THE PARKER FAMILY HISTORY
researched
by Ronald Harper Parker, 1st son of Reginald Harold Parker and added to by the
current family members
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Henry Parker (1820-1885)
Mine
Manager for the Slippery Lane Colliery (Clough
St. Hanley) and the Racecourse and Foxfield Collieries.
to Margaret
(Irish) Father Michael Ayres from Co. Cork
7 Children.
William
(1st)...Evan (2)...Beniah (3)..Harper (4)...Seriah (5)...Agnus (6)...Nina (7).
Henry
and his family were allowed to live in the east wing of ETRURIA HALL
Stoke - on - Trent (Josiah Wedgwood’s old
home), (now a business and retail park )
Henry’s wife Margaret acted as the cook and cleaner to the Wedgwood
family. Further knowledge of the old hall and it’s connections to the Parker
family are known by Roy Parker, one of Henry’s grandsons via Seriah.
Henry’s
Children.
1st
William....A
Joiner by trade, he lived in the Broom St. area of Hanley, no other info.
2nd
Evan...... A Colliery Winding Engineman at Slippery Lane Pit (Hanley) an
overwind of the cage occurred and two people killed, he was blamed and as
result was sent to prison for 3 months (no other info on family etc)
3rd.
Beniah...A
Mining Engineer and the owner of a foot rail (an open drift coal mine) in the
Wednesbury area of North Staffs. married to Helen (who lived to be 93 yrs with
daughter Nellie finally).
5
Children resulted.....Maggie.....Fred......Ben.....Nellie....Harry.
The only information on these children is that Fred who worked with his father in the mining industry was killed in an accident at a steelworks who they were supplying coal to. Fred was also a mine surveyor.
Ben married a Norwegian
girl and they had one child a girl named Eileen. The eldest son Harry had two
sons, Raymond and Gordon, both still alive in 1983 and addresses were at the time
of writing:- Ray Parker at 7 Heathbrook Ave. Wallheath Kingswinford West
Midlands.and
4th.Myles
Harper.
2
Hill Street, Sneyd Green, Hanley. Born 1864. married Prudence Flackett in
1888. Began work in the coal
mines at age 12, was a Winding Engineman and was elected the secretary of the
National Org. of Enginemen and Firemen. An Alderman of the Stoke-on-Trent City
Council. A Labour M.P. for Hanley from Nov 1922 to his retirement in Oct 1924.
He Was a J.P. for the city of Stoke-on-Trent. Died 14 Jan 1929. (all this info
from House of Commons Library.)
Copy
of Election Card issued to the people of the area in the election campaign in
1922:-
Vote, Vote, Vote for HARPER PARKER,
He’s the Man for Workingmen;
He’s a Hanley Man, and will do the best he can.
For the peace and progress of our native land.
Election
Results...
Harper Parker....... .Lab......10742.
J.
A. Seddon........... Ind.......6312.
J. H. Whitehouse. Lib........4942.
The
name Harper resulted from a connection to a company in the West Midlands
called Harper & Bean Engineers with whom old Henry was closely associated.
(lot of money in chancery as result of the death of Harper the engineer, never
claimed, no family.
7
Children to Harper and Pru. namely:- Thomas, Horace, Reginald,
Ronald, Ruth, Winnie, Millie.(all now deceased)
Thomas
to Evelyn 2 children
Graham and Elaine.
Tom
was an electrician for the local council, suffered with his health (chest
trouble) Graham a T V Engineer
now in the hospital service as an orderly on the wards of the staffs hospital.
Horace
to Alice No children.
Horace
was a mechanical fitter for the British Aluminium Co.
Alice
was Floor Manageress for a clothing company in Biddulph Staffs. On their
retirement they moved to Newton Poppleford near to Sidmouth in North Devon.
They took in one Betty Rowley as their own, and adopted her.
She
lived with them until their death, Alice dying finally in 1985. The estate was
left to Betty who the same year moved back to her home town of Biddulph, where
she still lives, now aged approx.70yrs.
Reginald
to Blanche
2
children Ron and Alan. Reg was born on 13th March 1905 and died
25th June 1965 at 9 Kingston Ave Sneyd Green Stoke on Trent. Reg trained as an
electrician with the Shelton Iron & Steel Co Ltd later taking an interest
in trade union activities and became the Local Secretary for the National
Union of Enginemen, Firemen, and Electrical Workers. Later taking the Post of
National Sec of The Power Group of the National Union of Mineworkers until his
death in 1965.
Well
known as a tough negotiator by the local and national employers, a hardened
socialist following on from his father (Harper)
Blanche
(born 12/7/1907 died 29/8/1984. A local Music Teacher with a degree in piano
music.
Children...
Ronald Harper. (born 19/3/1937 )
The only
one left with all this knowledge and thought it ought to be collated.
Started
to work in the mining industry at 15 at Berryhill Colliery as an apprentice
fitter, later progressing to Mechanic in Charge of the Mine at age 23. Left
the mining industry to take a teaching post at the Stoke Technical College as
Lecturer in Colliery Engineering, later progressing to Senior Lecturer in Dept
of Mining, retiring voluntarily in Aug 1990 after 27 yrs teaching( phew what a
stint) (Now in possession of
old Henry’s Bible dated 1855 with his signature, this bible was
finally tracked down to have been in the care of Horace and Alice Parker from
whom I received it.
