Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Parry, Love Parry Jones

945434Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 43 — Parry, Love Parry Jones1895Henry Manners Chichester

PARRY, Sir LOVE PARRY JONES (1781–1853), lieutenant-general, born in London in 1781, was son of Thomas Jones of Lwynen, Denbighshire, who acquired the estate of Madryn Park, Carnarvonshire, by his marriage with his cousin Margaret Parry, and, together with his children, took the additional surname of Parry in 1803. Love Parry Jones entered Westminster School in 1796, and obtained a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge. Preferring Oxford, he entered as a gentleman commoner at Christ Church, Oxford, on 8 May 1799, where he graduated B.A. in 1803 and M.A. 1811. In 1802 he also entered as a student at Lincoln's Inn.

All this time he was a captain in the army on half-pay, having been appointed ensign, lieutenant, and captain in the 81st foot in 1794 at the age of twelve, and immediately afterwards placed on half-pay of a disbanded regiment under the names of ‘Parry Jones.’ On 28 Aug. 1804 he was appointed major of the 90th foot. In 1806 he was returned M.P. for Horsham, Sussex, as a whig, and made his first speech in support of Mr. Windham's bill for introducing short service in the army. He was again returned for Horsham in 1807, but was unseated on petition. After serving with the second battalion 90th for some years, he became brevet lieutenant-colonel on 4 June 1811, and was appointed major of the old 103rd foot in America (afterwards disbanded as the 102nd). He commanded a brigade on the Canadian frontier during the war of 1812–14, had a horse shot under him at the battle of Lundy's Lane (Niagara) on 18 Dec. 1813, and was several times mentioned in despatches. At the end of the war he retired as lieutenant-colonel half-pay 6th garrison battalion. He became colonel in 1825, major-general 1837, and lieutenant-general 1846. He was made a knight bachelor and K.H. in 1835, but through some mistake his knighthood was never recognised in the army list. He represented Carmarthen in parliament in 1835–40, and was high sheriff of the county in the latter year. In 1841 he unsuccessfully contested Shrewsbury, Disraeli (afterwards Lord Beaconsfield) being one of his opponents. Parry died on 23 Jan. 1853.

He married, first, in 1806, Sophia, only daughter of Robert Stevenson of Binfield, Berkshire, by whom he had a son and three daughters; secondly, in 1826, Elizabeth, only daughter of Thomas Caldecott of Lincoln, by whom he left a son and daughter.

Parry's brother, William Parry Jones Parry, who afterwards took the name of Yale, served through the Peninsular war with the 48th foot, and received a gold medal for having as a captain commanded one of the battalions of that regiment at the battle of Albuera in 1811.

[Burke's Landed Gentry, 1886 ed. vol. ii.; Alumni Westmon.; Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Army Lists and London Gazettes, under dates; Gent. Mag. 1853 i. p. 312.]

H. M. C.

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.215
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line

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382 i 8 Parry, Sir Love P. J.: for Carmarthenshire read Carnarvonshire