THE ANTON PARER PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
From 29th March to the 18th April 2015 the Anton Parer Pyrenees Pilgrimage ensued. This publication covers the voyage, discoveries and insights along the way. It is a mainly photographic journey of discovery with our collective family history as its raison d’être. We travelled around Catalonia from Barcelona and Alella to Banyuls-sur-Mer and Girona to Santa Perpetua de Mogoda and Sant Jaume. Along the way we were met, guided and aided by such a collection of local Catalans and with such a verve as to make our hearts sing. We absorbed the land and culture and soaked into our souls the ambience of our ancestors as we wrestled with the need to research and understanding the mindset and motives of the past.
THE ANTON PARER PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
29 MARCH TO 18 APRIL 2015
BY BEN PARER
Banyuls-sur-Mer
THE JOURNEY
Girona
Manresa
Sant Feliu de Codines
Lloret de Mar
MontserSanta Perpetua de Mogoda Alella
Barcelona
THE ANTON PARER PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
29 MARCH TO 18 APRIL 2015
BY BEN PARER
THE ANTON PARER PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
29 MARCH TO 18 APRIL 2015
BY BEN PARER
ALELLA BOOKS The Anton Parer Pyrenees Pilgrimage : 29 March to 18 April 2015 Published by Alella Books 115 Rickards Drive, Churchill VIC 3842 First published July 2016 Copyright© 2016 Ben Parer, Churchill, Australia
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
1
Introduction
Introduction
This publication is focused on the Anton Parer Pyrenees Pilgrimage in March-April 2015. It involves the trip, some of the discoveries and insights along the way. It is by no means comprehensive or indeed completely accurate with what we now know is our more likely forefathers ancestral stomping grounds. In short it is about the journey with discovering more about our collective family history as its raison d’être. My understanding of “being a Parer” encompasses many aspects including: a pioneering spirit; a can-do attitude; family being integral to our way of life, not just immediate family, but the WHOLE family; an interest in photography; and an interest in the family tree. It was the first Australian Parer, Josef Francisco Andreu (Josef) Parer who in his own handwriting names his grandfather Anton in an initial Australian attempt at the family tree. From these early roots, many relatives have taken up the baton from Bernard, John G and Michael Parer, Gonza and Andree Shiel, and Nina Ingwersen to Caroline and Shelly Kelly. Our family tree has for many moons had Anton as the father of Antonio. Recent information suggests that they are the same person. With three of the aforementioned genealogists within our group we set out with tasks aplenty to discover, understand and pass on our knowledge to future generations. 2 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
A journey to Oz
A journey to Oz
Wandering down La Rambla in Barcelona, the easy warmth of Easter 2015, is a heady mix of Catalan art nouveau, modernisme, Gaudi, tapas bars, Catalan flags, art and flower sellers catering for the omnipresent tourists. It’s easy to see the world as a grand adventure, full of exotic and intoxicating flavours, smells and colours. There is a verve to the city that is unique. It transcends the senses. A rumbling energy that seems to come not from anything organised, but from a collective mindset of the people themselves. They seem to have an acute knowledge of their place in the world and view themselves as unique, special even. They are the captains of their own ships, exuberant in life, fiercely independent and even in the calm of modern Spain agitate for independence. It’s not inconceivable then that it was this spirit that epitomised the Parers in Australia. They were pioneers. They were adventurers. They helped discover and shape a young nation making it’s first steps in the world. The fabric of Australia has been wrought by the very will of the Parers and their camaraderie, what Damien Parer defined as ‘Australian mateship’. It was birthed in Catalonia with the large Roman Catholic families that supported and looked after one another. It continued in Melbourne in 1855, with the arrival of Josef and then Francisco. With Melbourne founded a CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
3
A journey to Oz
mere 19 years before at the shores of the Yarra river where an aboriginal stone fish trap had existed for thousands of years. A Melbourne a far cry from the modern city we know today. It was only four years after Melbourne had become a colony in its own right separate from New South Wales and Tasmania. Muddy Bourke Street still had tree stumps and the new arrivals at Port Melbourne made immediately for the goldfields of Ballarat and Sandhurst (Bendigo). The city’s population went up seven fold in ten years from 1851 to around 140,000 people and was the richest and fastest growing city in the world during this time. A land of opportunity to which the Parers seized theirs and prospered, initially as great hoteliers in Melbourne. From Melbourne the Parers spread throughout the great continent and the family has fascinating history in New Guinea (later Papua New Guinea), Queensland, Tasmania, New South Wales, Darwin, Perth and everywhere in between. Parer is a name famously associated with Australia. Their mindset, their hearts and souls though were burnished and shaped in Catalonia.
