Varney Parkes

Varney Parkes (4 June 1859 – 14 May 1935) was an Australian politician, architect and son of Henry Parkes.

Parkes was born in the Sydney suburb of Ryde, the seventh child of Henry Parkes and Clarinda Varney. He attended public schools and then The King's School in Parramatta before working at the Bank of New South Wales and the Colonial Architect's Office. On 21 March 1883 he married Mary Cameron Murray, but she died only five months later. On 24 December 1884, Parkes married Mary's older sister Isabella, with whom he had three surviving children.

Parkes worked as an architect at Liverpool and Canterbury, and in partnership with C.H.E. Blackmann (1880–1885). He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1885 as the member for Central Cumberland. He left the Assembly in 1888 but was re-elected for East Sydney in 1891, switching to Canterbury in 1894. He served until 1900 and then a second term from 1907 to 1913 as a Liberal. In 1895 he was bankrupted, and not discharged until 1907.

Parkes served as Postmaster-General from August 1898 to September 1899. He died in Sydney in 1935.

Former Bank of New South Wales, Broadway, Sydney

Former Bank of New South Wales, George Street, Sydney

Erskineville Public School, Sydney

Stanmore Public School, Sydney

St James's Church, King Street, Sydney

Hazeldean, Wahroonga

Parkes family graves in Faulconbridge Cemetery, Faulconbridge, New South Wales, with Varney's grave at far left

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