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- Note: Robert was a renowned Halifax attorney whose life is chronicledin a booklet published in the 1940's by Webster of the HalifaxAntiquarian Society. A copy is on file. Robert's ancestors livedat Gamblehole since the 16c. They were relatives of severalParker families in the area including the Parkers of BrowsholmeHall, Newton Hall and Dunnow. Gamblehole was in the 18c known asGamblehole Hall. Robert was brought up by his step-father JohnDickinson, and is thought to have attended the Grammar School inSlaidburn. Dickinson's children by his former marriage, William,Jane and Mary also lived at Gamblehole. Robert was articled,for 6 years,at the age of 15, on 9 October 1746, to his guardianEdward Salisbury, an attorney in Newton. In 1753 his articleswere transferred to Mathew Coulthurst, an attorney in Lincoln'sInn, London, for the remaining few months. On July 5th 1753 hewas admitted an attorney of the Court of King's Bench. MathewCoulthurst and his brother Nicholas had inherited their firmfrom their maternal uncle Tempest Slinger of Dunnow Hall. Aboutthis time John Baldwin, descended from a Craven family, son ofWilliam Baldwin of Marton,and an attorney in Halifax, wasseeking a partner. Robert joined him in his practice, and at theage of 21 moved into a house in the Causeway, Halifax. JohnBaldwin married in 1734, Sarah Prescott, of Calico Hall,Halifax, but she died in 1746, leaving John with a son William,born in 1737. After the death of Baldwin's wife Robert Parkerlived with him for some years, presumably meeting there AnnPrescott, Sarah's sister The marriage licence, dated 17 Nov.1754gives Robert Parker of Halifax, 22. gentleman bachelor, and AnnPrescott of Halifax, spinster, 22. Bondsman was John Baldwin ofHalifax, gent, and the co-signee H.Whitworth At Halifax.
. On November 19 1754 Robert and Ann were married in Halifax.Ann was then 38 and 15 years Robert's senior. Note thediscrepancy between licence and marriage entry !The Prescottgirls Sarah, Ann, Phoebe, and Judith were daughters of JohnPrescott, a surgeon and physician, descended from a Catholicfamily of Standish in Lancashire. John Prescott, however, hadconverted to the Anglican church at the end of the 17c. In 1716he bought Calico Hall (later Clare Hall) which had been built inthe mid 17c by the trustees of Waterhouse's Charities, and wasleased to John Baldwin in 1748. (This house was finallydemolished in 1897). [Picture of Calico Hall on file] Baldwinand Parker remained in partnership until 1st September 1761,Robert Parker having moved to a new house in The Square,Halifax, in March of that year. In 1766 he moved to Calico Hall,using his former home in the Square as an office until about1775. His successor, James Wigglesworth, Parker's formerManaging Clerk, also lived and practised in the house in TheSquare until 1867, when he moved to 2, Harrison Road. RobertParker was probably Halifax's most renowned lawyer, dealing ashe did with most of the notable families of his time. One of hismost celebrated cases concerned a William Aked, a Halifaxjoiner, regarding an inheritance under the will of a JosephScott, linen draper of Prince's Street,
London. Another notable case was in the exposure of the illicitdeeds of "The Coiners" of Cragg Vale in 1769\70. A member oftheir gang, Mathew Normanton, had murdered William Dighton, thesupervisor of excise. Parker secured Normanton's conviction, andafter an extended case of law Normanton was executed in 1775. Adetailed description of Robert's life, and times is given in alater article dated 1966, written by C. D. Webster, M.A.,published by the Halifax Antiquarian Society, from which thisbrief summary is taken. Parker wrote his will in 1796. It waswitnessed by John Lochhead, Parker's scrivener and chief clerk.After Parker's death Lochhead set up as a law-stationer. He diedin May 1801 aged 57.
M.I. in Halifax Parish Church - "Sacred to the memory of RobertParker of Halifax, Esq., who died May 23 1796, aged 66 years.Also to the memory of his second wife Mary, who died January 261797, aged 42 years." Arms. - Azure, three keys erect, two andone, or.
Motto - Legum servi ut liberi.
In Holdsworth Chapel, Halifax Church is a similar M.I whichstarts "Here rests the mortal part of Robert Parker,Esq........"
References to Robert Parker, published in the HalifaxAntiquarian Society Transactions are as follows-
"Robert Parker" by Sutcliffe. p.152 Pubd. 1922
"Robert Parker, Attorney, Pt.1" by Webster p.53 Pubd. 1966
"Robert Parker, Attorney, Pt.2." by Webster p.93 Pubd. 1967.
Marriage licence for Robert's second marriage to Mary Burnett,his deceased wife's housekeeper describes him as Robert Parkerof Halifax, 40, Attorney at law, widower. (In fact he was about54 ! The bondsman was Thomas Noble of Halifax, joiner.
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