Life story retold by Paul Beecroft
Albert Woodward PARRY was born on the January 19th 1834 in Salford, Lancashire and was baptised on March 28th in the parish church of Manchester. His parents were Richard PARRY a builder and Joiner and Margaret PARRY nee CORKER. Albert had three siblings – Mary (1826), Margaret Ruth (1832) and Edward (1836). When Albert was only five years old his mother passed away. In August 1840, his father married Jane THOMAS which resulted in three more children – Ann Elizabeth (1841), Jane (1844) and Sarah Louise (1847).
After leaving school in 1849, Albert was articled for five years with Thomas Tidmus SMITH an architect and surveyor in Manchester. From 1854 to 1863 he was employed as a Chief Assistant in the offices of the Borough Surveyors in Salford, Blackburn, Scarborough and Preston successively.
On September 14th 1859, Albert married Alice Anne DALE in St. Peter’s Church, Blackley, Lancashire. Albert’s occupation was recorded as being an Architect & Surveyor. The marriage resulted in five children – Edith (1860), Jessie (1862), Richard (1866), Rosa (1870) and Albert Edward (1874).
In 1863 he entered the service of the Bradford Corporation as the principal assistant in the Borough Surveyor and Waterworks Engineers Department and was engaged on important work in connection with the carrying out of the scheme of main sewers for the Borough, in laying out making of street improvements and in the routine of the office. During the eight years he was in service of the Corporation, the Barden reservoir at Bolton Abbey, the Doe Park reservoir at Denholme and other important and well-known reservoirs were constructed, and the original scheme of the Bradford Waterworks was designed.
In September 1871, Albert and his family moved to Reading following his appointment as Borough Surveyor to the Corporation of Reading which included the duties of management of the waterworks. During his 20 years with the Borough of Reading he was involved in the completion of the sewerage works, the widening and paving of a number of streets, the enlargement of the waterworks and the erection of the Sewage Farm Buildings at Manor Farm. Some idea of the importance of the works he carried out may be gained from the fact that on his appointment in 1871 the population of Reading was only about 32,000, while at his retirement in 1891 it had almost doubled.
From 1891, Albert acted as Consulting Engineer to the Corporation of Reading and also carried on a private practice in partnership with his son in Reading and in Westminster.
In 1893 he accepted a temporary engagement in Norwich to act during the illness of the Engineer but in the spring of the following year his own health broke down and he had to leave Norwich. He returned home to Reading but his health gradually got worse. He had been diagnosed with cancer. He died at his home of ‘Airedale’ 7, Carnarvon Road on July 13th 1894.
Albert was an enthusiastic Freemason, holding office in the Union Lodge in Reading. He was a member of the Incorporated Association of Municipal and County Engineers and of the Berks Archaeological Society. He was elected an Associate of the Institution in April, 1873 and was subsequently placed in the class of Associate Members created in 1878.
Albert’s funeral took place on Monday 16th July. His body was conveyed in a Washington car from his home to St. Stephen’s Church where Rev. F.T. Colson conducted a very short and plain service. His body was then taken to Reading Old Cemetery where a further service was conducted by Rev. F.T. Colson. There were many mourners which included his widow and his children, some of his siblings, a large number of Freemasons from various Lodges, members of Reading Corporation which included the Mayor and a number of Alderman.
Division 62, Row A, Plot 22