Researching Joseph Parry

Born into a large family, Parry left school to work in the local coal mines when he was nine years of age. He then went to work at the Cyfarthfa Ironworks, where his father was also employed. In 1854 the family emigrated to the United States, settling at Danville, Pennsylvania, where Parry again found employment at an iron works.

Though Parry had a great interest in music, he had no opportunity to study it until there was a temporary closure of the Rough and Ready Iron Works. Some of his co-workers were also musicians, and they offered music lessons while the iron works was closed. Parry joined a music sight-reading class taught by one of the men. He continued to study harmony with another co-worker, and learned how to read and write while he was learning about harmony.

Parry soon began submitting compositions to eisteddfodau in Wales and the United States and winning awards. During a return visit to Wales for the National Eisteddfod at Llandudno, Parry was offered two music scholarships, but was unable to accept due to family obligations. A fund was established for the support of Parry and his family while he studied music.

Parry went on to receive a Doctorate in Music from the University of Cambridge; he was the first Welshman to receive Bachelor's and Doctor's degrees in music from the University. He returned to Wales in 1874 to become the first Professor of Music at Aberystwyth University, later accepting a position at Cardiff University.

The son of a master-pilot, he was apprenticed to a ship and house painter in Liverpool, but during the intervals of his work he devoted himself to the study of art, and when out of his time began practising as a professional artist. In 1790 he moved to Manchester, where he was fortunate in finding appreciative patrons. He continued to reside at Manchester till his death in 1826, when he left four sons, two of whom later practised as artists in their own right.

Parry had considerable practice as a portrait-painter, and painted some large historical compositions in the style then in fashion, together with pictures of shipping and landscapes. He etched an excellent half-length portrait of himself seated at an easel. Only ten impressions were taken of this.

Parry's best pictures are however, familiar scenes of everyday life, such as ‘The Old Market Place and Shambles at Manchester,’ a small, highly finished oil painting, full of figures, and the ‘Old Bridge,’ Manchester,. He also painted ‘Eccles Wakes,’ as a private commission for a Liverpool gentleman which contained two hundred figures, all separate studies from nature.