Correcting a miscarriage of history

In my research I always try to collaborate the information contained in previous publications and in this case I think I have to correct a miscarriage of history carried out on Griffith Parry due to a careless error by an otherwise  good historian.  Many people have included the error in their tales about Griffith Parry, so it is time to correct the error.

When I first read about Griffith Parry in other family histories, they mostly included the story that Griffith Parry was an untidy man who lived his later life in bush huts around Gosford and on Narara Creek. This was interesting because I was told the same thing about his son, Bill Parry (William Henry Parry). By father remembered him from his childhood. Some of the family histories thankfully gave the source of their information, it was contained in the book Gosford and the Kendall Country by respected central coast historian Charles Swancott.

The tale begins on page 133 of my copy and the offending section is copied below.

Parry story from 'Gosford and the Kendall Country'

It was only on my second reading of the story, that I spotted the problem. The story starts off talking about William Parry, but ends up talking about his father, Griffith. Swancott has mixed up the two men at the end of the story by tying the first four paragraphs to the death of Griffith Parry in 1909. Bill Parry died in 1936. The story is clearly about William - 'Will was rather an untidy man...'.

The story was repeated in The Watkins Chronicle by Fay Fry, with a photo of Griffith as a disheveled figure dressed in rags. That sealed the deal I think!

So to correct the record. Griffith Parry Jr, who was married to Sarah Jane Watkins was not the man portrayed in Swancott's story - it was his son William Henry Parry, known as Bill I believe. I suspect that Griffith was not a rich man in his later life which would explain his appearance in the photos.

The lesson for other family historians - check the sources, read them carefully, and don't necessarily believe something because it was published by a respected researcher. We all make mistakes!