Sir William Edward Parry

Port Stephens

In 1829, the London directors of the Australian Agricultural Company appointed Sir William Edward Parry as Australian Commissioner, replacing Robert Dawson. Before accepting the post, Parry had served with distinction in the Royal Navy as a hydrographer to the Admiralty and had gained international fame as an Arctic explorer. Between 1818 and 1829 he led several major expeditions in search of the North-West Passage, and in 1827 undertook an ambitious attempt to reach the North Pole. Although unsuccessful in achieving this goal, he travelled farther north than any previous expedition. After returning to England, he resumed his work as hydrographer until being invited by the A.A. Company to take charge of its Australian operations.

He had married on 23rd October 1826, Isabella Louisa, fourth daughter of Lord Stanley of Alderley

The couple sailed from England on the ship William on 18 July arriving in Sydney on 23 December 1829. After landing, they stayed at Government House with Sir Ralph and Lady Darling, to whom they carried letters of introduction.

In January and February 1830, Parry made two preliminary visits to Tahlee to prepare accommodation for his family. During his first journey he was urgently recalled to Sydney following the premature birth of twins—a son and daughter.

He described the first trip taken in January in his journal –

Within the bay, at the narrowest part, lies Carrington, or Carribeen, the settlement of the A. A. Co. Half a mile farther to the west stands Tahlee, the residence of the Commissioner. The house, a long, low building, with a verandah in front, is on the side of a steep grassy slope with lemon and orange trees interspersed, reaching down to the water’s edge. The front windows command a beautiful view of t he harbor, and of several thickly-wooded islets with which its surface is studded. The ground immediately around the settlement is irregular and undulating, and more or less covered with trees, which form the outskirts of one of those forests known throughout Australia as ‘The Bush’. Through this there are no regular roads, or even paths but the native horses are able to make their way over the trunks of fallen trees and inequalities of the ground such as an English horse would shrink from attempting.

The stores appeared to be well arranged. The mill, turned by 4 horses, is a miserable affair, and being frequently out of repair, does not grind half what is required, so that flour must be bought, even with abundance of grain.

Visited every house, rich and poor, at the settlement. The row of cottages, including Lieut. Donelan’s and the barracks, also the watch-house or jail, are neatly and regularly built. That lately occupied by Mr. Slade, with a store adjoining, is the neatest looking. At a considerable distance farther on are the cottages of Messrs. Barton and Stacey, very handsome, with gardens in front, very neat and nice. The hospital is a most wretched shed, large enough to stow six persons. It has no fireplace, and in the middle of the apartment is a stagnant pool occasioned by the hole in which it is built. Instead of raising the front, Mr. Dawson dug out at the back. Visited the brickfield in the wood and a tan yard, both useful establishments.

Early Challenges

During his visit in February 1830 he recorded in the journal:

While running down the harbour, Lieutenant Donelan and Mr. Stacey (surgeon) came on board, being in a boat fishing, and I was very much shocked to find from Mr. Donelan that a female servant of William Barton had hung herself in the wash-house a few nights ago ...She was put in, in consequence of being drunk and riotous in Mr. Barton’s family. Mr. Donelan had taken all the necessary depositions on the occasion and had found it necessary to confine 2 men servants in consequence of their misconduct and on some suspicion of their having stolen the property of the dead woman. Presently, Mr. Ebsworth came on board and informed me there was a great deal of sickness in the settlement, but Mr. Stacey the surgeon, laughed at this and said he was not aware of this." I landed at Tahlee, the Lambton being obliged to anchor a full mile lower down, there being no water to come higher up. I found that Mr. Benjamin Stacey had been very ill for a long time and that Mr. and Mrs. (William) Burnett had also been very poorly. The medical department is disgraceful to the establishment and must be remedied.

Arrival at Port Stephens

In March 1830, the family travelled to Port Stephens to take up residence. Parry’s son Rev. Edward Parry M.A., later recorded the welcome they received in Memoirs of Rear-Admiral Sir W. E. Parry:

As soon as the vessel hove in sight, signal guns were fired on shore… a boat put off manned by the officers of the Company who wished to testify their respect for the new Commissioner by rowing him and his family to land. At the moment of landing, a salute was fired in honour of their arrival and the Union Jack hoisted on the flagstaff.”

