James William Parker 1884-1971
Special thanks go to some of the Ancestry community who have done a lot of the heavy lifting for this, including AjHampshire1971, SueParkerHampshireUK, ange1bailey, and parkerfluengandy. Presumably all relatives, and some close direct relatives.
I came across their work whist researching Charles Henry New, his brother by the same parents, Charles Michael Parker and Agnes Ellen Parker nee Kimber. Their parents split up and their story splits up as well. James was with his father and Charles was with his mother. His mother met a man George Charles New. After some time Charles Henry Parker became known as Charles Henry New.
They are related through my Mothers side, and then through her mother, a Collins.
James had a long and interesting life.
Introduction - empty
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Queen's Greeting Telegram
Queen's Greeting Telegram
Greetings Telegram from HRH Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of their Diamond Wedding Anniversary, postmarked 16 Apr 71 Fawley, Southampton.
The message in the Greetings Telegram from HRH Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of their Diamond Wedding Anniversary
Kelly's Southampton Directory
Extract of Kelly's Southampton Directory 1920
27 Canal Walk, Parker James, photogphr
James Parker, a photographer, at 27 Canal Walk, between Union Street and Collage Street.
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Birth, Marriage, and Death Records
Birth Records
Born Seventh August 1884 at Adelaide Road, St Deny's, South Stoneham, U.S.D., James William, a Boy to father, Charles Michael Parker and mother Agnes Ellen Parker formerly Kimber, father's occupation, a Plasterer. Notified by A. E. Parker, Mother, Adelaide Road, St Deny's, South Stoneham on the Twenty first August 1884 by Edward Messum, Registrar.
I believe that U. S. D. is an abbreviation for Urban sanitary districts, areas in towns with existing local government bodies. Sometimes a combination of Poor Law Union and Sanitary District.
South Stoneham is a large registration district in southern Hampshire. See UK BMD. The parish of Portswood, which was created 1894 out of the part of the parish of South Stoneham in Southampton County Borough. Later the parishes of Portswood and Shirley were reallocated to Southampton Registration District on 1st July 1909. South Stoneham Registration District was abolished on 1st April 1927.
The map on the link, Southampton Parishes shows Portswood as part of Southampton West, and is much larger than the current parish of Portswood.
The current address for James William Parker place of birth is 27 Adelaide Rd, St Denys, Southampton SO17 2HU, with the number a suggestion from other records.
Births registered in July, August, and September 1884.
Parker, James William, S. Stoneham 2 c. 64, Q3 1884.
This registration and the above copy of the GRO Birth Certificate match for James William Parker.
Births registered in October, November, and December 1890.
Gandy, Fanny Maria, Southampton 2 c. 3, Q4 1890.
Marriage Records
Marriages registered in April, May, and June 1911. Quester 2, 1911.
Parker -- James W. Southampton 2c 57
Gandy -- Fanny M. Southampton 2c 57
Below, an extract from FreeBMD
Death Records
Deaths registered in July, August, and September 1971.
Parker, James William, born 2 Au 1884, New Forest 6 b. 974, Q3 1971.
From other records we know he was born on 7th August 1884, not the 2nd.
Extract of Probate Calendar
Parker James William of Bungalow Stores Holbury Southampton died 19 July 1971 Probate Winchester 2 September. £4137.
Deaths registered in April, May, and June 1975.
Parker, Fanny Maria, born 08 SE 1890, New Forest 20 0382, Q2 1975.
Census Records
Born in 1884, James William Parker was too late for the 1881 Census. The expectation was to see him in a 1891 Census, somewhere in Southampton, or at the very least, Hampshire.
Census 1891
However, this appears not to be the case. In a time of less mobility than now, this family seem to have broken the rules, with travels to Cardiff and Jarrow.
James is with his Grandmother in Cardiff.
Census for Canton, Cardiff, Wales, in 1891.
