Thomas Parr (bef. 1768 - 1807)

Born before 20 Mar 1768 in Wigan, Lancashire, England

Ancestors

Died 23 Dec 1807 after age 39 in Bencoolen, Indonesia

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Biography

Thomas Parr was born in Lancashire, England to Col. John Parr and Sarah Walmesley. He was baptised March 20, 1768 at Wigan, Lancashire.

Thomas was educated at the Macclesfield School and nominated to the Bengal Civil Service in 1783 by J. Clements of London. He worked as a Senior Merchant for the Company for many years before his appointment as Resident of Bencoolen in April 1805.

On September 1, 1798 he married Francis Roworth at Fort William, Calcutta. Francis was the sister of Thomas Roworth, a wealthy Bengal merchant. She died in 1809.

Thomas and Francis had four children:

First child was Frances Harriet Goodland Parr born August 7, 1801 in Bengal. On August 24, 1824 she married Rev. Carcus Wilson at Bath. Francis died February 24, 1880.

Second child Thomas Clements Parr, B.L. who was born July 15, 1803 and baptized August 16, 1803 at St. George Hanover Square in London. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. He married Julia Elizabeth Elton January 6, 1836 at Clifton, Gloucestershire. She was the daughter of Sir Charles Abraham Elton. On December 1, 1863 Thomas Clements Parr died at Clifton.

Third child Emily Ann Parr was born January 25, 1805, Baptized February 24, 1805 in Calcutta, India. She died October 1806.

Fourth child William Parr was born December 6, 1806 and Baptized January 6, 1807 in Calcutta. He died 1809.

Thomas Parr's appointment as Resident was most likely due to his skill as a businessman. However, this may also have led to his death. Lady Sophia Raffles, second wife to Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who became Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen in 1817, wrote an account of her interpretation of Parr's policies. In essence she wrote that Parr may have unintentionally gave great disgust to the people of Bengal in carrying into effect his plans of economy, proceeding with too much haste, and without due consideration.That the country was in a state of revolt; but Mr. Parr was blind to the danger which with he was threatened.

Parr's ability to make good judgments and quick decisions were valued by the Bengal Government but incited hostility from local Malay chiefs. In his short time at Bencoolen, he significantly reduced expenditures which had previously been out of control. His efforts to encourage coffee cultivation, which was extremely obnoxious to the local people, is generally considered the principal cause of his assassination, but the true causes could be layered as Parr made many reductions in all public establishments, great alterations in Native Courts and occasionally assumed an arbitrary and independent authority.

Thomas Parr was murdered December 23, 1807 in his home at Mount Felix which overlooked the bays of Bencoolen and Pulo. Mount Felix was abandoned after the murder and left to fall into ruin. Parr was buried within Fort Marlborough at the Ravelin. Thomas Parr's widow and son William sailed for Calcutta after the murder arriving in March 1808. Frances and William Parr never arrived in England after setting sail from Calcutta 1808/09. One report is that the ship they sailed on went missing.

It is also possible that Thomas Parr was married more than once or had children outside of his marriage. A codocil to his will left the residue of his estate to his natural children George & Francis Halifax.

There is a Monument erected in memory of Thomas Parr outside Fort Marlborough. It is one of the few architectural reminders of former British colonial presence in Bencoolen.

Sources

• The Assassination of Thomas Parr, Resident of Bencoolen-by Joanna Cicely Fennell.

Fortescue-Brickdale, Sir Charles (Ed) (1917) Major-General Sir Henry Hallam Parr: Recollections and Correspondence, with a short account of his two sons A.H.H. Parr and G.R. Parr. London:T Fisher Unwin Ltd. p. 35.

Census 1861 England, Clifton, Christchurch, Gloucestershire.369.ED 11. p.63 Accessed online July 16, 2012 www.ancestry.co.uk.

Lancaster Gazette September 4, 1824 p.3. col.1.

England & Wales, National Probate Calender(Index of Wills and Administrations) 1861-1941.1880. W.Wi.p.112 .Accessed online July 16, 2012 www.ancestry.co.uk.

London, England, Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1538-1812. Bishop's Transcript. Westminister, St George Hanover Square, 1803, p. 8. Acessed online July 16, 2012 www.ancestry.co.uk.

Raffles, Lady Sohia (1830) Memoir of the life and public services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. London: John Murray.pp 301-2.

Prerogative Court of Cantebury wills (1384-1858). http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline.