John Horace Parry

Background

John Parry was the son of a teacher, Walter Austin Parry and his wife Ethel Piddock.

Education

He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge, where he also completed his Doctor of Philosophy in history in 1938.

Career

His academic career was interrupted by World World War II, during which he served as an officer in the Royal Navy in 1940-1945, rising to become a lieutenant-commander. He was torpedoed three times. Upon demobilization, Parry returned to Clare College, Cambridge, where he was tutor in history 1945-1949.

He served additionally as senior proctor, 1947-1948 and university lecturer in history, 1946-1949.

In 1949, he was appointed professor of modern history at the newly established University College of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, an appointment he held until 1956. In 1954-1955, he was visiting professor at Harvard University, then returned briefly to Jamaica before being appointed principal of University College, Ibadan, Nigeria in 1956.

Parry remained in that post until 1960, when he was selected as principal of the University College of Swansea. In 1963 he became vice-chancellor of the University of Wales, Cardiff. where he remained until he was selected as Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs at Harvard University.

He was the second scholar to hold the Gardiner chair, succeeding Robert G. Albion.

While at Harvard he taught a sequence of courses devoted to sailing, European expansion, and the establishment of overseas empires. He died of a heart attack at his home on Wednesday 25 August 1982.

Achievements

• Member of the Order of the British Empire, 1942 Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, 1960 Honorary L.L.D., University of Ceara, 1964 Commander of the Order of Alfonos X of Castile, 1976.

Works

More photos

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  • The Spanish Seaborne Empire

    ( The Spanish empire in America was the first of the grea...)

  • The Age of Reconnaissance: Discovery, Exploration and Settlement, 1450-1650 (Paperback) - Common

    (The Age of Reconnaissance, as JH Parry has so aptly named...)

  • The European Reconnaissance. Selected Documents.

    (The European Reconnaissance: Selected Documents)

  • Discovery of South America

    (VG condition book with dust jacket. DJ is clean, has fres...)

  • Europe and a Wider World 1415-1715

    (Europe and A Wider World 1415-1715)

  • The Age of Reconnaissance: Discovery, Exploration, and Settlement, 1450-1650

    ( The Age of Reconnaissance, as J. H. Parry has so aptly ...)

  • The Age of Reconnaissance: Discovery, Exploration and Settlement, 1450-1650 by Parry (1-Jul-1992) Paperback

    (Will be shipped from US. Brand new copy.)

  • The cities of the conquistadores: Canning House eighth annual lecture, 11 May 1961 (Diamante)
  • THE AGE OF RECONNAISSANCE: Discovery, Exploration and Settlement 1450 to 1650
  • The Discovery of the Sea
  • The Spanish Seaborne Empire. Introd. by J. H. Plumb
  • The Spanish Seaborne Empire

Membership

Foreign his war service, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1942. Member of the Order of the British Empire, 1942.

Connections

Father:

Walter Austin Parry

Mother:

Ethel (Piddock) Parry

Spouse:

Joyce Carter

child:

Michael Parry

child:

Joanna Parry

child:

Katherine Parry

child:

Elizabeth Parry