Critchley Parker
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Frank Critchley Parker (9 October 1862 – 19 October 1944), commonly referred to as Critchley Parker, was an Australian journalist and newspaper publisher.


History

Parker was born Ernest Frank Parker in modest circumstances in
Richmond, Victoria Richmond is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of the Melbourne central business district, located within the City of Yarra Local government areas of Victoria, local government area. Richmond recorded a population of 2 ...
to J. W. Parker and Ellen Sophia Parker, née Bartlett (died 10 November 1923). He was apprenticed to a printer, and began his journalistic career as proprietor of ''The Sun'', a minor Melbourne newspaper subtitled "Australia's democratic weekly newspaper". He adopted the "aristocratic" name Critchley (from a British admiral, says ''
The Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. The Advocate, The Advocates or Advocate may also refer to: Magazines * The Advocate (magazine), ''The Advocate'' (magazine), an LGBT magazine based in the United States * ''The Harvard Advocate' ...
'', but the original of this accusation remains elusive) to become Frank Critchley Parker or, more often, F. Critchley Parker or simply Critchley Parker. In 1893 he moved ''The Sun'' office to an alley off
Little Bourke Street Little Bourke Street in the Melbourne central business district runs roughly east–west within the Hoddle Grid. It is a one-way street heading in a westward direction. The street intersects with Spencer Street at its western end and Spring S ...
, hired Miss May Manning as sub-editor and gave it a new subtitle "The society courier" and a new look. As a fashionable ladies' journal it did very well, and he was able to publish a ''Sydney Sun'' as well. In 1895 he became publisher of the Sydney-based '' Australian Mining Standard''. The London-based '' Money Market Review'', and a later magazine '' Australian Statesman and Mining Standard'' followed. E. H. Oliphant served as editor or editor-in-chief of each of those publications. Parker died aged 82 at his home at 28 Tivoli Place,
South Yarra, Victoria South Yarra is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Melbourne and Stonnington local government areas. South Yarra recorded a populati ...
.


Other interests

In 1894 Parker and Edward Sass wrote, for a Theatre Royal charity fundraiser, a comedietta, ''Emancipated'', which was well received.


Criticism

''
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'' of Melbourne, and ''
Freeman's Journal The ''Freeman's Journal'', which was published continuously in Dublin from 1763 to 1924, was in the nineteenth century Ireland's leading nationalist newspaper. History Patriot journal It was founded in 1763 by Charles Lucas and was identified ...
'' of Sydney, Roman Catholic weeklies, had little positive to say about Parker: he had no intelligence, they said, only the ability to exploit that possessed by others; that he adopted "Critchley" to mask his plebeian origins; he employed Oliphant to supply the wit for his own "false, offensive and bigoted" anti-Catholic invective.


Family

According to one (hostile) source, he married in 1899, divorced in 1909; no further details given. On 12 April 1910 he married Kathleen Kerr (died 1970); they had a son, Critchley Parker, jun., on 11 April 1911. He had a sister, Cora Critchley Parker (died 29 November 1937).


Critchley Parker, jun.

His son, whom he named Critchley Parker (11 April 1911 – April 1942), is remembered for his efforts to establish a Jewish homeland in Australia. He died while attempting to hike alone from
Port Davey Port Davey is an embayment, oceanic inlet located in the South West Tasmania, south west region of Tasmania, Australia. Port Davey was named by explorer James Kelly (Australian explorer), James Kelly in honour of Thomas Davey (governor), Thomas ...
to
Fitzgerald Fitzgerald may refer to: People * Fitzgerald (surname), a surname * Fitzgerald Hinds, Trinidadian politician * Fitzgerald Toussaint (born 1990), former American football running back Place Australia * Fitzgerald River National Park, a nati ...
,
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
. An experienced bushwalker, he left Port Davey on 29 March 1942, but his body was not discovered until the following September. Both father and son were sympathetic to the problems encountered by Jews, made manifest by Germany during World War II, and supported the establishment of a Jewish settlement in Australia. The first site proposed was in the north of
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
, but enthusiasm for the area waned after Darwin was bombed by Japan. Attention then fell on the rugged south of Tasmania and Port Davey, supported by Critchley and others, notably the Russian Dr Isaac Steinberg, a leader of the Freeland League, and the
premier of Tasmania The premier of Tasmania is the head of the Government of Tasmania, executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the leader of the party or political grouping which has majority support in the Tasmanian House of Assem ...
,
Robert Cosgrove Sir Robert Cosgrove (28 December 1884 – 25 August 1969) was an Australian politician who was the 30th and longest-serving Premier of Tasmania. He held office for over 18 years, serving from 1939 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1958. His invol ...
. Critchley jun. travelled to Port Davey with the express purpose of surveying the site for a settlement, but the weather was against him and he died in his tent, "surrounded by plans and notes for the new Jewish homeland". Critchley Parker, junior, Reserve in Upper Beaconsfield was named for him.


References

1862 births 1944 deaths Australian journalists Australian newspaper publishers (people) People from Richmond, Victoria People from the Colony of Victoria {{Australia-journalist-stub