Headstone 229
~ Granite ~ Perforated Celtic cross with rough hewn base, with kerbs
- John Parson 1849 – 8 February 1933
- Aged 84 years
- ‘Vicar of Talland for 28 years’
- Brother of Mary Elizabeth Parson
- Parish Records show
- Buried 11 February 1933
- of Polperro
- ‘The Rev. John Parson was Vicar of this Parish of Talland from 1887 to 1916.
- Mary Elizabeth Parson 1845 – 6 October 1935
- Aged 90 years
Ancestry research – shows John, a Clerk in Holy Orders, and his sister Mary, both single, living at The Vicar’s House, Polperro, both born in Menheniot. John Parson is working as the Vicar of Talland Church.
He was the author of ‘ A Short History and Description of Talland Church’, first published in 1920.
This photograph of a portrait of Rev. John Parson was sent by his great nephew.
He says: “the portrait, oil on canvas, was painted by his friend Herbert Butler, of Polperro.
The family said he lent an air of respectability to the house but I think he was more fun than that.
My mother told me he contracted black water fever when a young man in (North or South) America during a gold rush – the details are a bit sketchy – and nearing death promised to join the church if he was spared. My mother thought he might have regretted the promise after he recovered, but he kept it.”
The portrait, was painted by Herbert Edward Butler (1861-1931) who opened a painting school in Polperro in 1907. He was a successful artist with 14 paintings exhibited at The Royal Academy. Headstone 214
Seen here with the churchwarden, Mr William Giles, in 1913 with the ‘four old bells taken to London’. They were sent to be re-cast, travelling by rail from Looe, to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which was then trading as Mears & Stainbank.
The dedication service took place 20th June, 1914, which was reported in the Western Morning News:
[Nine teams of] “ringers gave exhibitions in change and round ringing – ringing began at half-past three, and continued until half past nine without intermission.”
Talland Church Headstones 
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