Colin PARBURY
Munitions

Date of birth: 22nd August 1884
Date of death: 20th May 1959

Died aged 74
Unknown
Colin Parbury was born at Hume Tower, Bournemouth at 2am on the 22nd of August 1884 the twin son of Charles Parbury, a businessman, and Annie (nee Strachan) Parbury of 7 Lowndes Square, London.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until July 1898 where he was a member of the Football XI in 1896 and 1897 and was a member of the Cricket XI in 1897 and 1898. The school magazine wrote the following on his 1896 football season: - "A good fighter at half-back, left. Lacks pace and wants a new left leg, but tackles well and full of spirit."

They wrote of his 1897 football season: - "Left half back, a rare tackler, and if he would only use his head (physically) would make a first rate half, feeds his forwards well and often makes a capital long shot at goal.

Of his 1897 cricket season they wrote: - "With his long reach ought to have made a much better bat, but he never plays near the ground or hits half enough. very slow in the field."

They also wrote of his 1898 cricket season: - "Uncertain, but vastly improved; plays a very forward game, but too stiff in the left knee, and a bad judge of a run. A useful field anywhere."

On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him and his twin brother: - K. and C. Parbury go to Marlborough, this being the second brace of twins who have done excellent service to the school in both Elevens, besides which the pair we are now losing have been for some time the first to win the school. The elder has been for two years one of the best of forwards, the younger, of half backs, in the football elevens, and the former has the enviable distinction of having made the highest score and he highest average in the cricket records of the school."

He went on to Marlborough College where he was in Summerfield House with his twin brother Keith from September 1898 to July 1901. He went on to Christ Church Oxford in 1902.

During the war he was engaged in munitions work in England as a director of the motor car manufacturer Lagonda, which continued to make cars during the war but added the production of artillery shells to its output. On the death of Wilbur Gunn, the founder of the company, in 1920, Colin Parbury, who was already a substantial shareholder in the company, and two fellow directors, took over the company. Parbury sold out in the mid 1930s.

He was married to Gertrude "Daisie" (nee Willis) at Sydney in 1909 and they had three daughters, Margaret Ann, born in 1910, Rosemary Alison, born on the 13th of June 1912, and Diana Jocelyn, born on the 16th of January 1917 as well as a son, John Richard, born in 1915. They lived at Upton, Sunningdale in Berkshire.

He died at Westminster Hospital.
Went on to Marlborough College

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