Letter from Varney Parkes to Julie Brown, 1888

MLMSS 9801

fonds

14 March 1888

1000760

0.01 meters of textual material (1 folder) - ink - 25.4 cm x 20.1 cm

Varney Parkes (1859-1935), both architect and politician. Joining the Civil Service in March 1878, he was appointed a cadet in the Colonial Architect's Office on 1 January 1879. After receiving a diploma when he resigned on 31 May 1880 he formed a partnership with C. H. E. Blackmann and joined the Institute of Architects of New South Wales on 31 March 1883. Parkes married Mary Cameron Murray on 21 March 1883. She died five months later, and on 24 December 1884 he married her elder sister Isabella. They had five children and frequently moved house, living at Parramatta, Ashfield, Cabramatta, Rockdale and Liverpool.

Elected to the Legislative Assembly at a by-election for Central Cumberland in September 1885, Parkes held his seat as a free trader and supporter of his father until resigning in March 1888. In partnership with James Bull Alderson in 1893-95, he designed two Bank of New South Wales buildings, one on the corner of George and Regent streets (1893-94), the other on the corner of George and Bathurst streets (1893); as well as alterations to the crypt, portico and spire of St James's Church. From 1895 Parkes had practised alone, designing residential, commercial and municipal buildings, except for brief partnerships in 1904-06, 1914 and 1923-24. After separating from his wife and unsuccessfully filing for a divorce in 1902, Parkes moved to Canterbury, where he won small local commissions. He called his last tender in May 1926.

He retired to Conjola, near Milton, where he lived as a recluse, collecting fossils, sketching geological landforms, lecturing on evolution and teaching drawing. Many of his fossils were acquired by the Australian Museum, Sydney.

References: Australian Dictionary of Biography

1 handwritten letter
Letter addressed to a Mrs Brown from V. Parkes asking her to return as a housemaid as his wife is quite unwell and is no longer able to manage the running of the family home. He offers to pay 15/- a week.

1 envelope
Handwritten address on the front exterior. Ink stamps in the right side. Top right corner has a rectangular shape and raised mark, probably from a stamp. Verso has an offical imprint, as well as a date stamp.

1 family tree
Black and white photocopy of an original, discussing and displaying the relationship between the donor and the author.

Out of copyright: I
Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Top left corner of letter: "V. PARKES. ARCHITECT."
Top centre of letter: "UNION CHAMBERS, PITT STREET."
Top right corner of letter: "SYDNEY March 14th, 1888"
Verso of envelope reads "Judges Chambers Supreme Court Sydney"
Stamp on envelope verso reads "Douglas Feb 17 1903"