Henry Perlee Parker was an English artist, known as a history painter.
Background
The son of Robert Parker, of Plymouth Dock, a teacher of marine and mechanical drawing, was born at Devonport on 15 March 1795. He was trained by his father, but felt cramped in his occupation. In 1815 he married a Mission Amy Morfey of Woodbridge, Suffolk, and set up as a portrait-painter in the Three Towns.
Career
He met with little success, migrated to the north, and in 1816 settled at Newcastle upon Tyne. He made his mark on Tyneside by a picture of Newcastle Eccentrics, representing a group of well-known characters identified with the street life of the town. They set up in 1822 ‘The Northumberland Institution for the Promotion of the Fine Arts,’ of which Richardson was treasurer and Parker secretary.
He was appointed drawing-master at Wesley College, Sheffield, and left Newcastle, shortly after 1840.
He had fourteen children.