Parr, Alfred Arthur Chase, Admiral, 1849-1914.

The collection includes journals and logs from Parr's service as a midshipman and junior officer on HMS VICTORIA, HMS MINOTAUR, HMS PYLADES, HMS ZEALOUS, HMS REVENGE and HMS HERCULES, between 1864 and 1872. There are also items from the Arctic Expedition, 1875-1876, including observation records, two expedition journals recording his personal experiences, an official report on the proceedings, and a printed chart showing the northern shores of Greenland.

Administrative / biographical background
Parr was born at Bromley in Kent in 1849 and entered the Navy in 1863. He served as a lieutenant on the screw sloop HMS ALERT (1856) during the Arctic Expedition led by Captain Sir George S. Nares in 1875-1876, and was subsequently promoted to commander. In 1882, he served on the screw frigate HMS INCONSTANT (1868) and received the Order of the Medjidie, 3rd Class, after participating in the Egyptian War. Parr became a captain in 1887, acted as Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria, 1900-1901, and was promoted to rear-admiral in 1901. In the period 1903-1905 he served as vice-president of the Ordnance Committee, also gaining the rank of vice-admiral in 1905. Parr retired from the Navy in 1906, and was promoted to admiral on the retired list in 1908. He died at Folkestone in 1914.