Thomas Parr
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| Thomas Parr | |
| Born | 1483? Shrewsbury, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 1635 England |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Soldier |
Thomas Parr was an English man who supposedly lived for 152 years,[1] often referred to simply as Old Parr, or Old Tom Parr.
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[edit] Biography
He was said to have been born in 1483 near Shrewsbury, possibly at Wollaston, and joined the army around 1500. He did not marry until he was 80 years old and had two children, a son and a daughter, both of whom died in infancy. He attributed his long life to his vegetarian diet and moral temperance, although when he was around 100 years old he purportedly had an affair and a child born out of wedlock. After the death of his first wife, he married again at the alleged age of 122.
As news of his age spread, 'Old Parr' became a national celebrity and was painted by Rubens and Van Dyke. In 1635, Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, visited Parr and brought him to London to meet Charles I. Charles asked what Parr had done that was greater than any other man, and the latter replied that he had performed penance (for his affair) at the age of 100.
In London, he was treated as a spectacle, but the change in food and environment apparently caused his death. Charles I arranged for him to be buried in Westminster Abbey on November 15, 1635.[1] The inscription of his gravestone reads:
THO: PARR OF YE COUNTY OF SALLOP. BORNE
IN AD: 1483. HE LIVED IN YE REIGNES OF TEN
PRINCES VIZ: K.ED.4. K.ED.5.K.RICH.3.
K.HEN.7.K.HEN.8.K.EDW.6.Q.MA.Q.ELIZ
K.JA. & K. CHARLES. AGED 152 YEARES.
& WAS BURYED HERE NOVEMB. 15. 1635.
William Harvey (1578-1657), the physician who discovered the circulation of the blood,[2] performed a post-mortem on Parr's body.[3][4]
[edit] Theories
It is possible that his records were confused with those of his grandfather.[4] He did not claim to remember specific events from the 15th century. However, he was blind and feeble when the Earl of Arundel met him, so it seems that he was very old, possibly a centenarian.
[edit] Cultural references
- The poet John Taylor wrote about Parr in his 1635 poem The Old, Old, Very Old Man or the Age and Long Life of Thomas Parr.[5]
- A portrait of Parr hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, London.[6]
- His story was featured on the TV show Beyond Belief!! on the American network Nickelodeon in 1992.
- The Scotch whisky brand Old Parr is named after him and recounts his claimed birth and death years on its label.[7]
- Parr has been used as an example of the supposed health benefits of some natural medicines, including herbal colon cleansers.
- In the 1979 film "The Champ", a small statue of Parr instigates a conversation between the boy and his step-father.
- Parr's old age is referenced in the book "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau.
- Tom Parr is referenced in the book "Time Enough for Love" by Robert A. Heinlein.
- Bram Stoker makes a reference to Thomas Parr in Dracula.
- Old Parr is referenced in Dickens' "Dombey and Son", chapter XLI.
- Thomas Parr is referenced in the "Dual-Action Cleanse" infomercial (TVSS, 2008).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Information from Westminster Abbey on Parr's life, including the inscription on his gravestone. Retrieved on: 10 January 2008
- ^ William Harvey San José State University. Retrieved on: 10 January 2008
- ^ William Harvey and the anatomo-pathological dissection or Thomas Parr PubMed.gov Retrieved on: 10 January 2008
- ^ a b Thomas Parr NNDb.com Retrieved on: 10 January 2008
- ^ THE OLD, OLD, VERY OLD MAN; Or the Age and Long Life of Thomas Parr AntiQbook.com Retrieved on: 10 January 2008
- ^ Sir Peter Paul Rubens. Portrait of Thomas Parr. The National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved on 28 December 2007.
- ^ The Life and Times of Thomas Parr
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