Edward Haggarty Parry

Pat Armstrong’s former teacher, Edward Haggarty Parry, retired as head master of Stoke House preparatory school in 1918. He and his wife Amelie moved to West Bridgford, where Parry helped to run the Officers’ Families Fund founded by the Duchess of Devonshire and the Marchioness of Lansdowne in 1899 to aid the families of servicemen in financial or other difficulties. The death of many of his former pupils in the First World War undoubtedly contributed to his desire to offer assistance to those left behind.

Parry’s eyesight began to fail in the 1920s, and by the end of the decade he became blind. Ill-health compelled him to lead a very quiet life. His wife’s death in December 1929 affected him deeply and he never quite got over her loss. He died on 19 July 1931, aged 76, and is buried beside Amelie in the churchyard of the parish church of Plumtree, Nottinghamshire.

His obituary, published in The Times on 3 August 1931, noted that Parry’s ‘geniality, generosity in every sense of the word, entire selflessness and uprightness made him many friends, and a certain dry humour which he kept to the end added to his charm. He bore the infirmities of his last years, slowly progressive blindness and great physical weakness, with unflinching fortitude.’