4 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
A Catalan beginning
A Catalan beginning It has always appeared like a mythical place, this European land Catalonia. A place so often referred to by the family that the disconnect of reality and centuries is hard to, at times, equate. It was to this that the pilgrims, an odd assortment of Australian Parers and their derivatives, loosely collected and sporadically arranged, arrived initially in Barcelona. An exploration into their Catalan heritage and a journey to discover what drove the Parers to Australia. What drives the Parers even now. It’s difficult to reconcile modern Barcelona with what life was like for the children of Pablo “Pau” Parer y Renom 18km north east of Barcelona in Alella. Or indeed his father Anton Parer y Casanovas who lived in Santa Perpetua de Mogoda a further 20km north-west inland. Both operated flour mills. Anton’s father Jaume Parer y Marfá was born at Planas Parer (the Parer Farm) in Sant Feliu de Codines a further 19km north and the newly discovered Parer family heartland where we can now trace our direct descendents back some 658 years ago. It was Jaume that moved to Santa Perpetua de Mogoda. The Parer Planas is a farmhouse in Sant Feliu from the thirteenth century with documented records of the Parers living there though baptisms and wills back through some 15 generations from our Anton to Pere Parer’s will in 1358. This research is derived from traditional scroll
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
5
A Catalan beginning
records that Ramon Rodés, a Catalan-based historian and distant relative has researched. Ramon is related via Anton’s brother Francesc. From when the Romans occupied Iberia through to the 19th century Catalonian had a history flush with diverse influences and many masters who subdued them ruthlessly. Throughout Barcelona remained a port city, but its commerce combined with the industrial revolution did not filter down to the lower classes, which were destitute with poor nutrition and sanitation the norm. Abject poverty was a way of life and the traditional eldest son inheritance left little room for improvement for the majority of the population. Riots ensued and a general uprising in 1842 was subdued with ruthless canon bombardment. This was the situation which the children of Pau Parer faced. Into which the tales of gold and fortunes to be made on the other side of the world seduced our forefathers. It was opportunity which led Jaume Parer to operate the flour mill in Santa Perpetua de Moguda and his grandson Pau to head to Alella to do the same. It was this spirit that led Pau’s second son Josef to seek his fortune in Montevideo in South America in 1851. Josef was our first Australian immigrant from Alella to Montevideo, then via ship on the ‘Telemacho’ to Sydney arriving on the 29th May 1855, before settling in Melbourne in subsequent years (before 1862). There is
6 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
A Catalan beginning
no evidence he travelled to California after Montevideo. Francisco joined him in 1856 in Sydney and they headed to Melbourne where they succeeded as hoteliers and encouraged many family and friends to join them in the new world. Michele Christine (Shelly) Parer and Michael Stanislaus Arthur Parer are the main protagonists for our pilgrimage and fêted us with a loose, but intriguing journey with the specific highlights of Pau’s Alella, Anton’s Santa Perpetua de Moguda and Banyuls-sur-Mer and what may lay beyond. John Gartlan Parer’s tales of 1961 with Josef and Emilio Parer at Mas Parer in Banyuls-sur-Mer tantalise with what could lay beyond: “…the family papers (in Catalan) of marriage and land contracts dating back to 1632. Josef said the Parers were originally slaves but were liberated in 900AD and have been at Mas Parer ever since.… …The local priest knows the whole family tree and has it at the local church, but he is away at present and the records are not available.” A journey was had. Some history was rejoined. A new chapter was added.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
7
A brief Catalan history
A brief Catalan history The Catalonia history had a confluence of would be masters, from Romans, Visigoths to Muslims. With Catalonia being subsumed into Aragón in 1137 when Ramon Berenguer IV married the one-year-old Petronilla heiress to the throne of Aragón a golden age of expansion began for the Catalans. Jaume I (1213–76) conquered Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera and Valencia. Pere II (1240– 85) took Sicily in 1282 and then Malta, Gozo and Athens. Amidst all the conquering, Barcelona became a mercantile power with an enormous wealth flooding into the city and powered great building projects throughout the city. The 14th century saw the Black Death wipe out half of Barcelona’s population. As their empire retracted the Castilians managed a coup d’etat of sorts with the princes of Aragón stacking the council and voting the Catalans out. Catalonia became a Castilian state in all but name and with the introduction of the Spanish Inquisition to Barcelona in 1487 the Catalan institutions were cast asunder. Madrid’s gruesome grip on Catalonia ransacked it’s wealth and left it’s populace disaffected and impoverished. Catalonia revolted in the Reapers’ War from 1640-52 under French protection. The countryside and towns were left in ruins and Barcelona besieged and starved into submission. In 1702 the War of the Spanish Succession began with Catalonia siding with England, Portugal, Austria, Holland and some German states. Barcelona was abandoned by it’s allies in 1713 but continued to resist. An 18 month siege 8 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
