team at UK Sport.
During the late 1990s she took a year away from sport and major venues and spent time working for the aid agencyCare International.
Clarke worked 32Championships at Wimbledon; she started as a school leaver in 1986, looking after the Ball Boys and Girls, and was appointed Championships Director in 2013, responsible for overall event planning, management and delivery, security, stewarding, ticketing, public safety, catering and player liaison. She also had involvement with both masterplans and the ongoing site development atWimbledon.
One of her creations as Championships Director was "The List", an ongoing process of capturing details of areas for consideration and improvement from each championship. Interviewed byThe Daily Telegraph in 2017, she commented on their quest for perfection: "We live for details. We love details".[7]
Clarke was appointedBlack Rod in November 2017[2] by Queen Elizabeth II, and took up the role in February 2018, succeeding Lieutenant GeneralDavid Leakey, who retired in December 2017. In this role, she took part in theState Funeral of Elizabeth II and theCoronation of Charles III and Camilla.[8] She is the first female Black Rod,[9] the post previously having been filled by retired senior officers; she is also the first non-military appointment for almost 200 years.[10]
Clarke heads a department of thirty that plays a significant part in the House of Lords Administration's "front of house" delivery to members and the public, with a key role in the day-to-day running of the House's sittings.
In addition, she is responsible for the organisation and delivery of ceremonial events, such asState Opening andstate visits to Westminster and for the daily administration of the King's residual estate in thePalace of Westminster including theChapel of St Mary Undercroft, the Robing Room and the Royal Gallery. There are also many annual one-off events, which the department delivers each year.
She has been Chair of the Bicameral Parliamentary Business Resilience Board since 2020.
As a central contact point for members of the House during the day-to-day business, the department has responsibility for facilitating and controlling access to the Chamber and the precincts of the House and maintaining order within them. It also plays a leading part in business resilience. It works closely with the Clerks, Security Department, Facilities Department and the R&R teams, as well as external partners where relevant.
Clarke was appointed aCommander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the2023 Demise Honours "for services to theLying-in-State of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II".[11]
In February 2025, she announced that she would be retiring from the role of Black Rod later that year, after a "most extraordinary" seven-and-a-half years in post.[12] On 29 April 2025,Lt GenEd Davis was confirmed as the next Black Rod; he will take up the appointment in July 2025.[13]
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| Preceded by | Black Rod 2018–present | Incumbent |
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