Arnold Clark

**Sir John Arnold Clark** (27 November 1927&nbsp;– 10 Aprile 2017) wis a Scots billionaire businessman. Clark appent ae shawroom in Glesga in 1954 an fand some success sellin cars. He stendit his business an Arnold Clark Automobiles becam a nationwide chain o motor dealerships an the maistmuckle private awnt business in Scotland.

Clark keppit his business faimilie awnt fur mair nor saxty yeir, steyin on as the chairman an heid executive. In 2016, he becam the first billionaire car dealer in Britain.

## Early life
John Arnold Clark wis born in a tenement in Tounheid, Glesge, on 27 November 1927. His faither wis a Clydeside shipwirker. He wint tae Dennistoun Primary Schuil an left home aged fowerteen athoot ony qualifications. Durin the war, he flittit tae Arran.

He wis conscriptit tae the Royal Air Force (RAF) near the end o the Seicont Warld War at the age o seiventeen, an wirkit as a Motor Mechanics Instructor. He makit the rank o Corporal an wad later sey that durin this time his self discipline cam intil bein, alang wi heidship qualities.

## Car salesman
Clark left the RAF in the early 1950s, but wisna able tae fin ae job. He uised his demob siller tae buy a 1933 Morris Ten-Four fur £70, an efter restorin it, selt it fur a profit. Clark stairtit buyin an sellin cars, gettin his first shawroom in 1954 in Glesga's Pairk Road. He siccart his first retail franchise fur Morris Motors in 1959, then durin the early 1960s pit up shawrooms in Bothwell Street, an in Paisley an Bearsden an aw.

He foondit a finance company in 1963, sae fowk didna hae tae bring in their baunk manager whan buyin vehicles fae him. In the 1960s, Clark stendit intil the rental vehicle mercat an aw. In 1968, he teuk ower Grant, Melrose and Tennant giein the company an accident repair centre. Bi the late 1980s, Arnold Clark haed brainches athort Central Scotland an ane in Ingland.

Bi September 2002, Arnold Clark haed 97 dealerships an wi annual sales expectit to reach £1&nbsp;billion, it wis conseidert Scotland's maistmuckle private company. In Mey 2006, the company bocht oot the Harry Fairbairn BMW an Mini dealership. The company appent ae car shawroom in the regeneratit Glesga Haven, that at the time wis Europe's mucklest. The neist yeir Clark's company wis nearin ae £2&nbsp;billion turnower.

At the age of 80, Clark wis still a director o his company, getin a salary of £1.3&nbsp;million. He steyed on as chairman an chief executive, makin him the company's heichest peyed director an wis receivin near £2&nbsp;million a yeir bi 2012. In September 2014, the company’s turnower wis near £3&nbsp;billion.

By 2014, his weal wis estimatit at £675&nbsp;million, aheid o Britain's ither car dealers. The Sunday Times Rich List 2016 estimatit that the fortune awnt bi Clark an his faimily tae be mair nor £1&nbsp;billion, makin him Britain's furst billionaire car dealer. He kythed on The World's Billionaires list makit up bi Forbes fur the furst time in Mairch 2017.

## Awairds an honours
In the 2004 New Year Honours, Clark wis makit ae Knight Bachelor, fur services tae the motor industry, an fur his commonity thrift in Scotland. The University of Glasgow gied him ae honorary degree in 2005. He wis presentit wi Car Dealer Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

## Personal life
Clark wis mairret twice, an haed ten bairns, sax sons an fower dochters. Clark haed fower loons fae his furst mairrige, tho een loon dee'd in 1995 in Helensburgh at the age o 33. His seicont mairrage wis tae Philomena an thay haed sax bairns thegither. Clark sattlit in the wee toun o Killearn an wis ae kirk elder. He dee'd on 10 April 2017, aged 89.

### Car collection
Clark haed ae "extensive collection of classic cars", includin a Ford Model T Town Car (1915), a Ford Model T Coupé (1924), a Citroën Cloverleaf (1926), a Rolls-Royce Park Ward Single Tourer 20&nbsp;hp (1928), an Austin Heavy 12 (1929).

### Yacht
Clark bocht the Maxi yacht *Drum* fae Simon Le Bon in 1988. The 78 fit craft is sailt wi a gang o 22. That year, Clark led the annual Tobermory race, afore Drum wis involved in a collision wis a Royal Navy submarine, aboot five mile aff the Mull of Kintyre. He loaned it back tae Le Bon in 2005 an the yacht wis aft loant oot tae ither organisations tae raise siller fur chairable causes.

## References