Percy Le Clerc was born on 30 May 1914, in Irlam,[1] Greater Manchester, where his father was the general practitioner.

[4] She was a great-granddaughter of Austin Cooper (1759-1830), of Abbeville, Kinsealy, County Dublin, who had created a unique record of Ireland's architectural heritage by compiling two large albums of beautifully executed pen and ink drawings of Ireland's castles, abbeys, churches and round towers.

[3] Le Clerc wrote: "Returning a building as close as possible to its original form, while making it the setting for present day activity should be the aim of restoration".

Erika Hanna wrote in her book Modern Dublin, Urban Change and the Irish Past: "The quiet protest of Le Clerc (against his own organisation) was indicative of his dissatisfaction with the State's policies concerning the built environment.

"[18] This same frustration at the neglect of Ireland's architectural heritage is described by Campbell Spray, the journalist, in his article Percy the Monument written when he was Editor of 'Social & Personal' magazine.