William Henry Parsons

Lieutenant-Commander (retired) William Henry Parsons, R.N. (8 April, 1856 – 30 November, 1929) served in the Royal Navy. His service record shows uniformly positive evaluations from his superior officers.

Life & Career

Parsons was promoted to the rank of Gunner on 3 October, 1885.

Parsons served in the armoured cruiser Carnarvon from some time in 1904 through April 1907.

Promoted to the rank of Chief Gunner on 25 May 1907, Parsons was appointed to the sloop Rinaldo on 2 August, 1907. He commanded the ship from 7 January, 1908 until being superseded on 19 February, 1910. He then spent two months on the books of the armoured cruiser Antrim.

Parsons was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 25 November, 1910 and was retired due to age on 8 April, 1911.

When the Great War broke out, Parsons was activated and called to report to Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport. It seems he spent the war there, as no further information follows in his service record until he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander (retired) on 25 November, 1918. He reverted to the Retired List on 24 January (or November?) 1919.

Parsons died in 1929 of myocardial degeneration.

Family

Parsons was father to Archibald Parsons, who was father to Brian Archibald Parsons, who was in turn father to Adrian David Parsons, who possesses William Parsons's ceremonial sword.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Drury St. A. Wake	Captain of H.M.S. Rinaldo 7 Jan, 1908 – 19 Feb, 1910	Succeeded by Alfred Reep