A memorial night for Mr. Titanic.
Lagan Legacy is privileged to film an evening in memory of Mr John Parkinson, a devoted Titanic man! Legacy’s article was published in Belfast Newsletter 11.01.2007.
FRANCIS JOHN PARKINSON - A MAN TO REMEMBER.
Published in Belfast Newsletter 11th Jan 2007.
John Parkinson - Titanic man.
History has bestowed mankind with a measure of memorable men called John Parkinson. One was an acclaimed botanist, herbalist, and apothecary to James 1st; another a world famous space scientist and professor of Astrophysics. There was a Labour party politician with the same name, and an architect who designed the first true skyscraper in Los Angeles in the early 1920s. Belfast's John Parkinson who passed away in March 2006 would have been a hundred years old last Sunday and his long life encapsulated enough interest, enthusiasm and expertise to eclipse all the other John Parkinsons put together! He was often called Mr Titanic, or Titanic man, and sometimes Parky; the title of a special memorial evening on Monday night conferred on him a most appropriate designation - "a man to remember".
Una Reilly, Chairman of the Belfast Titanic Society, hosting the commemoration, introduced the proceedings perfectly - "We want this to be a joyous gathering to celebrate his long and varied life. To show our respect for, and pride in John, who did so much for Belfast, the Titanic, and the society, as well as offering personal friendship." The conference room venue in Belfast's Four Winds Restaurant was thereafter filled with every kind of emotion; warm memories, laughter, surprise, tears and awe. The number of people and organisations involved in the event confirmed John's unique station in life and death - "a man to remember".
John Parkinson was born in 1907 and one of his earliest memories was watching with his father as the Titanic sailed down Belfast Lough. His father worked for Harland & Wolff on the Titanic as a joiner. Like many of his generation, John followed in his father's footsteps. He worked on Queen's Island for a decade, and left to teach woodwork in schools and to would-be shipyard apprentices. His early experiences and his father's stories gave him a lifelong interest in shipbuilding in general and the Titanic in particular. He became president of the Ulster (Now Belfast) Titanic Society and regularly visited schools with his maritime memories. Though small in stature, he was an immense character. Monday night's speakers made reference to John's vast array of distinctive traits; writer and raconteur, sports journalist, teacher, historian, craftsman, and friend. His three sons spoke lovingly of a devoted family man - a special dad. Messages and tributes arrived at the podium from all over the world; from the Titanic International Society in the USA, the German Titanic Society, from Poland, the UK, and of course Belfast. A 1997 film starring John interviewing "the old boys" (some who'd seen the Titanic) was shown; on screen, Mr. Parkinson "conducted" a variety of interviews in front of a captivated audience as capably as his chat show namesake Michael! An interesting note in the footage was John's enthusiasm for a maritime museum "I hope that some of the powers that be," he announced, looking directly at them, "will get going and very soon we will see an Ulster maritime museum second to none in the UK."
He didn't allow his focused devotion to interrupt his sense of humour; John's ensuing interview with a 99 year old Harry Corry was classic. Only John could have probed Harry's health and longevity with such exquisite ease and fluency; Harry explained that he owed his wellbeing to being a bachelor, and drinking olive oil. Following the film one of John's many close buddies Bill Austin kindled a warm flame of vivid thoughts. "Both the old and the young were always fascinated with John," Bill recounted, and added an amusing anecdote about a lady who as a tiny baby survived the Titanic's doomed maiden voyage. When she met John she said, rather mischievously
"You saw Titanic, but were never on it." In a flash John replied - "You were on it, but never saw it." One of John's former students Joseph Cohen spoke of him as "my teacher, my friend and my inspiration; Titanic society magazine editor Alison Murphy highlighted John the writer as "never being late with a story"; and a letter to a young girl Jasmine Edgar showed his ability to cross the generations "Dear young Titanic admirer," he penned to Jasmine, "I hope I have whetted your appetite and that you will continue and build on your interest in the great Titanic ship and all of it's history." He had, and she did. John's son Alan shared a hilarious yet poignant story about his father's visit to a Titanic exhibition in an English museum. There was a queue, so John went off to use his powers of persuasion as president of Belfast Titanic Society. "They seemed to be interested in what I was telling them but they didn't know anything about the Belfast connection," he told Alan when he returned to the queue. Then he smiled widely, "but they do now!"
Una Reilly introduces "a joyous gathering to celebrate the life of a man to remember." 
Joseph Cohen tells of "my teacher, my friend and my inspiration".
Bill Austin remembering his great buddy.
A MAN TO REMEMBER.