Hedley C. Parks

Hedley C. Parks (1876-??) was a soldier, musician, linguist, author and playwright. Also known as Major Hedley C. Parks, Hedley Charles Parks or H.C. Parks.

Biography

Born Hedley Charles Parks in England (?), he became a band conductor in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers in the early 20th century (1917-1921), being promoted from Lieutenant to Captain on 20th June, 1917. It appears he may have been posted to South Africa after that, since his playwriting is considered as products of South Africa by Gosher.

His publications

He wrote many one-act plays, three of which, Over the Weekend, Ringing True and His Medicine were published as Over the Weekend and Other One-act Plays for the Amateur Stage in London in 1930. His other published books include the tales in A Coward's V.C., and Other Yarns of a Military Flavour (by Hedley C. Parks, Bridges, 1906) and two short (contentious) manuals on language, Scribblehand (also known as "Snellenkort Stenografie in Afrikaans", by Hedley Charles Parks, 1935) and Hindustani Simplified (by "H.C. Parks", Luzac It co, 1937).

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

1927: Over the Weekend was produced at the Railway Institute in Cape Town on 30 April.

Sources

Gosher, 1988.

SACat: A union catalogue of items held by Southern African libraries.

The Indian Army List, Defense Department, 1922[1]

The London Gazette, published by Tho. Newcomb, 1918: p. 5071[2].

https://books.google.co.za/books/about/A_Coward_s_V_C_and_Other_Yarns_of_a_Mili.html?id=Ye6SswEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

Snellenkort" Stenografie. 'n Eenvoudige Alfabetiese Sisteem Van Snelskrif, Insluitende "Figurese" Vir Groot Nommers, Etc[3]

https://search.proquest.com/openview/1733273fe71f8ce8f00cb1dbaec84d7f/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1817606

Go to the ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities P

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page