Parkes, Harry Smith (1828–1885)

British diplomat. He was attaché in 1842 to Henry Pottinger's punitive expedition up the Yangtze, China, and, though only 15 years old at the time, Parkes's knowledge of the language made him of immense service to the commissariat. In September 1843 he entered the British Consulate at Canton, China, eventually becoming head of the legation at Canton in 1857. Appointed consul at Shanghai in 1861, he left there for diplomatic work in Japan in 1865. Returning to China in 1883, he took over the legation at Peking, carried through a valuable treaty with Korea, and acquired Port Hamilton for a British coaling station in the northern Pacific.

Parkes was born in Birchill Hall, Bloxwich, Staffordshire, England. He studied at King Edward's Grammar School, and in 1841 travelled to China to join his sisters. On his arrival at Macau he applied himself to the study of Chinese, which laid the foundation of his successful career.