Parkes Family

John Parkes was a partner in the Warwick firm of Parkes, Brookhouse and Crompton, worsted manufacturers.

Joseph Parkes was the youngest son of John Parkes, born in 1796. In 1817 he was articled to the London solicitors Amory and Coles of Throgmorton Street. From 1822 to 1823 he was a Solicitor in Birmingham. In 1824 he married Elizabeth Rayner, eldest daughter of Joseph Priestley. He was a member of the Birmingham Political Union in 1832. In 1833 he became Secretary of the Commission on Municipal Corporations, and moved to Westminster. He was later a Solicitor to the Charity Commission Chancery Suits. He was a Taxing-master in Chancery in 1847. Parkes supervised the publication of Thomas Gisborne's 'Essays on agriculture' in 1854. He also collected material on Francis Place, and on Sir Philip Francis and the authorship of the Junius letters. This memoir was completed by Herman Merivale, and published in 1867 as 'Memoir of Sir Philip Francis K.C.B. with correspondence and journals'. Joseph Parkes died in 1865.

Josiah Parkes was the third son of John Parkes, born in 1793. In 1823 he became an Associate of the Institute of Civil Engineers. In 1825 he went to work in Puteaux-sur-Seine, returning to England in 1830. He became engaged in the draining and attempted steam cultivation of Chat Moss. There he first evolved the principles of the deep drainage system. In 1844 a Birmingham manufacturer produced, at Parkes' instigation, the first set of drain-cutting tools. In 1846 Sir Robert Peel advanced D4 million to to used on drainage on the Parkesian principle. Josiah Parkes died in 1871.