Background
Parker was born at Newent, Gloucestershire, England, on 4 March 1809. Charles was raised in his mother"s home town of Cheltenham, Gloucester.
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Charles Parker
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He trained as carpenter and builder. The family settled in Motueka, where Charles was soon successful in business, becoming a property developer as well as a builder. Parker had become involved in the political life of the colony.
The local Methodist minister agreed to do so and the family switched churches.
In 1853 Parker was elected to the Nelson Provincial Council as member for Motueka and Massacre Bay, a seat which he held until 1857. He then represented Motueka (1857-1869 and 1873-1876).
Parker was a populist opposed to the class system and supported John Perry Robinson"s programme of liberalising land purchase to prevent the establishment of large landholdings or latifundia. In a controversial 1871 election, a recount found Parker and Munro had split the vote equally.
The returning officer"s casting vote returned Monro as Member of Parliament, but this was overturned following a petition, and Parker was declared elected.
Parker retired to pursue business interests. By 1882 he owned 53 acres (21 ha) of land in Waimea County, valued at £550. He died on 29 June 1898 in Motueka as a man who had become moderately wealthy.
A newspaper obituary describes him as having "retained his mental faculties till the last".
Charles and Hannah had 13 children: Charles (1838–1903), Frederick (1839–1905, married Anne Jane Sutcliffe), Elizabeth (1840–1912, married Thomas Boyes), Henry (1842–1866), Ellen (1844–1845), Edward (1845–1845), Walter (1846–1911), Thirza Ann (1849–1929, married Robert William Skilton), Edmund (1851–1923, married Annie Morris), Emily (1853–1923), Jessie (1855–1904), Arthur William (1857–1946, married Eliza Jane Wilson), and Horace (1859–1867). He was buried at Motueka cemetery on 2 July 1898.
Their gravestone reads:
Charles Parker died 29 June 1898 aged 90 years
Hannah Parker died 14 December 1889 aged 75 years.
Politics
Parker"s local political rival was David Monro, who championed the more conservative "Supper Party" and large run holders.
Membership
He was a member of the Volunteer Reserves and a justice of the peace. He was elected a member of the 2nd New Zealand Parliament as member for Motueka and Massacre Bay (1855-1856), resigning in 1856, and later re-elected as member for the renamed Motueka for the 4th and 5th parliaments (1866-1875).
