The real William Parry

[Louhi]

I happened to notice that this wasn't in the Encyclopedia, so I thought I'd post about it here (-sorry if this has been discussed). I remember reading somewhere, quite a while ago, about an arctic explorer called William Parry, and thinking that he was Pullman's inspiration for John Parry. I found this about him now:

"William Edward Parry was born in Bath, England. In 1803, at the age of 13, he entered the Royal Navy and became a sublieutenant the same year. He served in the English Channel and in the Baltic Sea during the Napoleonic Wars and, promoted to lieutenant in 1810, was sent to protect whalers in the Spitzbergen Archipelago. After having spent the War of 1812-1814 on the east coast of North America, Parry had only one wish -- to go in search of the Northwest Passage. He requested authorization from the Admiralty to participate in the polar expeditions that it was organizing. The Admiralty agreed and supported his four Arctic voyages."

Etcetera. Very likely that Mr. Parry was based on him.

[Nix]

Id seen that somewhere. but it was only written down as E. and his mother was Elaine. It was while i was away so i oculdnt post it

[lostinthought451]

maybe that is where PP got the character of John Parry...

[eloquent]

That is very interesting indeed

[Carina]

That's really cool. Scoresby was named after someone real too.

[Duskeyes]

I think Hester was named after someone as well- there was a Hester in a poem. Can't remeber who by now, but when I find it, I'll post it.

[BenRoshi]

hm...
thats neat. I bet he's sitting back laughing at us fans and waiting for us to figure this kind of thing out so he can laugh some more ^^

[Rose of Sharon]

I'm pretty sure Hester was a minor Greek Goddess of some sort...

[Will]

That's really cool. Scoresby was named after someone real too.

Do you know who, exactly? I just read a (antartic based) book with a ship in it called the Scoresby, so that might have been named after them too.

[Blinkus]

I've heard the name Scoresby with some different exploring/arctic topics so a Yahoo! search and... this is something:

William Scoresby[skorz´bE] Pronunciation Key, 1789–1857, English arctic explorer and scientist. He made yearly voyages (1803–22) to Greenland, at first on his father's whaler, later as captain on other ships. Preparing himself by study between voyages, he mapped, charted, made deep-sea temperature soundings, noted the flora and fauna, and collected other valuable data along the little-known and hitherto unknown coasts of Greenland, giving special attention to terrestrial magnetism. His last trip to the Arctic was made in 1822. In 1825 he entered the Anglican ministry. He maintained his interest in exploration and encouraged the search for the Northwest Passage. He made a voyage to Australia (1856) to study terrestrial magnetism. Scoresby's several books on his arctic experiences helped lay the foundations of modern arctic geography.

Apparently a somewhat well known character from what I picked up from looking at a couple sites. I saw his name with the real Parry fellow as well.

On a different note, I couldn't help but think of Eminem when I saw the Subject title. Will the real Will Parry, please stand up? Please stand up?... My name is who?.. My name is what?.. My name is *wiccawicca* Will Parry...

Ahh.. Wierdness.

Edit: Kept digging and.... Apparently Phillip Pullman said this in somesort of interview:

How do you come up with the characters’ names?

Some just appear. As soon as Lyra came to my mind, I knew what she was called. Others I have to make up. Lee Scoresby, for instance: the Lee part comes from the actor Lee Van Cleef, who appeared in the Dollar films with Clint Eastwood, because I thought my Lee would look like him, and the Scoresby comes from William Scoresby, who was a real Arctic explorer.

That quote came from Here

[Will]

Nice digging.

[quote=Blinkus]In 1825 he entered the Anglican ministry[/quote]

[Duskeyes]

On a different note, I couldn't help but think of Eminem when I saw the Subject title. Will the real Will Parry, please stand up? Please stand up?... My name is who?.. My name is what?.. My name is *wiccawicca* Will Parry...

hehe...
I found the Hester poem too. I don't know how appropriate it is really, apart from bits about her eyes.

When maidens such as Hester die
Their place ye may not well supply
Though ye among a thousand try
With vain endeavour
A month or more hath she been dead
Ye cannot I by force be led
To think upon the wormy bed
And her together

A springy motion in her gait
A rising step did indicate
Of pride and joy no common rate
That flush'd her spirit:
I know not what by name beside
I shall it call: if twas not pride
It was a joy to that allied
She did inherit

Her parents held the Quaker rule
Which doth the human feeling cool
But she was train'd in Nature's school
Nature had blest her
A waking eye, a prying mind
A heart that stirs, is hard to blind
A hawk's keen sight ye cannot blind
Ye could not Hester

My sprightly neighbour! gone before
To that unknown and silent shore
Shall we not meet, as heretofore
Some summer morning-
When from thy cheerful eyes a ray
Hath struck a bliss upon the day
A bliss that would not go away
A sweet forewarning?