John Henry Parker (writer)

John Henry Parker
Born	Template:Birth date London, England
Died	January 31, 1884(1884-01-31) (aged 77) Oxford, England
Occupation(s)	Archaeologist, author, publisher
Known for	Architectural writings, archaeology of Rome, Gothic Revival movement
Notable work	Glossary of terms used in Grecian, Roman, Italian, and Gothic architecture; Archaeology of Rome; A B C of Gothic Architecture

John Henry Parker (1 March 1806 – 31 January 1884) was a distinguished English archaeologist, author on architectural subjects, and publisher.

Biography

Born in London to the merchant John Parker, he received his education at Manor House School in Chiswick before beginning an apprenticeship in 1821 with his uncle, Joseph Parker (circa 1774–1850), a bookseller based in Oxford. Upon inheriting this enterprise in 1832, he effectively managed the business and was responsible for publishing significant works, including the well-known Oxford Pocket Classics series.

On 7 February 1832, Parker wed Frances Mary Hoskyns at St Lawrence's Church in Appleton, Oxfordshire. Frances was the daughter of James Williams Hoskyns, who served as a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford and Rector of Appleton. Both shared a passion for antiquarian studies. Frances passed away in 1854 following a short illness.

In 1836, Parker released his seminal Glossary of terms used in Grecian, Roman, Italian, and Gothic architecture, which played an important role in advancing the Gothic Revival movement within England. He also edited the fifth edition of Thomas Rickman's Gothic architecture in 1848 and authored Introduction to the study of Gothic architecture in 1849. From 1853 to 1860, he finalized Hudson Turner's Domestic architecture of the Middle Ages across three volumes. Additional notable publications include Medieval architecture of Chester (1858) and Architectural antiquities of the city of Wells (1866).

A fervent supporter of church restoration efforts, Parker partnered with G.E. Street, Oxford's Diocesan Architect, to develop restoration schemes for St. Andrew's parish church in Chinnor during 1863. He also created designs for traceried lancet windows at St. Nicholas the Confessor church located in Forest Hill. His son James Parker (1832/33–1912) followed a professional path in architecture.

Later stages of Parker’s career shifted focus toward Roman archaeology through excavation projects, culminating in the publication of two volumes titled Archaeology of Rome (1874 and 1876). His contributions were recognized with honors from King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy as well as a medal awarded by Pope Pius IX. In 1869, he endowed the keepership position at the Ashmolean Museum with a fund generating £250 annually and became its inaugural keeper. He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1871.

Parker assembled an extensive photographic collection capturing Rome’s monuments and archaeological digs dating back to the Renaissance period. Employing local photographers, he gathered detailed images that illustrated his works; regrettably, this archive was lost to fire at the Palazzo Della Porta Negroni Caffarelli in 1893.

He passed away in Oxford and was interred at St Sepulchre's Cemetery.

Publications

• A manual of gothic mouldings, and continuous ornament
• A manual of surface ornament
• A manual of gothic stone carving
• A glossary of terms used in British heraldry, Oxford, 1847
• A Catalogue of a Series of Photographs Illustrative of the Archæology of Rome: Supplement to a catalogue..., Oxford, 1867
• A B C of Gothic Architecture, London, 1881

Bibliography

• Brodie, Antonia and others, Directory of British Architects 1834–1914, A–K, Continuum, 2001
• Lobel, Mary D. (editor), A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 8: Lewknor and Pyrton Hundreds, 1964
• Sherwood, Jennifer & Pevsner, Nikolaus, Oxfordshire, Penguin Books, 1974

Further reading

• Matthew, Colin (editor), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
• Nash, Paul W. & Savage, Nicholas, Early printed books 1478–1840: catalogue of the British Architectural Library Early Imprints Collection, Bowker-Saur, 1995
• Parker, J. H., The archæology of Rome, Part 7: The Flavian amphitheatre, commonly called the Colosseum, James Parker and Co., 1876
• Parker, J. H., The archæology of Rome, Part 8: The aqueducts, Oxford: James Parker and Co., 1876
• Parker, J. H., A B C of Gothic Architecture, Oxford: Parker & Co., 1881

External links

• Biography and gravesite of John Henry Parker and his wife Frances at St Sepulchre's Cemetery, Oxford