User:Rich Farmbrough/DNB/L/o/Louisa Parr

Mrs. Louisa Parr||1903| Mrs. Louisa Parr (died 1903), novelist, born in London, was the only child of Matthew Taylor, R.N. Her early years were spent at Plymouth. In 1868 she published in 'Good Words', under the pseudonym of 'Mrs. Olinthus Lobb', a short story entitled 'How it all happened'. It attracted attention, and appeared in a French version as a feuiUeton in the 'Journal des Debats', the editor apologising for departing from his rule of never printing translations. At the request of the Queen of Württemberg it was translated into Grerman, and it was issued in America in pamphlet form. The next year Miss Taylor married George Parr, a doctor living in Kensington and a collector of early editions of works on London. He predeceased her.

In 1871 Mrs. Parr published 'Dorothy Fox', a novel of Quaker life, which was so much appreciated in America that a publisher there paid Mrs. Parr £300 for the advance sheets of her next novel. Nothing of importance followed until 1880, when her best novel, 'Adam and Eve', was published. It is an interesting story, told with artistic restraint, of Cornish smuggling life founded on incidents related in Jonathan Couch's 'History of Polperro' (1871). Six novels followed, none coming near to 'Adam and Eve' in merit, the last, 'Can This be Love?' appearing in 1893. The life of Miss Mulock (Mrs. Craik) in 'Women Novelists of Queen Victoria's Reign' (1897) is from her pen. She also contributed short stories to magazines. A sense of humour and a pleasing style are the main characteristics of her work. She was always at her best in dealing with the sea.

Mrs. Parr died on 2 November 1903 at 18 Upper Phillimore Place, Kensington, London.

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