Old Parr—Killed By Kindness At 153

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30348, 25 January 1964, Page 11

Old Parr—Killed By Kindness At 153

[Specially written for “The Press" by

E. G. YARHAM,

F.RG.SJ

"VISITORS to Westminster Abbey may see in Poets’ Corner, where Chaucer, Spenser, Milton, Jonson, Gray, Tennyson and Browning mingle their dust, a plain white slab in the very centre of the transept marking the grave of a simple rustic who could neither read nor w rite.

What then are the qualifications for his bones lying amid those of such revered figures in English literature? He first married at 80, had to do penance when he was 100, married for the second time at 120, was threshing corn with a flail 10 years later, and died within a few months of his one hundred and fiftythird birthday.

Certainly there is nothing very “literary” about milestones like this in a man’s life, but few men have ever been able to claim to have set up an equal record. And that achievement is why Thomas Parr, Shropshire's Abbey Centenarian, is regarded as Britain’s most celebrated ancient!

He is familiarly known as “Old Parr,” and his marvellously extended life carried him through from the Wars of the Roses almost to the Civil War. Old Parr lived in the reigns of 10 monarchs, and the inscription over his grave records this: “Tho: Parr of ye county of Salopp Born in Ao. 1483. He lived in ye reignes of Ten Princes viz: (They are then named) . . . aged 152 yeares and was buried here Nov. 15, 1635.”

The stone carried the names of the monarchs, who were: Edward IV, Edward V, Richard 111, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, Elizabeth, James I and Charles I. No Birth Records

Owing to the fact that official records of births do not go far enough back and to the predominance of illiteracy prior to the nineteenth century, it is almost impossible to establish authentic instances of outstanding longevity in the absence of documentary proof. Obviously this is true of Old Parr, but there is no question that he did live to an extraordinary age, and his fame, in an age when travel was restricted, spread over a considerable area of countryside. Semblance is also given to his claim to have attained the greatest age of any man of his period by the Royal recognition accorded him a short time before his death. About a month before this, John Taylor, known as the “Water Poet” (he had been apprenticed to a London waterman), wrote a pamphlet entitled “The Olde, Olde, Very Olde Man: or The Age and Long Life of Thomas Parr.” in which he gives a number of details about the career of the veteran. Abstemious Old Parr was born at Winnington, in the parish of Alberbury, Shropshire, and his father, John Parr, was an agricultural labourer. His son worked on the land for the whole of his life, which appears to have been very abstemious. Old Parr lived very close to the soil, dined on simple country fare, worked hard, never saw a doctor, never took medicine, and never smoked. His daily fare was cheese, coarse bread, milk and mild ale. Taylor says Parr reckoned there was nothing better than cheese and an onion, an opinion with which many will agree. Old Parr was wonderfully healthy, never knew what gout was and “no ache he felt.” He spent the whole of his life, except for the last few weeks, in the village where he was born. In mire and toiling sweat he spent the day, And to his team he whistled time away.

Love Affairs The first half of his life appears to have been much less exciting than the latter half. Apparently, having passed the Psalmists span by 10 years, Old Parr thought he needed a wife to console him in his old age. Marriage seems to have rejuvenated him, for love affairs played a far more prominent part in the second three score years and ten of his age than the first. Old Parr lived with his first wife 32 years and they had two children. But the sturdy veteran was not very faithful to her, not even after he had passed the century mark. He had an intrigue with a woman named Catherine Milton, and it was in consequence of his adultery with her—Taylor says at the age of 105—that he had to do penance in a white sheet at the door of the parish church. Second Wife This was the woman whom he afterwards married as his second wife. The marriage took place eight years after his first wife’s death, and it is said that even when married again he had a mistress. It was when he had reached the age of 152, Thomas Howard, Earl od Arundel, heard of his fame and decided to convey him to London, to put him more or less on show. According to contemporary records, although old age was beginning to grip the centenarian, the earl was much impressed by his intelligence. It is proof of the glamour which the old man's story cast, long after his death, that people told many a good tale about him. One current in the neighbourhood of Old Parr’s home concerned his summons to London to meet the King. When the Earl of Arundel's messengers were i

conducted to the cottage, on entering they found the old man. as they supposed, sitting doubled up in an armchair by the fireplace. "You’ve got to come along with us. Mr Parc, the King wants to see you.” To which a trembling old voice replied: “I reckon it in-na (is not) me he wants, but father. Ye'll find un up i’ cherry tree. He be gatherin’ the cherries.”

In reality. Old Parr, though there was nothing vitally wrong with him, does not seem to have been so active as exaggerated tradition would have us believe. At least, so one gathers from contemporary accounts of his journey to Landon. First And Last The old man was, alas, on •what was probably his first a<nd certainly his last journey. Parr was presented at Court, rather late in life it has to be admitted, and the King does not strike one as having been particularly gracious to the ancient.

On seeing the old man, Charles I remarked, "You have lived longer than other men. What have you done more than other men?” Old Parc's reply was, “Sire I did penance when I was 100 years old.”

Arrangements were made for him to be looked after, but the veteran was almost literally killed with kindness. No doubt the long journey, with a fool prattling alongside him, must have seemed tiring, because throughout his life Old Pairr had seldom travelled more than a few mules from home. More serious than even this was the change in his diet, which was mainly responsible for his death. He had to perforce abandon his cheese and onions, coarse meslin bread (made of mixed flours), buttermilk and home-brewed ale. For the first and last time in his life he lived on the socalled “fat of the land” and the richest wines. Food Too Rich His stomach could not digest such rich fare and within a few weeks he was dead. Charles ordered an Abbey funeral for him. Most centenarians like to give their recipe for long life. Old Parr is reputed to have volunteered this prescription, and it is probably as sound advice as any other: "Keep your head cool by temperance and your feet warm by exercise. Rise early, go soon to bed; if you want to grow fait keep your eyes open and your mouth shut.”