He made a name for himself as an arctic explorer and a rear admiral in the British Navy, but the career of Sir William Edward Parry helped define Port Stephens and the tiny township of Stroud.
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Maitland Historical Society was enthralled with Sir Parry’s tenure as Commissioner of the Australian Agricultural Company as immortalised by Stroud’s bard and author Ken Stone (pictured).
Stones’ new book, Aurora Borealis to Botany Bay, is a biography of Parry written in poetic verse and intended to be read aloud.
“Parry’s life in our area is still relevant today,” Stone said.
“He was faced with the greed and corruption of local officials, which is something people in the Hunter know all about.
“He was also engaging with the debate about the changes to the natural environment both in the Liverpool Plains and the Arctic – areas we see in the news every day with coal seam gas and climate change.”
The epic yarn documents Parry’s years at the helm of one of Australia’s oldest companies, as well as his attempt to find the north-west passage in the Canadian Arctic.
During his voyages he went the closest to the pole of any explorers in history.
It took more than 50 years for his record to be surpassed.
Stone said he was thrilled to speak in front of crowds as interested in and engaged with history as he was.
“I’ve been invited to a few historical societies including Manning House in Canberra,” Stone said.
“My family has been in Stroud since my great-great-grandfather in 1842.
“I went to school there and now I’ve retired there.
“This history really grabbed me and I hope it can grab others as I read it too.”
Aurora Borealis to Botany Bay is avaliable from MacDonald’s bookstore and the tourist information centre in Maitland.