A brief Catalan history
of Barcelona left the city devastated and Felipe V imposed severe rule on the Catalonians building a great fort and banning writing and teaching in Catalan. The city was sacked and all of its possessions were gifted or stolen away. By the end of the 18th century Barcelona became an important centre of the industrial revolution. Catalonia has always been an industrious and creative centre. In 1796, Spain allied itself with the French against the English; the result was a serious economic setback for Catalan interests. The English immediately blockaded Cadiz, Barcelona and South American ports, which caused a commercial collapse. Unemployment suddenly rose, soup kitchens were set up and there were bread riots in the streets. Catalans reacted angrily against the French blaming them for the situation; some even called for war against the French. On 26th January, 1812 France annexed Barcelona until Napoleon’s defeat in 1888.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
9
Family Tree
Family Tree
10 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Family Tree CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
11
The Parers of Catalunya
The Parers of Catalunya The following text is from Ann Wright’s June 1983 diploma paper, The Parers of Catalonia: An Australian pioneer family. It has been edited and gives a good back drop of Catalunya as the Parers knew it before traveling to Australia. Although the Banyuls-ser-Mer connection is, if not debunked, then it is at least pushed back many centuries, beyond the scope mention here.
T
he Parer family originates in the region of France now known as Eastern Pyrenees. It is the former French province of Roussillon. The area has been French since 1659 when a treaty between Phillip of Spain and Louis XIV of France gave the province to France as part of the dowry of the Infanta of Spain, Marie Theresa. The area had been under the domination of the Spanish since 1492. Situated as it is on the present day border between Spain and France, and at the Northern entrance to the Iberian Peninsula. It has been visited by waves of migrating people throughout its history. It has seen peoples from many lands pass through and leave their mark, including Iberians, Celts, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths and Arabs. The region from Perpignan in France to Barcelona in Spain, however, forms Catalonia which has a common culture and language. The Parers then, are neither Spanish nor French, strictly speaking, but Catalonian in origin. They originated in the small coastal town of Banyuls-sur-Mer, a few
kilometres north of the French-Spanish border. The family home is Mas Parer (Mas meaning farm or domain in Catalonian) which still stands 4 kilometres out of Banyuls in the hills, near the border. One branch of the family still owns the house and land and holidays there every summer from Madrid. Records of the Parer family in the church at Banyuls go back to the 12th century. One account says that the people of Banyuls gave great trouble to the Governors of Roussillon because they smuggled goods back and forward across the Spanish border. A story often told in Australia by Rosa and Marietta, daughters of Antonio Parer, tells of an ancestor who was a General in the French army and was taken hostage by the Spanish when they invaded Roussillon at the time of the French Revolution. He is said to have been released In Spain and to have married a Spanish girl and settled down there. This may account for the fact that Anton Parer was a flour miller at Santa Perpetua de Moguda, near Barcelona at the end of the 18th century. It may have been, however, that a younger son of
12 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
the family moved south because of the tradition then of passing on land to the eldest son. He may have moved to seek his fortune further south in a region which was geographically and culturally similar to his own and where they spoke the same language. It was the grandchildren of Anton Parer (1755-1822) who migrated to Australia first in the 1850s. Anton’s son, Pablo (Pau) Parer (1796-1854) kept a flour mill at Can Sors in Alella, in the region north of Barcelona. It is this village that the Australian Parers regard as their homeland, as the original Parer immigrants were almost all born there and its surrounding areas. On his grandson, Michael’s, birth certificate Pablo Parer is noted as a native of Moguda, but all of his children were born at Alella. He married Eulalia Bosch in 1822 and her family were natives of Alella too, as the name appears on headstones in the graveyard. She had five children and died in childbirth in 1834, giving birth to her fifth child Eulalia who died soon after.
