Author: Parker, John
Biography:
PARKER, John (1798-1860: ODNB)
The second son of Sarah (Browne) and her husband Thomas Netherton Parker, he was born on 3 Oct. 1798 at Sweeney Hall, near Oswestry, Shropshire, on the estate inherited by his mother. He was baptised at Shifnal on 6 Oct. Parker was educated at Eton and Oriel College, Oxford (matric. 31 Jan. 1816, BA 1820, MA 1825), before becoming curate at Moreton Chapel, near Oswestry. He was Rector of Llanmerewig, Montgomeryshire, 1827-44, and then vicar of Llanyblodwel, Shropshire. After the death of his older brother in 1833, he inherited the Sweeney estate. Parker spent his own funds meticulously restoring and renewing the churches at both Llanmerewig and Llanyblodwel. He was also known for his skilful drawings of ecclesiastical architecture; some of these survive in the National Library of Wales. He never married and, after his death on 13 Aug. 1860 at Llanyblodwel, the estate passed to his sister. He was buried at his church on 18 Aug. and left effects of under £9000. (ODNB 19 Sept. 2025; ancestry.co.uk 19 Sept. 2025; findmypast.co.uk 19 Sept. 2025; Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society [1892]; Archaeologia Cambrensis [1861]) SR