Married
to Margaret on 10/09/1960 1
Child resulting.... Nigel Harper born
25/05/1969.
EMIGRATED TO AUSTRALIA
8/03/1993.
This
was following our son Nigel who emigrated in Oct 1991 to Perth West Australia
to marry, Kimberley an Australian girl, met as result of taking a bible land
tour of Greece in 1987, the tour organized by Meander Travel of England
included many Australians, hence the connection Their marriage took place in
Perth Australia on 14/12/1991 Nigel
is currently employed as the Finance Director of a fuel additives company. Kim
works for a local Electrical Goods company as a sales consultant.
Nigel & Kimberley are now expecting their first child, due on 10th January 2001.
Alan
Parker
(born 18/Dec/1944.) Good schooling resulting eventually to him obtaining of a
Higher National Certificate in Chemistry , and becoming a chartered fuel
engineer. Working initially for Shelton Iron & Steel, later joining
British Gas as an industrial
sales engineer.
This
was followed by a venture into business, by using mother's knitting machine to
manufacture initially hats and scarves. This lead to much bigger things,
factory to factory purchases resulting in a multi-million pound company which
was sold on his early retirement in 1996.
Married
to Lynn in May 1964, 2 Children, Karen
Jayne
born 13/12 /1964 and Stephen
David
born
23/8/1967.
Divorced
in 1972
Remarried to Valerie in 1974, this relationship produced a daughter Emma Louise, and was the partnership, which created the thriving clothing factories.
Divorced
in 1995.
Remarried
Gillian in Oct 1996, Retirement proving difficult, formed a new business
venture in computer internet services called APANET.
Karen....
married Robert Keen May 1997, son
James Harper born 22/12/1997.
Stephen.....
Married Julia 14/2/1998 owns a business writing computer software. A most
recent addition to this family of a son Thomas Oliver
born 01/0/2000
Ronald
Harper the 4th
son of Harper Parker was born...1907 died
April 1987. Never married and worked as a fitter- welder for ceramic
manufacturer Bullers ltd. A very keen fisherman and gardener, making his home
with Winnie (his sister) the youngest daughter. Win was born in 1903
and died in 1979..? aged 76. Her
working life was as a Librarian for Stoke-on-Trent City Libraries, and was a
favourite auntie to all, staying a spinster, as she cared for her sick mother
Prudence until her death. The family home was thus left in the hands of Ron
& Win and when the estate was settled, they moved just a few yards away to
set up home together at 24 Milton Road Sneyd Green.
A
particular difficult time for them both because they seemed to blame these
circumstances for having never married.
.
Ruth
the 1st daughter married Tom ..........
1 child born , Shirley, who died suddenly in 1987 of a heart attack,
aged 58. Shirley had married twice but no children resulted.
Millie
the 2nd daughter emigrated to New Zealand........1940s approx ... No info.
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Seriah.
The
5th son of Harper little known of his life (more info could follow) but
4 children resulted from the marriage:- Violet
, Frank, Minnie, Roy.
Violet
died early in her life, cause unknown.
Frank
... no info.
Minnie
had 2 children Derek and Joan lived in the area of cheadle staffs ( no other
info)
Roy
Parker ( 4th
child) Died 1991 aged 79yrs Wife Gladys (died Feb.1998) They had one child John
who married Angela, one son Stephen now aged about 15 yrs..
The
family made their home in Kids grove S-O-T where John still lives and works as
an office manager for Armitage Shanks Pottery. Angela has recently qualified
as a Lawyer obtaining an honours degree in law.
Roy
was an Accountant with the company Peat Marwick of S-O-T after spending most
of his working life in office work and wages depts of companies in the area.
He began his working life as an office boy at Etruria Hall used in his day by
the Shelton Iron and Steel co ltd. It was here that he started in the wages
dept as a clerk which led to him becoming an accountant. In this dept was the
cashier Fred Wildblood , the founder of Blythe Colours Ltd who was sweet on
Agnes ( old Henrys daughter)
Quote
from Roy:- “ I remember as a
junior in the wages dept having to take all the unclaimed wages to Mr
Wildblood each week, he always gave me a sixpence. When I asked him why he did
this he said quite simply “ Your Aunt Agnes was my first sweetheart!”
Roy
had many interesting excursions in to the depths of the old hall discovering
the old benches that Wedgwood used to mix his pottery colours on, in this
cellar was discovered the tunnel that he used to travel to his factory ( now a
heritage site)
A
dedicated Christian, Roy became a Jehovah’s Witness at the early age of 14
and stayed that way until his death at 79yrs. His family and other family
members have followed along in this faith to this day.
6th
Agnus (daughter) Died in early 20s no
other info.
7th
Nina (daughter) no info.
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Current Family minus Emma, Nigel and Kimberley (picture taken on Ron's visit to the UK, summer 2000)
More pictures to follow in a few weeks when Kimberley gives birth plus when I root some out and scan them
Below are links to pictures that each current family member have placed pictures of their families, friends, pets, or whatever they wish us to see. Thumbnails is the best way to do it linking to bigger pictures, mine is pretty simple because I will just hyperlink to my own website, and bearing in mind that I am the second oldest and I learnt how to do it then you have no excuse apart from the old codger from Australia who might be better with the snagger flippers