Edward Parr
Edward Parr | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Liverpool, England |
| Died | February 21, 1768 (aged 49) |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, apothecary, slave trader |
| Years active | 1750–1768 |
| Known for | Slave trading from Liverpool; ownership of the slave ship Briton; member of the African Company of Merchants |
Edward Parr (26 February 1718 – February 1768) was a Liverpool-based English merchant, apothecary, and slave trader. Between 1750 and 1768, he was involved in 51 voyages transporting enslaved individuals, primarily operating from the Port of Liverpool. Parr owned the slave vessel Briton, whose captain collaborated with the African pirate Captain Lemma Lemma, utilizing war canoes to seize people for enslavement. He also held membership in the African Company of Merchants.
Early life
Born in Liverpool, Parr was the son of Jonas Parr, an apothecary located on Castle Street. His family’s background included merchant activities and ship ownership dating back to the late 1600s. He was a first cousin to John Parr, a notable Liverpool merchant and former mayor.
Slave trade
Edward Parr expanded upon his father’s apothecary and commercial ventures by engaging extensively in the transatlantic slave trade, dealing with regions such as West Africa, the Caribbean, and Chesapeake Bay. According to correspondence from his assistant Joshua Dixon, Parr rose to become Liverpool’s second wealthiest individual. Together with John Welch, he co-owned the slave ship Briton, which completed voyages including one in 1762 to the Kingdom of Whydah on the West African coast.
In 1763, while anchored in the Bight of Benin, the Briton encountered war canoes commanded by Captain Lemma Lemma, who captured people for sale into slavery. The ship’s captain William Bagshaw fostered cordial relations with Lemma Lemma through acts of hospitality to enable these activities. A notable incident involved an elderly man who was executed after his children were sold into slavery in Virginia.
In 1749, privateers from Liverpool seized the French ship Le Lion D'Or, which was subsequently converted into Golden Lion, Liverpool’s inaugural whaling vessel. Parr and several other slave traders invested in this ship, intertwining their commercial interests between whaling and the slave trade.
On 13 February 1759, Parr joined a group of 44 Liverpool merchants in petitioning against the public disclosure of ship movements during the Seven Years’ War, arguing that such transparency harmed their trading operations.
As an active member of the African Company of Merchants—a lobbying organization advocating for the continuation of the slave trade—Parr participated alongside prominent Liverpool merchants including William Gregson and John Dobson. The company convened regularly at Liverpool Town Hall beginning in 1777.
Parr married Catherine Serocold in 1740; together they had two daughters. He was interred at St Nicholas Church in Liverpool on 21 February 1768.