47 Pen Y Peel Street, Canton, Cardiff, Wales, Louisa Parker as Head/Wife, Married, Female aged 55, recorded as blank regarding employment, born in Southampton, Hampshire.
Resident on the day of the Census with a child, a grandson; and two boarders.
- Mary E Parker, daughter, aged 37, single, recorded as a Dressmaker, born in Southampton, Hampshire.
- James W, son, aged 6 years, single, and born in Southampton, Hampshire.
- Richard H Plasket, aged 44, married, recorded as a Watch Maker, born in London Whitechapel
- Henry G Stephens, aged 18, single, recorded as a wheelwright, born in Chepstow, Monmouthshire
On the Census the location is recorded as Penypeel Street but the closest I have found in the area is Pen Y Peel Road. Reviewing other pages of the Census, other roads referred to are Glamorgan Street and Radnor Road, both of which are in the vicinity of Pen Y Peel Road. I have therefore concluded that they are one in the same, either having been changed from Street to Road at some time, or the Enumerator recorded Street instead of Road.
Census 1901
Census for St Mary's, Northam, Southampton, in 1901.
50 Radcliffe Road, St Mary's, Southampton, Charles M Parker as Head, Married, Female aged 40, recorded as Plasterer born in Southampton, Hampshire.
Resident on the day of the Census with a child;
- James W, son, aged 16 years, single, worker in Engineering shop, and born in Southampton, Hampshire.
Charles M Parker appears without a wife at this time.
Has the family split up?
Census 1901 the parish of Sholing
2 Kitchener Terrace, Butt's Road, Sholling, St Mary Extra, Hampshire, England
2 Kitchener Terrace ?? St Mary Extra, Southampton, Agnes Parker as Head, Widowed, Female aged 37, recorded as being employed in House Keeping born in Botley, Hampshire.
Resident on the day of the Census with children;
- Charles Parker, son, aged 15 years, single, worker [possibly ??? Farm], and born in St Denys, Hampshire.
Other children;
- Alice New, daughter, aged 10, single, born in Northam, Hampshire
- George New, son, aged 5, single, born in Shirley, Hampshire
- Pearl New, daughter, aged 2, single, born in Eastleigh, Hampshire
From the places of birth of the children, Agnes has moved around a lot in the last twenty years if you include James W, living with his father in the other 1901 Census above. Southampton, St Denys, Northam, Shirley. and Eastleigh. All in the vicinity of Southampton.
Agnes also tells the Enumerator for the Census that she is a Widow, which I don't believe is true as he appears to be living at 50 Radcliff Road on the same day as she states he is dead. Agnes is still surname Parker, so presumably has not yet remarried. At a guess I would say that she is living with a man as if they were married with the surname New, and at this stage they have had three children together who remain alive at the date of the 1901 Census.
Agnes Ellen Kimber, age 21 according to the Marriage certificate of 1883. 1901 is 18 years after marriage, so would equate to Agnes Ellen Parker being 39 years of age. Age 37 on the 1901 Census is well within the tolerances of ages found in the Census records.
Charles Michael Parker, age 23, according to the Marriage certificate of 1883. 1901 is 18 years after marriage, so would equate to Charles Michael Parker being 41 years of age. Age 40 on the 1901 Census is well within the tolerances of ages found in the Census records.
Sholing and Botany Bay had a proportion of itinerant people living in the area at the time, which may have made it easier to blend into the shadows of society, if that is what they were trying to do.
Census 1911
Census Southampton in 1911
27 Canal Walk, Southampton, James W Parker, aged 26, single, working at home to his own account, as a photographer, born at St Denys, Southampton.
For the 1911 Census James is living on his own at his place of business, as a photographer.
Locations
Cardiff
Whilst most of the records about James William Parker involve the location of Southampton, the first found Census Record of 1891 is for Cardiff, Wales.
The Census address is 47 Pen Y Peel Street, and the maps below highlight Pen Y Peel Road in yellow. First an OS 6" map of Canton followed by an OS 25" Map.
