John Parr

1834-1922

John, his parents, siblings and early life:

John was baptised on the 3^rd August 1834 at St Mary, Greenham, Berkshire, the son of Richard (a Bricklayer) and Martha Parr (nee Giles) who were married on the 26^th July 1826 at St Mary Greenham.

Richard and Martha also had the following children baptised in Greenham:

Maria in 1827

Joseph in 1831

George in 1837

Thomas in 1840

Richard in 1843

Sarah in 1846

In the 1841 census John (8) was recorded living in Greenham Common, Berkshire, with his parents and siblings.

His mother Martha died aged 41 in 1848, she was buried on the 11^th December at St Mary Greenham.

In 1851 John (15) was working as a Bricklayer’s Labourer, he was still living in Greenham Common with his father Richard (48), a Bricklayer and his siblings Maria (23), a General Servant, Joseph (18), a Bricklayer’s Labourer, Thomas (8), Richard (6) and Sarah Ann (4)

(On the 7^th October 1853 John’s father Richard and a man named Mark Dowling, assaulted a man named George Coventry in Greenham. Dowling knocking him down with a stick and Parr stealing two sovereigns and a halfpenny from his pockets. Richard was found guilty of Robbery with Violence on the 25^th February 1854 in Reading and was sentenced to four years in a Criminal Lunatic Asylum.*** Mark Dowling was sentenced to four years in Pentonville Prison).

*** (Possibly Knowle Hospital, Hampshire County Lunatic Asylum. Possible death, aged 47, September quarter 1855, Alverstoke. Not Proved))

John in later life:

John married in 1858

Marriage details:

Place: All Saints, Poplar

Date: 29^th August 1858

Groom: John Parr, full age, bachelor, occupation, Labourer, abode, Chrisp Street

Bride: Harriett Corderoy, full age, spinster, abode, Chrisp Street

Fathers: Richard Parr and William Corderoy, both Bricklayers

Witnesses: Joseph Parr and Elizabeth Parr

(Harriet was born c1837 in Greenham, Berkshire, the daughter of William and Sarah (Corderoy (nee Parr) who were married in 1836 in Greenham)

John and Harriett had the following children:

Martha Jane born 1858 in Bromley

William James born 1860 in Bromley

Sarah Ann born 1863 in Poplar

Harriet Maria born 1865 in Poplar

Thomas born 1867 in Poplar

John born 1869 in Poplar

Ann born 1874 in Newbury (aka Annie)

Charlotte born 1876 in Newbury

Elizabeth Clara born 1879 in Newbury

In 1861 John (24) was working as an Excavator, he was living in David Street, Bromley, Middlesex, with Harriett (22), Martha Jane (2) and William James (4 months).

The 1871 census records John (36), as a Bricklayer’s Labourer, living at 317 St Leonard’s Road, Bromley, with Harriett (34), their children, William (10), Sarah Ann (8), Harriett (6), Thomas (4), John (2) and John’s uncle, Thomas Parr (46), a Bricklayer (surname recorded as Larr on ancestry)

In 1881 John (44), a Labourer, Harriett (44) and their children, Thomas (14), an Errand Boy, John (12), Ann (6), Charlotte (4) and Elizabeth (2), were living at 1 Balfour Court, Newbury, Berkshire.

The 1891 census records John (56) as an Innkeeper at “The Steamer” Cheap Street, Newbury with Harriett (53) and their children, Thomas (23), a Bricklayer, Ann (16), Charlotte (14), Elizabeth (12) and eleven lodgers.

John was widowed in 1894, Harriett died aged 56, she was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 19^th November.

The 1901 census records John (61) as a General Labourer, living at 2 Exchange Road, Newbury, with his daughters Elizabeth (23) and Charlotte (24).

In 1911 John (76) was working as a Labourer (Water Works), he was living at 2 Derby Cottages, King’s Road, Newbury with his daughter Bessie (32) (Elizabeth) and his niece, Martha Jane Head (17). His son-in-law Albert Veale (43), a Gas Works Labourer, his daughter Charlotte Veale (34) and his granddaughter Jeanette Charlotte Veale (3) were also living at the same address but recorded separately.

In 1921 John was living in Newbury with his daughters Elizabeth Parr, Charlotte Veale (now a widow) and his granddaughters Charlotte Janetta Veale and Winifred Harriet Veale.

John died on the 15^th March 1922 (age at death recorded as 82), he was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 23^rd March with his son-in-law Albert Henry Veale (buried 1912). At the time of his death, he was living in Greenham Mills, Newbury.

His daughter Charlotte Veale was also buried with John and her husband Albert in 1946.

Mrs P   Page 113     LN X

Author: Gambles
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