John Henry Parry - my great-grandfather

[Jomot1]

My mothers grandfather was called John Henry Parry, and his wife was Ann Roberts, they had one child John Parry (1910-1998). John Henry Parry fought in the Boer war, and WW1. He had a nephew called Owen Williams who later became a policeman.

The John Henry Parry I found in the crew lists had a birth year of 1872, meaning he would have been too old to serve in WW1, so this may be a false lead.

You really need to order that marriage certificate to find out John Henry's father's details.

[toaster]

The John Henry Parry I found in the crew lists had a birth year of 1872, meaning he would have been too old to serve in WW1, so this may be a false lead.

You really need to order that marriage certificate to find out John Henry's father's details.

Yep, it is going to take a while for it to arrive. I will get it ordered today, and so may get it in a few weeks. Really looking forward to find out! I told my mum, and Bootle makes sense to her, as she confirmed he grew up there, however, she thought he was born in Wales. The stoker occupation fits with his character, and apparently he worked in the mines as a kid (or so I'm told) I'm wondering if perhaps John Henry or Annie was born in Wales.

[Megan Roberts]

Someone who was born in 1872 was NOT too old to have been in WW1.

I have been transcribing some records for a local history project recently have come across the records of a number of men in their 40s plus and one in his 50s who was killed.

Also not so long ago I actually a newspaper article, detailing the exploits of my great grandmother's brother on the Western Front. He was born in 1873, and would have been fighting alongside his nephews.

[Megan Roberts]

In the 1911 Ann Roberts's place of birth has been transcribed as "Carnarvonshire (Caeathraw)". The actual spelling is CAEATHRO. You will see that its a small village on the A4085 just outside Caernarfon.

In terms of the confusion about where John Henry Parry was born, don't forget that Liverpool had large Welsh diaspora population, and indeed there is a whole of streets around Toxteth called the "Welsh Streets", and such were the ties that in the National Eisteddfod was held in Liverpool and Birkenhead on a number of occassions, the only time its been held outside of Wales.

[Jomot1]

Someone who was born in 1872 was NOT too old to have been in WW1.

I have been transcribing some records for a local history project recently have come across the records of a number of men in their 40s plus and one in his 50s who was killed.

Sorry, let me rephrase. He would have been too old to be conscripted as this was restricted to men 19-41, although of course, some lied. I believe the upper age to join the regular army on 'short service' was 45 if you had served previously, but I'm happy to be contradicted - its always good to learn something new

[toaster]

In the 1911 Ann Roberts's place of birth has been transcribed as "Carnarvonshire (Caeathraw)". The actual spelling is CAEATHRO. You will see that its a small village on the A4085 just outside Caernarfon.

In terms of the confusion about where John Henry Parry was born, don't forget that Liverpool had large Welsh diaspora population, and indeed there is a whole of streets around Toxteth called the "Welsh Streets", and such were the ties that in the National Eisteddfod was held in Liverpool and Birkenhead on a number of occassions, the only time its been held outside of Wales.

Ah yes! Sorry I didn't have time to check until now. Thanks

I didn't know about the Welsh community in Liverpool. I thought there was a strong Irish community. I suppose it makes a lot of sense, given how close it is. I imagine many people moved there looking for work.

My mum will be happy to hear of the Welsh side.

[toaster]

I just received John Parry's marriage certificate. He's put his father down as John Henry Parry and lists his occupation as a Master at arms, and as still living at the time of the marriage (1947). My mum didn't know anything about him working at sea.

I should get the marriage certificate for John Henry in a few days.

[Jomot1]

He's put his father down as John Henry Parry and lists his occupation as a Master at arms, and as still living at the time of the marriage (1947).

A word of caution. Marriage certificates don't state whether a parent is living or not. Sometimes the vicar or whoever may write 'deceased' after the name, but this was never a requirement so the absence of that word doesn't mean the person was still living.

[toaster]

A word of caution. Marriage certificates don't state whether a parent is living or not. Sometimes the vicar or whoever may write 'deceased' after the name, but this was never a requirement so the absence of that word doesn't mean the person was still living.

Okay thanks. It was stated next to his wifes father's name, so perhaps in this case it can be accepted.

[toaster]

Okay thanks. It was stated next to his wifes father's name, so perhaps in this case it can be accepted.

Sorry, I just realised what little sense that made. What I meant to say was; on the same certificate, his wife's entry of her father had "(deceased)" written next to his name, so I imagine that John Henry being alive at the time of the marriage is likely true. Also, as a child my mother met him, and she was born in 52, so he must have been alive, at a guess until the mid-late 50s.

I also confirmed some of the details in the marriage certificate - the two witnesses were family friends whom my mother remembers, and one of the addresses was where she spent her childhood.

The entry in the 1910 census for Annie Parry and John Parry are also correct, as he was born at the same address listed.