Pau Parer remarried in 1834. His second wife was Ygnacia Xicola of the nearby village of Ball Romanas. Together they had nine children. Of these children, Antonia Josefa Felipa Parer, died in 1849 aged 23, and another from his second marriage died in childhood in 1851. Of the eleven who survived, nine came to Australia and the children of his two daughters Teresa and Rosa, in Spain, also came to Australia. The first Parer to leave his homeland to seek his fortune elsewhere was Pau Parer’s second son, Josef. He left Spain at the age of 22, in 1851, and went to Montevideo, South America and then across the Rio Del Plata to Buenas Aires. His half brother, Francisco, then only 17 joined him in 1852. However, although they were reputed to have done quite well in South America, news of gold discoveries in Australia brought first Josef in 1855 and then Francis, in December 1856, to Australia.
1724–1787 Jaume Parer y Marfa was born in 1724 in Planas Parer Sant Feliu de Codines. He had two boys Anton and Pau and one daughter Francesc with Teresa Casanovas y Barnadas. Jaume and Teresa married in 1764 in Santa Perpetua de Moguda. They lived in Santa Perpetua de Mogoda. It’s likely that Jaume operated the flour mill during a time of extreme poverty when the local lords controlled taxes through the distribution of food with flour being a basic dietary requirement of the time. Jaume would have played an important role in the collection of these taxes for the local Catalan baron. He returned to the family home in Planas Parer where he died in 1787 at the age of 63.
Anton Parer y Casanovas 1756–1822 Antonio Parer was born in 1756. He had three sons and one daughter with Josefa Renom between 1777 and 1796. He was born at in 1756 at Santa Perpetua de Mogoda, but lived in Santa Perpetua de Mogoda. He married Josefa on 31 August 1776. He died on March 17, 1822, at the age of 66. Anton is the Grandfather of the 2,000 past and present Australian Parer family.
Anton was the miller of the flour mill by the Mogoda Castle, constructed on the Roman ruins of aqueducts used to power the grinding millstones.
Josefa Renom y Rams 1753–1799 Josefa Renom was born in 1753 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. She had three sons and one daughter with Antonio Parer between 1777 and 1796. She died in 1799 in Santa Perpetua de Moguda, Catalonia, Spain, at the age of 46.
Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom 1796–1854 When Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom was born in 1796 in Santa Perpetua de Moguda, Catalonia, Spain, 20km north of Barcelona, his father, Anton, was 40 and his mother, Josefa, was 43. Pau kept a flour mill at Can Sors Alella, in the region North of Barcelona. It is this village that the Australian Parers regard as their homeland as the original Parer immigrants were almost all born there. One of the flour mills grinding stones is on display in the front yard of the house at the bottom of Carrer de Moli. Turning left at the top of the street you can make your way to the Parer’s landlords house which is now the Can Sors restaurant.
He married Eulalia Bosch on the 4 March 1822 at the age of 26 and they had six children together between 1824 and 1834. He then married Ygnacia (or Ignasia) Xicola when he was 38 and they had nine children together between 1835 and 1852. He died in 1854 at the age of 58. Pablo Pau Parer moved to Alella as the miller there. Nine of his fourteen children immigrated to Australia and the girls came with there husbands from the families Barbeta, Rubira, Carrol, Cabus, Clota, Triado and Alentorn.