Glamorgan XLIII.SW, Revised: 1898 to 1899, Published: 1901 -- OS 6 Map Cardiff Canton Pen Y Peel Road
Southampton
Southampton 1840
Broken out of the town walls, but still a lot smaller than now, or even when James lived there.
Zoom in a little and the Old Town Walls in red
Canal Walk area 1840
27 Canal Walk 1870
Canal Walk in yellow. Union Street in mauve, and College Street in brown. According to Kelly's Southampton directory, the Hampshire Hotel is on the corner of Canal Walk and College Street, and 27 Canal Walk is five buildings towards Union Street. Hence, circled in blue, the home and shop of James Parker, photographer.
Canal Walk OS 25"
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History
Newspaper cuttings
Diamond wedding for Holbury Darby and Joan
Life for Mr. and Mrs. James Parker of The Bungalow Stores, Holbury, who today celebrate their Diamond Wedding has been varied and hard working.
Some Sotonians will remember Mr. Parker as proprietor of the old Standard Cinema in East Street which he purchased in 1924 for £5,000 and ran for 20 years until it was destroyed in one of the last raids on Southampton in 1944.
He was proprietor of the Palace Cinema, Bishop's Waltham for three years starting in 1921. Of today's films Mr. Parker comments "too much sex and not enough story."
Mr. Parker, now aged 86 was born in Adelaide road St. Denys went to Northam School, was apprenticed as a watchmaker, and with £28 set up a photographic studio at 27 Canal Walk in 1911. A contract with the Board of Trade resulted in his photographing 50,000 merchant seamen.
After leaving the cinema industry Mr. Parker and his Southampton born wife Mrs. Fanny Maria Parker, now aged 80, ran a greengrocers shop in High Street, Hythe before retiring in 1955.
Mr. and Mrs. Parker who are members of Fawley Darby and Joan Club and Blackfield Old Age Pensioners Association received a telegram of congratulations from the Queen.
There will be a family party of over 30 relatives tonight.
Thanks
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Parker, Bungalow Stores, Holbury, wish to thank their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends, Blackfield Golden Age and Fawley Derby and Joad Clubs for gifts, good wishes and help in making their diamond wedding anniversary their most memorable day.
Eling Wedding
Miss Doreen Celia Adams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Adams, 28, Hammond's Green, Totton, was married to Mr. Harold Arthur Parker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Parker of Wood Lodge, Calmore, at Eling Church, the vicar, the Rev. R. J. Hitchcock, M.A., officiating.
The bride, given away by her father, wore a white lace dress over taffeta, with headdress and veil. Miss Gladwys May Yates was her attendant, and Mr, W, Thomas was best man.
1991
PARKER -- Doris of Sedbergh Road, Millbrook. The cremation will take place on Thursday 4 July, 4:00pm. Southampton East Chapel. No flowers by request, but donations if desired for Radiotherapy Ward 2. Wessex Radio Therapy Centre, care of The Shirley Funeral Service. 276 Shirley Road, Southampton.
PARKER. -- Doris. Passed away peacefully June 29. aged 76. Wife of Charles. Thanks for 55 lovely years.
PARKER. -- Doris. We have lost a very kind and dear Mum and grandmother. Sadly missed. At peace. Rob, Deanna, Karen, Jason, Cheryl, Gary, Nicki, Lee.
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| Name | Event | Date | Location | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Michael Parker | Census | 1881 | 82 Adelaide Road, St Denys | His Parents last Census record before his birth | |
| Agnes Ellen Kimber | Census | 1881 | His Parents last Census record before his birth | ||
| Census | 1881 | Her Parents last Census record before birth | |||
| Charles Michael Parker and Agnes Ellen Kimber | Parents Wedding | 27 October 1883 | |||
| John William Parker | Birth | 7 Aug 1884, Q3 1884. | Adelaide Road, St Denys | Birth Certificate and Births registered | |
| Fanny Maria Gandy | Birth | Q4 1890 | South Stonham | Births Registered | |
