Portrait of John Parker, 1st Baron Boringdon (1734/5-1788), by his friend Sir Joshua Reynolds (d.1792), who was born near Saltram in Plympton. National Trust, Saltram House Collection, no.29, displayed in the Morning Room, Saltram HouseArms of Parker: Sable, a stag's head cabossed between two flaunches argent
Parker was the eldest son of John Parker (1703–1768) of Boringdon Hall, Plympton, and Saltram House, by his wife Catherine Poulett (1706–1758), whom he married in 1725,[1] a daughter of John Poulett, 1st Earl Poulett, by his wife, Bridget Bertie, a granddaughter of Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey. He had a sister Henrietta Parker (d. 1808) and a younger brother, Montagu Edmund Parker (1737–1813) of Whiteway House, near Chudleigh (purchased by his grandfather George Parker (d. 1743) who also purchased Saltram), Sheriff of Devon in 1789, who married in 1775 Charity Ourry (1752–1786), daughter of Admiral Paul Ourry, by whom he had issue Montague E. Parker (1778–1831) whose daughter Harriet Parker (1809–1897) married in 1842, as her second husband, her second cousin Edmund Parker, 2nd Earl of Morley (1810–1864).
Career
He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford. John attended Plympton Grammar School where Sir Joshua Reynold's father was headmaster.[2]
He was elected to the House of Commons for Bodmin in 1761, a seat he held until 1762, and then represented Devon between 1762 and 1784. The latter year Parker was raised to the peerage as Baron Boringdon, of Boringdon in the County of Devon.[3]
Portrait of Theresa Robinson (1744/5-1775), second wife of John Parker, 1st Baron Boringdon and second daughter of Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham. By Sir Joshua Reynolds, c. 1770–2. National Trust, Saltram House Collection, no. 76, displayed in the Saloon, Saltram HousePortrait as children of John Parker, the future 1st Earl of Morley (1772–1840), son of John Parker, 1st Baron Boringdon and Theresa Robinson, with his sister Theresa Parker. Painted in 1779 by Sir Joshua Reynolds (d.1792). National Trust, Saltram House Collection, displayed in Morning Room, Saltram House
Lord Boringdon married twice:
Firstly, in 1764 to Frances Hort (d.1764), daughter of the Right Reverend Josiah Hort, Archbishop of Tuam. She died later the same year, without progeny.