The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Parker, Sir Henry Watson
Parker, Sir Henry Watson, K.C.M.G., sometime Premier of New South Wales, was the fourth son of Thomas Watson Parker, of Lewisham, Kent, England, and Mary his wife, daughter of John Carnell, of Sevenoaks and Carrendon, Hadlow, Kent. He was born at Lewisham in 1808 and was private secretary to Sir George Gipps, when Governor of New South Wales, from 1838 to 1846. In the latter year he was nominated to the Legislative Council of that colony, and was Chairman of Committees of the whole Council till 1855, when responsible government was conceded, and he sat for Parramatta in the first Legislative Assembly from 1856 to 1858. He was Premier and Colonial Secretary of the third administration formed in New South Wales in Oct. 1856, and held office till Sept. 1857. Having been knighted in 1858, he shortly afterwards returned to England, where he resided at Stawell House, Richmond, Surrey. Sir Henry, who was Crown trustee of the Australian Museum in Sydney from 1848 to 1856 and official trustee from 1856 to 1857, was created K.C.M.G. in 1877. He married in 1843 Emmeline Emily, third daughter of John Macarthur, of Camden Park, N.S.W., who survived him and died on May 3rd, 1888. Sir Henry died at Richmond on Feb. 2nd, 1881.