Eulalia Bosh y Millet 1785–1834 Eulalia Bosch Y Millet was born in 1785 in Masnou, Catalonia, Spain. She married Pau (Pablo) Parer on March 4, 1822, in Catalonia, Spain. They had six children in 10 years. She died in 1834 in Alella, Catalonia, Spain, at the age of 49.
Ygnacia Xicola y Pujol 1796–1854 Ygnacia Xicola was born in 1796 in Ball Romanas, Catalonia, Spain, the child of Francisco and Ygnasia. She married Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom in 1834 when. They had nine children in 17 years. She died in 1854 at the age of 58.
The Parers of Catalunya
Jaume Parer y Marfa
Antonio (Abi) Parer y Bosch 1826–1897 When Antonio Parer y Bosch and his twin sister Antonia Josefa Felipa were born on March 1, 1826, in Masnou, Catalonia, Spain, their father, Pau, was 30 and their mother, Eulalia, was 41. He married Josefa Theresa Felipa Arenas y Xicola in 1856. They had seven children in 14 years. He died on January 21, 1897, in Victoria, at the age of 70, and was buried in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1886, Estevan, Felipe and Juan made an extended trip back to Spain and when they returned several more relatives came to Australia. This is when their eldest brother, Antonio, probably came with his wife Josefa. He departed on 3 June 1896 from Gravesend, Kent, England, United Kingdom on the boat the ‘Barcoo’. Antonio never worked in Australia, but was supported by his brothers until he died in 1897.
Josefa Theresa Felipa Arenas y Xicola 1831–1913 Josefa Theresa Felipa Arenas y Xicola was born in 1833 in Spain. She married Antonio Parer y Bosch in 1856. They had seven children in 14 years. She died on August 27, 1913, in Victoria, having lived a long life of 80 years, and was buried in Box Hill, Victoria.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
13
Planas Parer: A new heartland
Planas Parer: A new heartland A bolt from the blue from a distant relative Ramon Rodés who lives in Catalonia has re-imagined our Parer heritage. He has made a connection between Anton Parer are previously earliest known Parer and his father and then a further 15 generations beyond. It’s a staggering revelation and rejuvenates a second pilgrimage in the not too distant future to explore these discoveries. In the 1960s Gonza with John G’s help thought they had found the connection to our heritage in Banyulsser-Mur. Many decades and visits have passed with the belief that Anton was born in Banyuls-sur-Mer and his son Antonio travelled to Santa Perpetua de Mogoda and his son Pau to Alella where they both operated flour mills. The Banyuls-sur-Mer connection was perhaps a leap of imagination from a company truck spotted in Madrid sporting our surname. Many decades have passed and no inroads have been made into working out any relatives before Anton Parer. Until now… Shelly Kelly’s online Parer family tree has cast it’s net far and wide and has finally reeled in the Catalonian connection it seems many of us have been waiting a lifetime to fathom. The connection is with a Catalonian based relative called Ramon Rodés who has done an enormous amount of research. His research shows that Anton had a brother Pau and a sister Francesc. Ramon is descended from Francesc.
Importantly to us his research has shown that the parents of Anton were Jaume Parer y Marfà and Teresa Casanovas y Barnadas who married in 1764 in Santa Perpetua de Moguda. Jaume was born in 1724 on a farm called Planas Parer which is located in Sant Feliu de Codines, Catalonia, Spain. His death certificate in 1787 is on the page opposite with his details in the first entry. This is 19km from Santa Perpetua de Moguda and in the same line another 13km to Alella. A far more likely migration than one from Banyuls-sur-Mer.
Where is Planas Parer?
Sant Feliu de Codines
Parer Planas – The Parer Farmhouse.
The house Parer Planas is located northeast of the population of Sant Feliu de Codines, isolated in the countryside.