Officers of the Company included:
Assistant, James E. Ebsworth;
Clerks, Messrs. William Croasdill, James White, and J. Burnet;
Sheep superintendent, Charles Hall;
Assistant sheep superintendent John Swayne;
Surgeon Dr. John Edward Stacy;
Surveyors, Messrs. John Armstrong and Henry Dangar;
Store superintendent, William Wetherman;
Commander of the cutter Lambton James Corlette;
Stud superintendent Henry Hall;
Mining superintendent, John Henderson;
Postmaster, A.S. Menson,

Development Under Parry

As Commissioner, Parry oversaw improvements across all Company estates—Carrington, Booral and Stroud. His administration was marked by strict attention to sanitation, housing, and oversight of public works.

Under his direction:

Booral House, Stroud House and Telegherry House were built
A dam was constructed on the Karuah River (known as the Washpool) for washing sheep
A flour mill was erected at Stroud in 1831
The district’s first steam vessel, the Karuah, was built and launched in November 1831
St. John's Church

Parry laid the foundation stone of St. John's Church on 29 April 1833, an event described in his journal:

I allowed a holiday at Stroud on the occasion… the ceremony was performed by the Rev. Mr Wilton and the stone laid by myself in the presence of about 200 persons.

Parry and His Family

Parry’s writings reveal much about his own character and that of his wife. Deeply religious and earnest in their convictions, the Parrys were concerned by what they perceived to be the “moral wilderness” of the settlement. With no church closer than Sydney and no appointed chaplain, Parry converted a carpenter’s shop at Carrington into a place of worship and conducted services himself.

As the congregation grew, Parry resolved to build a dedicated church building. Stroud was chosen as the site. Much of the funding came from Parry personally, and a memorial plaque to Lady Parry was placed within the church

He also managed, by degrees, to form a respectable choir, the members of which used to meet frequently, in his own house, to practise. Under the superintendence of Lady Parry a school was opened, which was soon well attended, and a lending library established Lady Parry's birthday was always a gala day in the settlement, and Sir Edward writes of the first festival of the kind :

"We had a large dinner and ball of all the Company's servants resident here, being the first time anything of the kind had been given. Isabella and I danced away with them first, to set them going, and then, I believe, they would have danced the whole night, if we had allowed them. Our great object is to make them all sociable and happy among themselves, which has not hitherto been the case."(Memoirs of Rev. Parry p. 251)

While the Parry family were resident at Tahlee, Port Stephens, Isabella gave birth to another two children, Lucy in 1831 and Charles in 1833.

Departure

Having completed his term as Commissioner of the Australian Agricultural Company, Parry and his family departed Sydney and returned to England on the ship Persian in May 1834.

After his return to England, Sir Edward Parry continued a distinguished career in public service. He was appointed comptroller of steam machinery at the Admiralty, then captain superintendent of Haslar Hospital at Gosport. In 1853, upon attaining flag rank, he became lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hospital, the historic home for naval pensioners. During his later years he played a significant role in organising efforts to locate Sir John Franklin’s lost Arctic expedition—an undertaking that ultimately ended the long search for a navigable North-West Passage.

Death

Isabella Parry died May 13,1839 and Sir Edward married a second time, on 29th June, 1841, to Catherine Edwards, daughter of the Rev. Robert Hankinson, of Walpole, in the county of Norfolk, and relict of Samuel Hoare, junior, Esq., of Hampstead.

Sir William Edward Parry died at Ems in Germany on 8 July 1855. His body was returned to London and interred in Greenwich Hospital Cemetery.

Notes and Links

Settler and Immigrant Ships

Hunter Valley Place Names

Colonial Events 1826

Early Days at Port Stephens

Australian Agricultural Company

Robert Dawson at Goorangula

Explorer Allan Cunningham

Voyage to Newcastle and Maitland

In the Service of the Company - Letters of Sir Edward Parry, Commissioner to the Australian Agricultural Company. Volume 1: December 1829 - June 1832

In the Service of the Company - Letters of Sir Edward Parry, Commissioner to the Australian Agricultural Company. Volume II: June 1832 - March 1834 - Australian National University

Officers of the Company at Port Stephens in 1832 included:

Commissioner, Sir William Edward Parry,
Assistant, James E. Ebsworth;
Clerks, Messrs. William Croasdill, James White, and J. Burnet;
Sheep superintendent, Charles Hall;
Assistant sheep superintendent John Swayne;
Surgeon Dr. John Edward Stacy;
Surveyors, Messrs. John Armstrong and Henry Dangar;
Store superintendent, William Wetherman;
Commander of the cutter Lambton James Corlette;
Stud superintendent Henry Hall;
Mining superintendent, John Henderson;
Postmaster, A.S. Menson,

Captain R.G. Moffatt of the 17th Regt of foot was in charge of the military establishment which comprised a sergeant, and 13 rank and file.

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