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John Sowter PARKES, Bishops Stortford, late 19th century May, 2012

Places Bishop's Stortford

Flora Wilkin (wilkinrob @t talktalk.net) from Buckinghamshire writes: John S Parkes, mentioned in 1881 Cenus links with China,  was the husband of my great aunt. I assume that the information given was from a transcript as his actual place of birth reads "West India St Kits" on the census photocopy [corrected]. His obituary in Herts & Essex Observer gives his place of birth as the West Indies, where his father was a Wesleyan missionary. JSP was a missionary in Canton when the 2 eldest children were born. I have found a John Parkes, preaching at a chapel opening in Antigua in 1839, who could be the father. On getting my reply Flora provided the picture and added a few more details which have been incorporated below.

The John Parkes you found in Antigua is the father as there are other people actively interested in this family - see Genes United  - and you might like to contact them.

I have looked at the information there and elsewhere and suggest the following outline history, with an emphasis on the Hertfordshire connections.

John Sowter Parkes grandparents were probably Marmaduke and Sarah Parks as while the name John Park(e)s is common in Derbyshire a John Parks, son of Marmaduke and Sarah Parks was born on 8th September 1807 and baptised at St Michael's Lane Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Derby, on 14th September 1807. (familysearch)

John Parkes married Sarah Sowter at St Werburgh, Derby on 13 August 1835 (familysearch). Note that in 1835 it was not possible to marry in a Methodist church.

In the 1851 census John and Sarah were living at Mount Pleasant, Castle Donnington, Derbyshire

PARKES, John	Head	Married	M	43	1808	Wesleyan Minister	Derbyshire
PARKES, Sarah	Wife	Married	F	42	1809		Brailsford, Derbyshire
PARKES, Sarah	Daughter	Unmarried	F	7	1844	Scholar	Tortola, West Indies
PARKES, James C	Son	Unmarried	M	3	1848		Montserrat, West Indies
CUNMING, Elizabet	Servant	Unmarried	F	17	1834	General Servant	Lambeth, Surrey

John was not at home but may have been at boarding school somewhere. Meanwhile Pricilla Ashwell (13) was living with her parents and siblings in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire. Her family, headed by her father James Amos Ashwell moved to Bishops Stortford Park circa 1855 and James was still farming there in 1881.

John Sowter Parkes arrived Hong Kong March 27th 1860 and left for England February 15th 1865. while in the 1861 census Priscilla Ashwell was living with her brother at Timber Hall, Buckney Wood, Thundridge, Herts.

ASHWEL, Lewis	Head	Unmarried	M	25	1836	Farmer 161 Acres 5 Labourers 2 Boys	Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
ASHWEL, Prescilla	Sister	Unmarried	F	23	1838	Farmers Daughter House Keeper	Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
ASHWEL, Alford	Brother	Unmarried	M	15	1846	Farmers Son	Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
MORGAN, Jesse	Servant	Unmarried	M	17	1844	Groom & Cowman	Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
BOHAM, Thomas	Servant	Unmarried	M	26	1835	House Keeper	Little Hadham, Hertfordshire

John apparently married Priscilla in China in 1862, where the first two of his children were born. Wesleyan ministers moved about every 2 years in those days. As now, a house (manse) was provided which had to be vacated if a working minister no longer lived in it. They were at Madely Hill, Madely, Wenlock, Shropshire at the time of the 1871 census. By 1881 John had been retired early on health grounds, his health having suffered badly in China. and he had been superannuated by the Methodist church. The family were homeless and temporarily staying with Priscilla’s parents at Picots/Pigotts farm, Bishops Stortford (now The Harvest Moon).

ASHWELL, James A	Head	Married	M	67	1814	Farmer of 246 Acres Emply 7 Men & 3 Boys	Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
ASHWELL, Hannah	Wife	Married	F	67	1814		Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire

PARKES, John S Revd	Head	Married	M	44	1837	Wesleyan Minister Superannuated	St Kits, West India [sic]
PARKES, Precilla A	Wife	Married	F	43	1838		Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
PARKES, Mary C	Daughter	Single	F	17	1864		Canton (Bs), China
PARKES, Margrett A	Daughter	Single	F	16	1865		Canton (Bs), China
PARKES, Henry A	Son	Single	M	13	1868	Watchmakers (Asst)	Hale, Cornwall
PARKES, Willm F	Son	Single	M	12	1869	Scholar	Newport, Monmouthshire
PARKES, George A	Son	Single	M	10	1871	Scholar	Ironbridge, Shropshire
PARKES, Maude E	Daughter	Single	F	8	1873	Scholar	Cirencester, Gloucestershire
PARKES, Marian G	Daughter	Single	F	6	1875	Scholar	Eastington, Gloucestershire

In 1886 the Rev. John Parkes [Wesleyan] is listed at Apton Road, Bishops Stortford, but he was not the minister in the local Wesleyan Methodist church - who was Frederick John Murrell, who was living in Portland Road (Kelly's directory) He died on 9th May 1889 at Canton Cottage, the probate registry describing him as of Northampton, formerly of Towester, Northamptonshire and late of Apton Road, Bishops Stortford, probate being given to his widow, Priscilla Ann Parkes, of Canton Cottage, Bishops Stortford.

In 1891 his widow was living at Canton Cottage Prep School, Apton Road, Bishops Stortford

She continued to live in the cottage at Apton Road with some of her daughters, where daughter Maude Eleanor ran a very small school.  There was no mention of school related activities in 1901. 10 years later the census shows three boarders, Violet Smith (11 born Eastington), Muriel Vincent (11), and Marguerte Palser (10).  Mrs Parkes is listed in Kelly's directory as living at 20 Apton Road until the 1926 edition and the probate records shows she died on 21 March 1930.

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Because information on children at such schools is hard to trace I decided to see if I could fine out more about them from the 1901 census.

Muriel Vincent was probably the daughter of Herbert Vincent (waiter, 29, born Marylebone) and Anna (26, born Camberwell), living at 37 Moreton Terrace, St George, Hanover Square.

Marguerte Palser was under one month old (perhaps new born) in the Infirmary of Mile End Old Town, Bancroft Road, London, N.E. with her unmarried mother Hannah Palser (a domestic nursemaid, 27, born at Burton on Trent, Staffordshire and under one month old twin sister Emile Victor Palser.

I was unable to identify Violet Smith as the name is very common and none could be identified from the 1911 place of birth.

Neither Muriel or Marguerte come from backgrounds where you might expect the children to be sent to even a small boarding school in Hertfordshire by the parents, and I wonder if they were, for instance orphans who were sent there instead of going to one of the large institutions for orphans.

If you can add to the information given above tell me.