The Prescotian

I too am shocked to hear of the death of John Parkinson. I didn't know him but his sister Jean was a teacher at Prescot CofE primary and my parents knew her and her husband Geoff well. A couple of years ago when I was researching the possibility of doing a Master's in Law, I tried to obtain some info from Bristol University. They failed to reply to my requests despite several attempts. I noticed John's name on the faculty list and emailed him apologetically citing the "old school tie" and tenuous friendship (through my parents). I received a full reply with the info I needed and a friendly message almost by return....My sincere condolences to his family and friends. [Sue Kay]

I join others in expressing sadness on hearing of 'Parky's' death and add to the expressions of sympathy to his family.
My first recollection of him is from the Autumn of 1966, the start of our first year. He was a stalwart of the games afternoon football left-overs. A whole season ever-present. He had the skinniest of untested white legs and impressively knobbly knees. He wore his crisply-ironed red Lambda shirt with pride and I'm sure he never allowed it to be muddied or crumpled.
Whereas I felt humiliated to be there he seemed to revel with pride in the success of avoiding all that awfully silly rough stuff. He was happy to chat about nonsense and always had that giggly smile about his face.
He and I could not be described as friends but were never unfriendly as we all passed up through the years at PGS.
His intellect was tangible but he was always modest and unassuming. The sense of humour was similarly impossible not to notice. I cannot remember him ever appearing unhappy.
Some may remember the 'Irish Space Program' article he co-wrote for the Prescotian. I though it had been written with Allan Jolley but Allan corrected me a while ago. It was created with John Rigby. The humour was silly farce and no holds barred.
I, with others, went through a spell of putting paper and magazine cuttings up in room 19 during the Upper VIth. They were annotated to refer to lads in the year. They were meant as fun but some took offence and pulled them down. One was a colour photo of the Law Lords outside Westminster in full regalia. I'd written 'Parky' with an arrow pointing at one of them.
He just laughed when he saw it. Seems I wasn't far out in the prediction.
Clearly as a respected academic lawyer he is a great loss to the nation. More importantly he will be a greater loss to his family and friends. [Glyn Phillips]

I was shocked to hear of another tragedy in our ranks as it has yet again abruptly reminded one of the fragility of life and how quickly our lives pass.
In school John seemed never to be one who craved the popularity of others and was always extremely modest. Nevertheless, many of us including myself often looked up at John and his academic ability with some awe, and accordingly, despite his unassuming character, he generated a great deal of respect. I do not once remember John being bothered by any of the more ‘ebullient’ characters of the day.
I had the great fortune to meet up with John again some 10 years ago at a surprise 40th birthday party for Ronald Padmore, where Ronald’s wife Anne had ‘rounded up’ several old school mates to join the celebration. I was most impressed by John as an ‘adult’ and how he had developed such a wonderful sense of humour. It was a most entertaining experience that I shall never forget, as John the shy retiring schoolboy had been replaced by a confident and witty adult who held the attention of all who were present.
I should like to express my sympathies to all who were close to John and had the pleasure and opportunity to know him much better than myself. [Peter Smith]