Charles Parker

Charles Parker (4 March 1809 – 29 June 1898) was a New Zealand politician and a carpenter. Early life Parker was born at Newent, Gloucestershire, England, on 4 March 1809. His parents were Sarah Potter (17 November 1783 – 16 July 1876), a weaver, and her husband, Edmund Parker (2 November 1767 – 7 November 1853), a builder. Charles was raised in his mother's home town of Cheltenham, Gloucester. He trained as carpenter and builder. On 6 April 1837, he married his first cousin Hannah Phipps (22 June 1815 – 14 December 1889) in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Emigration to New Zealand In 1849 Charles, Hannah and six children sailed on the Kelso to Nelson, New Zealand. The family settled in Motueka, where Charles was soon successful in business, becoming a property developer as well as a builder. He paid for other members of the family to immigrate; Sarah Parker, his 73-year-old mother arrived in 1856, and by 1859 five of his brothers and sisters had emigrated with their families.