Just Chris working in the cemetery today (17 November 2024). He removed ivy and weeds from the Mountstevens grave E14 and also cleaned up the Reece/Parr E15. Just a little more work to finish this off. Well done Chris for filling another half bag. Hopefully a full team will be back next week weather permitting.
Francis Parr 1848-1933, buried in the latter was Borough Surveyor for Bridgwater. His obituary recalls:
Mr Parr was bon in London, and was the son of an estate agent. He was an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Member of the Institution of Municipal and county Engineers, and the Institution of Water Engineers. For 35 years Mr Parr held the post of Borough Surveyor and Water Engineer at Bridgwater. He had previously occupied various posts, among other places at Darlington, London, and Barnstaple, coming from the Devon town in August, 1891, when the Council appointed him to succeed the late Mr. G. Laffan. Mr Parr continued in the office until he retired in March, 1926, when he was appointed Consulting Engineer to the Corporation, retaining this post until the time of his death. To mark his long association with the Council he was presented in 1926 by the members and his brother officials with a beautiful oak secretaire and an album containing the names of the donors. The then Mayor (Mr. W. Deacon) made the presentation, and referred to the recipient's many public services, other speakers also bearing testimony to the retiring official's abilities and sterling qualities.
His occupancy of the office coincided with a period which saw great advance in local government administration, more especially in the development of the highways in order to make them capable of accommodating the new motor traffic, and in this work he took a great part, improvements being effected not only in the roads, but also in the pavements and paths in the Borough. Mr. Parr also carried out various works in connection with the town's water supply, and was responsible for the design of the Court House and Police Station in Northgate, this fine suite of buildings, considered to be the best of their kind in the country, being a lasting tribute to his creative genius.
Other schemes which came under his direction were the sewage systems of the eastern end of the town, private streets works, the transformation of King Square from a chaotic state to its present attractive appearance, the laying out of Blake Gardens, the construction of a culvert and balustrade to the river front, and the improvement to the North-street corner. His advice was also of great assistance to the Council when the fight for the Borough extension of 1896 took place, and he prepared with Mr. W. H. Wheeler a river improvement scheme in1908, but this was rejected by a poll of the ratepayers. One of the last important works which he undertook was the supervision of the erection of the Fire Station and Mortuary in Clare-street.
In connection with the schools of the town, too, he carried out many improvements, and supervised the construction of the Handicrafts and Domestic Subjects Centres in Eastover and Albert-street. His work was always characteristic by much thoroughness and attention to detail, and earned from him the respect of the Council and the ratepayers generally.
Mr. Parr carried out with skill schemes for the decoration of the town on the occasion of great national celebrations - such as the Royal Coronations - and did much valuable work in superintending the construction of structures necessary for such events as the Bridgwater Pageant and the Charter Days ceremonies, receiving many letters of appreciation for his services.
