A MEMOIR OF WILLIAM KITCHEN PARKER, F. R. S.* 



William Kitchen Parker was born at Dogsthorpe, near Peterbor- 

 ough, June 23, 1823, and died suddenly, of syncope of the heart, July 3, 

 1890. He was visiting his second son, Prof. W. N. Parker, of Cardiff, 

 and whilst cheerfully talking of late discoveries and future work in his 

 favorite biological pursuits, he ceased to breath. Accustomed to outdoor 

 life, he was a true lover of nature from the first; the forms, habits, and 

 songs of birds, especially, he knew at an early age. Village schooling 

 at Dogsthorpe and Werrington, and a short period at Peterborough 

 Grammar School prepared him for an apprenticeship at 15 years of age 

 to Mr. Woodroff'e, chemist and druggist at Stamford ; and 3 years after- 

 wards he was apprenticed to Mr. Costal, medical practitioner, at Market- 

 Overton. At Stamford he studied botany earnestly, and used to per- 

 suade a fellow apprentice to leave his bed in early mornings to go afield 

 in search of plants. Both when living at his father's farm and in his 

 holidays afterwards he kept many pet animals and dissected whatever 

 he could get, including a donkey and many birds. Of the latter he pre- 

 pared skeletons, and of these he made many large drawings at Market- 

 Overton, which of late years he had some thought of publishing as an 

 atlas of the osteology of birds. In 1844-'46 he studied at King's Col- 

 lege, London, and became student-demonstrator to Dr. Todd and Mr. 

 (now Sir William) Bowman there. He also attended at Charing Cross 

 Hospital in 1846 and 1847, and, having qualified as l. s. a., he com- 

 menced practice in 1849 at Tachbrook street, Pimlico, and soon after- 

 wards married Miss Elizabeth Jetfery. His wife's patient calmness 

 under all difficulties and trials was a true blessing to a man of Mr. 

 Parker's excitable temperament, and her unselfish life and wide- 

 spread influence for good are well known in and beyond the family 

 circle. Unfortunately he was left a widower about four months ago. 

 His family consists of three daughters and four sons. Of the latter, one 

 is professor of zoology and comparative anatomy in the University of 

 Otago, New Zealand ; the second is professor of biology in the Univer- 

 sity College at Cardiff, South Wales ; the third is an able draftsman 

 and lithographer, and the fourth has lately taken his diplomas of l. r. 

 c. r. and m. r. c. s. 



Mr. Parker had a good father, courteous and gentle by nature, con- 

 scientious, and earnest in business, who had worked hard to be able to 



* From Nature, July 2i, X890, vol. xwi, pp. 297-299. 



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