Parsons Family

This plot is the resting place of five members of the Parsons family and a memorial for a sixth.

William Frederick Parsons was born in Greenwich, England in 1834. He trained and worked as a carpenter. He emigrated as a young man with his parents on the ‘Royal Stuart’, to Wellington in 1855. The ship arrived one week after the large 1855 Wellington earthquake (which was estimated to have been 8.2 in magnitude).

William joined the contracting firm of Wallis and Gascoyne which were based in Manners Street. After Mr Wallis left the firm, Parsons and Gascoyne established their business in Pipitea Street and undertook construction work for Government Departments. Some of their contracts were for the Provincial Buildings, Mr Nathan & Co.’s store, Mr C. J. Pharazyn’s house.

In 1864, William married Elizabeth Widdop. Elizabeth was born in London in 1846. Her father was a  coachman, as was his father. The Widdop family also emigrated to Wellington in the 1850s. Elizabeth was known to have a fine soprano voice and sang at numerous concerts over the years. William too was an enthusiastic musician and a member of St Paul’s choir. They raised a family of eleven children.

William retired from his business in 1888 and was a city councillor from 1890 to 1893.

The musical Parsons family once entertained the passengers on the ‘Mana’ sailing from Day’s Bay back to Wellington in May 1897. As the steamer cast off from the wharf, the family assembled on deck and sang the National Anthem and throughout the trip across the harbour sang a number of ‘plantation hymns’ – ‘to the delight of their fellow excursionists’.

In 1898, William and Elizabeth departed for England with their daughters Ellen, Phoebe, Ethel and Winifred. Their intention was to all study music. Before leaving, a farewell concert was put on in the Opera House to pay tribute to Elizabeth as ‘a conscientious worker in the promotion of musical culture’. The Mayor presented Elizabeth with an illuminated address. While in London, Phoebe studied at the Guildhall School of Music. Her instructor was Signor Visetti. They returned to Wellington at the end of 1901.

William and Elizabeth’s son, Samuel ‘Sam’ Parsons was the first interment in this plot. He worked as a photo etcher. He was also a well-known cricketer and member of the Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society. He died in 1904, aged 31. His cause of death is not known.

The second name on the headstone is their daughter: ‘Ethel Margaret Parsons’. She married Edward Jackson on 15^th January 1907, and they went to live in Nelson where Edward was in the bookselling business with his father. She died suddenly in a private hospital in Nelson on 22^nd March 1907, a few weeks after returning from their honeymoon. She was 26 years old. Ethel is recorded with her maiden name on this headstone and is buried at Wakapuaka Cemetery.

Elizabeth Parsons died in 1924, aged 78, and is the third internment in this plot.

Also buried in this plot are William and Elizabeth’s son, William who died in 1960, their daughter Winifred May Wills who died in 1961 and Phoebe Mary Parsons, who died in 1973 aged 96.

Plot: *Ch Eng/K/46

By Julia Kennedy