Thomas, James and John Clarke of Monaro were cattle duffers and horse thieves.

James was implicated in the Hall gang's robbery of the Cowra Mail and convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment on 12 January 1865 for receiving stolen property. No doubt this kept him occupied during some of his brothers' notorious escapades.

Thomas was arrested in October 1864 for highway but later escaped from Braidwood jail. He went on to steal racehorses, stick up mail coaches and rob travellers and stores around Braidwood and Moruya, NSW.

During a series of robberies in April 1865 on the way home from a race meeting the Thomas Clarke and his accomplices shot John Emmot as he tried to escape. The next day they robbed Mr Pollock's store and the butcher's shop at the Gulf Diggings. One of the gang, William Fletcher was killed by Constable Miles O'Grady, who was then shot by another of the bushrangers and died a few days later.

Four men sent by police authorities to help capture the Clarkes were found dead in their camp on Jinden station A reward of £ 5000 in January 1867 for the capture of those responsible. Later the reward for Thomas Clarke was raised to £ 1000. The police ambushed the Clarke brothers in a hut on 26 April and took them prisoner. They were tried and found guilty and hanged on 25 June 1867.

The capture of the Clarke brothers. Published in the Illustrated Sydney News, 16 May 1867.