Planas Parer Alella
Santa Perpetua de Mogoda Sant Feliu de Codines
14 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Barcelona
Planas Parer: A new heartland
PARER At 29 July 1810 in the villa of Sant Feliu de Codines, bishop of Barcelona, Jaume Parer died of inflammation at age 75. A natural miller of this villa, husband of Teresa Casanovas, son of Joan Parer (labourer) and Madalena Marfà, spouse is dead, and the 31 ecclesiastical burial was given to his body in the tomb of the Bosc Rufets house. Four offices with five priests were held. He received the holy sacraments. He will held by the rector of Santa Perpetua de Mogoda. Signed by Francesc Reull, priest CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
15
The first Australian Parer
The first Australian Parer The story of Josef Francisco Andreu (Josef) Parer, the descendent of Pau (Pablo) Parer to arrive on the Australian shores has always been associated with Parer folklore. In an attempt to discern this momentous family event I’ve lay out the facts. When Josef Francisco Andreu (Josef) Parer was born in 1829 in Alella, Catalonia, Spain, his father, Pau, was 33 and his mother, Eulalia, was 44. He was the forth of fifteen children. Mary Mennis wrote in Pioneering family: The story of the audacious Parers of New Guinea: “The Parer family, originally from Alella in Spain, were the anchor of the Catalan community in Australia for 50 years. The first brother to leave Spain was Josef, who decided to migrate to South America in 1851, following his sense of adventure and eye for business. He left Montevideo in Uruguay on board the Alabama and landed in Australia in 1855.” Josef’s Colony of New South Wales naturalisation paper, dated 16 February 1858 however, mentions his arrival on the ship the ‘Telemachos’ from Montevideo, South America in the year 1855. When Josef arrived in Australia both NSW and Victoria were separate colonies. Josef subsequently was naturalised to the Colony of Victoria. Both naturalisation papers mention the ship ‘Telemachos’ and the date
of arrival as Wednesday 30 May 1855. There are some as yet unverified records that indicate that a Mr Parer travelled on the 15 July 1851 from Bologne, France to Folkestone, England on the “Princess Mary”. It’s possible that Josef then made his way to Montevideo aboard a ship from England. Newspaper stories of the ship ‘Telemacho’ that arrived in Sydney from Montevideo on the 29 May, 1855 remarked the occasion as being quite unusual for it’s ship type and it’s port of departure. Mssrs Parer is mentioned as a passenger. The Hobarton Mercury described, “The arrival in this port says the Empire of a Greek vessel from the east coast of South America is a very unusual occurrence, and speculations have been rife as to the design in sending the brig Telemacho from Monte Video to Sydney. Being of only 222 tons measurement, and arriving in ballast, it is very probable that her appearance here is only the consequence of her meeting with passengers desirous of trying their fortunes in Australia, and is not at all indicative of any prospective commercial enterprise.”
16 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
In his book Early History of the Parers Bernard Dominic Josef Trevor Parer, New Guinea, February 1973 suggests the following: The first to leave his native land in search of fortune was Josef, who, in 1851, emigrated to Monte Video in South America. In the following year he was joined by his brother Francis. They met with fair success there; but the wondrous gold discoveries in Australia, which at the time were attracting persons from all parts of the globe, promoted them to leave Mexico and join the ranks of the gold-seekers. Landing in Sydney in 1855, they found great difficulty in making much headway on account of their inability to speak the English language, but a little persistence made their paths easier in this respect and with foresight which characterised the wiser portion of the emigrants of that time, they determined to start in business and forego the perilous life of gold-seeking. In 1853, Charles Parer arrives on the “Alabama” in Sydney. We cannot ascertain him as
a known relation. He was a British sailor who crewed on many ships that sailed between ports in Europe, India, South East Asia and Australia. We can conclude that Josef Parer’s arrival was on the ‘Telemacho’, not the Alabama and that it was in fact on the 29 May 1855. There was some confusion that seems to have surrounded Charles Parer. Mary Mennis who wrote Pioneering family: The story of the audacious Parers of New Guinea A year after Josef arrived, his half-brother Francisco joined him and they started breeding poultry in Petersham near Sydney, but the business was not successful. They decided to move to Bendigo looking for gold and finally settled on the banks of the Yarra River, a tent town to cope with the rapid expansion of Melbourne during the gold rush. When exactly Josef and Francisco moved to Melbourne from Sydney is unclear although it happened sometime between February 1858 and April 1862.
