Ernest Gambier-Parry

Born at Highnam Court, Gloucestershire, on October 25, 1853, Ernest Gambier-Parry came from a notably artistic family. He was the son of Thomas Gambier-Parry, an artist and collector, and the half-brother of composer Sir Hubert Parry. Contemporary sources describe him not only as a military officer, but also as an artist, author, and musician.

His writing seems to have grown directly out of his experience. He took part in the 1885 Sudan campaign and later wrote Suakin, 1885, an eyewitness account of that expedition. He also published other books, including Reynell Taylor, C.B., C.S.I.: A Biography and the novel The Story of Dick.

After Hubert Parry's death in 1918, he succeeded to the family estate at Highnam. He died there on April 15, 1936, aged 82. For readers today, he stands out as one of those late-Victorian figures whose books were shaped by a mix of service, observation, and a wide-ranging creative life.