James Parkinson: A Biographical Overview

Abstract

James Parkinson was born on April 11th, 1755, at No. 1 Hoxton Square in the parish of St. Leonard’s, Shoreditch, in the Hundred of Ossulstone in the county of Middlesex. The baptismal register of the parish church for the month of April 1755 contains the following entry:

James son of John and Mary Parkinson. Hoxton Square, Born 11th. Baptised 29th inst.

His father, John Parkinson, was a family doctor who had practised in Hoxton for many years; he was examined and received the Grand Diploma of the Corporation of Surgeons of London on February 7th, 1765, at the age of 39. During the years 1775 and 1776, he acted as Anatomical Warden of the Company at Surgeon’s Hall. His tombstone can still be seen on the north wall of the verger’s house in the churchyard of St. Leonard’s, and though the epitaph is no longer decipherable, this inscription is just legible:

To the memory of Jno. Parkinson, Surgeon late of this Parish who died on the 10th day of Jan. 1784, in the 59th year of his age.