Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Parker, Charles Stuart
PARKER, CHARLES STUART (1829–1910), politician and author, born at Aigburth, Liverpool, on 1 June 1829, was the eldest son of Charles Stuart Parker of Fairlie, Ayrshire, partner in the Liverpool firm of Sandbach, Tume & Co., trading in sugar with the West Indies. His mother was Anne, eldest daughter of Alfred Sandbach of Hafodunos, Denbighshire. Dr. Chalmers, a friend of his paternal grandparents, was one of Parker's godfathers. He was through life influenced by the religious temper of his home training. On 13 Aug. 1838 his father's sister Anna married Edward (afterwards Viscount) Cardwell [q. v.], whose political views he came to share. Parker was at Eton from 1842 to 1847, and won in 1846 the Prince Consort's prize for German. On 10 June 1847 he matriculated from Brasenose College, Oxford, but gaining a scholarship at University College next year migrated thither. At University College, with which he was long closely associated, he formed intimacies with Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, Groldwin Smith, John Conington, Arthur Gray Butler, William Bright, and T, W. Jex-Blake, afterwards dean of Wells. Friends at other colleges included Arthur Peel, afterwards Speaker of the House of Commons, G. C. Brodrick, Thomas Hill Green [q. v.], George Joachim Goschen, W. H. Fremantle (Dean of Ripon), Mr. Frederic Harrison, and Grant Duff. In 1852 he joined Goschen, Brodrick, and others in starting the Oxford Essay Club, and he frequently attended the club dinners in later life at Goschen's house and elsewhere.
In Easter term 1852 Parker was placed in the first class in the final classical school, and in the second class of the mathematical school. He graduated B.A. and proceeded M.A. in 1855. He was elected fellow of his college in 1854, and retained the office till 1867. He resided at Oxford till 1864, throwing himself with vigour into the work of both college and university. He was college tutor from 1858 to 1865, and lectured in modern history. He was examiner in the final classical school in 1859, 1860, 1863, and 1868. He won the confidence of under-graduates, and introduced them to men of note from the outer world, whom from an early date he entertained at Oxford. He organised the university volunteer corps and did much while major of the battalion (1865-8) to improve its efficiency, especially in shooting. The main recreation of his university days was mountaineering. He preferred climbing without guides, and it was without guides that he with his brothers Alfred and Sandbach made the second and fourth attempts on the Matterhom in 1860 and 1861 respectively (cf. Whymper's Scrambles amongst the Alfs). Subsequently Parker's companions in the Alps included William Henry Gladstone and Stephen Gladstone, sons of the statesman, who was an early friend of Parker and his family.
Like Brodrick, Goldwin Smith, and other brilliant Oxford men, Parker was a contributor to the early issues of the 'Saturday Review' in 1855, but he soon withdrew owing to hi dislike of the cynical tone of the paper, and a characteristic impatience of its partisan spirit. He gradually concentrated his interest on a liberal reform of the university. He especially urged a prudent recognition of the claims of science, modern history, and modern languages in the academic curriculum, and the throwing open of scholarships to competition. He early declared for a national system of elementary education which should be efficient and compulsory, rather than voluntary. In 1867 he published two essays, one on ’Popular Education' in 'Questions for a Reformed Parliament,' and the other on 'Classical Education' in F. W. Farrar's 'Essays on a Liberal Education.'
In 1864 Parker, who inherited ample means, diversified his academic duties by becoming private secretary to Edward Cardwell, whose wife was his aunt. Cardwell was then colonial secretary, and Parker remained with him till he went out of office in 1866. At the wish of Gladstone, with whom his relations steadily became closer, he stood for Perthshire in 1868 in the liberal interest, gaining a startling victory over the former conservative member, Sir William Stirling Maxwell [q. v.]. He remained in the House of Commons throughout Gladstone's first administration, but was defeated by Stirling Maxwell in his old constituency at the general election of 1874. He was however re-elected for the city of Perth in 1878, and retained the seat till 1892, when he was defeated in a three-cornered contest. He failed to win a seat in West Perthshire in 1900. His refinement of manner and accent militated against his gaining the ear of the house, but his leaders respected him for his conscientious study of political issues and his judicial habit of mind. During his first parliament he was in constant touch with his old chief Cardwell, then secretary for war, and supported the abolition of purchase and Cardwell' s other reforms of the army. He was often consulted by Gladstone, to whose measures and policy throughout his parliamentary career he gave a discriminating assent. At Gladstone's invitation he revised his speeches for the Midlothian campaign of 1878-80.
But it was on educational policy that Parker exerted his chief influence. Joining the public schools commission (1868-74), he proved one of its most active members, urging that the public school curriculum should be modernised in sympathy with a progressive policy at the universities. He also sat on the commission for military education in 1869, and advocated the linking up of the public schools with Sandhurst and Woolwich, so as to ensure a broad general culture before technical and professional training. Again, as a member of the Scotch educational endowments commission in 1872, he argued persistently that the benefits of endowments should go 'not to the most necessitous of those fairly fitted intellectually, but to the most fit among those who were fairly necessitous.' His views greatly stimulated the development of secondary education in Scotland. He wished the Scotch elementary schools to form a 'ladder' to the University, and he sought to protect them from the evil system of 'payment by results.' He was in 1887 chairman of a departmental committee on higher education in the elementary schools of Scotland, and the report which he drew up with Sir Henry Craik in 1888 gave practical effect to his wise proposals.
Parker, whose wide interests embraced a precise study of scientific hypotheses, engaged in his later years in biographical work of historical importance. In 1891 he brought out the first volume of a 'Life of Sir Robert Peel' from his private correspondence, which was completed in 3 vols, in 1899. In 1907 there followed 'The Life and Letters of Sir James Graham' (2 vols.). He allowed the subjects of his biographies to tell their story in their own words as far as possible. Parker, who was elected honorary fellow of University College in 1899, was made hon. LL.D. of Glasgow and hon. D.C.L. of Oxford in 1908. In 1907 he was admitted to the privy council. His last public act was to attend the council in May 1910 on the death of King Edward VII and sign the proclamation of King George V.
Parker died unmarried at his London residence, 32 Old Queen Street, Westminster, on 18 June 1910, and was buried at Fairlie. His portrait was painted by Sir Hubert von Herkomer. He bequeathed 5000l. to University College, where two Parker scholarships for modern history have been established.
[The Times, 19 June, 29 Aug. (will) 1910; Eton School Lists; Foster's Alumni Oxon.; private information; personal knowledge.]