Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1857 & 1869

John Parry (1804 - 1866)


 John Parry was an Engraver to a calico printer and one of the first to use photography in the process. He was also a member of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society and an early Director of the Manchester Mechanics Institute.


He was born in 1804 in Cheadle Cheshire. In 1924 he married Helen Glover at St. Thomas's Anglican Church, Liverpool. He was aged 24 and a Bookkeeper. Helen was born on 3rd February 1804 in Liverpool and baptised at St Mary's RC Church there.


In 1841 they lived at Bank Street, Cheetham, Manchester with their children: Mary (born 1825 in Salford) aged 16, Helen (born 1827 in Salford) aged 14, John (born 1833 in Cheetham, Manchester) aged 8, Joseph (born 1835 in Cheetham) aged 6, Charles (born 1837 in Cheethan) aged 4, and Edward (born 1840 in Cheetham) aged 1.


In 1851 and now at 66 Bank Street, John was aged 46 and a Clerk. Additions to the family were Thomas (born 1844 in Cheetham) aged 7, Elizabeth (born 1845 in Cheetham) aged 6 and James (born 1846 in Cheetham) aged 5. In 1961 John was now aged 56 and an Engraver. Five years later on 27th January 1966, John Parry died aged 61 and was buried at Weaste Cemetery, alongside the main drive in A5 Dissenters Plot, although the service was conducted by Rev. J H R Shillets, Church of England.


The Rochdale Observer of 10th February 1866 reports, "PARRY – Recently, aged 61, Mr John Parry long known in connection with photography in Manchester. He was one of the earliest workers at the Mechanics Institution, one of the founders of the Photographic Society of Manchester, and later, of the Photographic Section of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester for nearly 34 years. He was also a very active member of the Microscopical Section of that society. He had been 45 years in the confidential employment of Messrs Lockett and Co, engravers to calico printers and was one of the first to employ photography in connection with that business, in which he also introduced the electrotype process invented by Mr C.J. Jardine in 1839. His extremely practical and common sense remarks upon all scientific subjects rendered his society particularly agreeable, and his death will cause a sad blank in a considerable circle of attached friends. His death resulted from typhus fever, after a short illness. He was interred on Wednesday last, at Salford Cemetery, to which his remains were accompanied by his employers and many of his associates in business, as well as by a deputation from the Literary and Philosophical Society."


The meeting of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society on 6th February 1866 recorded, "The Chairman adverted to the loss the society had experienced by the unexpected death of Mr Parry, who from the period of his election in 1833 had constantly promoted the success of the meetings by his intelligence and kindly intercourse with members."


The 1871 Census shows that Helen was still at 66 Bank Street, Cheetham, with two daughters: Ellen aged 44 and Elizabeth aged 26. But five year later, in October 1876, Helen died and was buried in A6 Plot, (Roman Catholic) at Weaste Cemetery.