The First Australian Parer Founders of the Parer family in Australia: Eight brothers and sisters from Alella, Catalonia to Melbourne Australia Back row: Felipe Jose Javier (Philip) Parer y Xicola, Estevan Juan Josef (Steven) Parer y Xicola, Josef Francisco Andreu (Josef) Parer y Bosch, Francisco (Francis) Parer y Xicola, Front row: Juan Miguel Jose (Jonny) Parer y Xicola, Josefa Antonia Lorenza Cabus y Parer, Eulalia Rosa Casimira Clota y Parer, Juana Maria Josefa Triado y Parer
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
17
The first Australian Parer Above: Josef Parer’s 16 February 1858 Colony of New South Wales naturalisation paper, and Right: Josef’s Memorial letter of 11 December 1888 Naturalisation from the Colony of Victoria.
Above: Josef Parer’s arrival in Australia on the “Telemacho” ship as reported in the Empire Newspaper, Wednesday 30 May 1855.
18 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Far Left: The arrival in this port says the “ Empire” of a Greek vessel from the east coast of South America is a very unusual occurrence, and speculations have been rife as to the design in sending the brig ‘Telemacho’ from Montevideo to Sydney. Being of only 222 tons measurement, and arriving in ballast, it is very probable that her appearance here is only the consequence of her meeting with passengers desirous of trying their fortunes in Australia, and is not at all indicative of any prospective commercial enterprise. Below: Mr Parer travels from Bologne, France to Folkestone, England on the 15 July 1851.
Name
Birth
Ship
Departed
Age
Occupation
Source
Josef Parer (Josef) – Son of Pablo
29 May 1855
Telemacho
Montevideo
26
Architect
Naturalisation Papers granted 1888
Francisco Parer (Francis) – Son of Pablo
1 December 1856
London
21
Gardner
Naturalisation Papers. Jubilee History of Victoria & Melbourne
Estevan Parer (Stephen) – Son of Pablo
9 February 1857
Norfolk
London
18
Miner
Naturalisation Papers, 1866 Shipping Lists.
Martin Arenas (Ysidro) – Brother-in-law
1858
Norfolk
London
24
Shipping Lists.
Felipe Parer (Phillip) – Son of Pablo
12 January 1861
Blue Jacket London or Anglesea
20
Naturalisation Papers, 1895. Obituary – Argus 1920
Salvador Parer – Son of Pablo Parer’s brother Josef
21 December 1867
True Briton
23 or 25
Plymouth
It was on the 21st April, 1862 that Josef Parer married Caroline (Minnie) Ferguson, eldest daughter of Robert Ferguson, at St Patrick’s Cathedral Melbourne by the Rev H England.
Josef then married Mary Anne Pinckney in 1880. Mary was 25 years younger than Josef. They had one daughter together in 1882, Agnes who died at 3 years of age.
St Patrick’s Cathedral was not what we know today. It’s likely it was still one of two half-finished stone churches. William Wardell an accomplished designer of Roman Catholic churches arrived in Melbourne in 1858. Saint Patrick’s was his first commission in his new environment.
Mary Menis in her book on Fr Ferdy (Adrian Parer) wrote that:
Josef and Caroline had seven children together: Maria (Minnie), James (Jim), Albert (died age 2), Frederick (Fred), Alfonso, Charles and Manuel (died in childbirth. The five surviving children lived variously in Melbourne, Western Australia and New Zealand. Caroline died on 19 August 1875 and is buried in Carlton.
Josef, who came in May 1855, and Francis Parer, who came the following year were half-brothers and good friends. They saw Australia as a wonderful, free country where they could make their mark. Freed from the constraints of their homeland, they were pioneers ready to seek their fortunes. After a time in Sydney, they headed to the goldfields in Victoria. At Sandhurst (now known as Bendigo) they supposedly found a large gold nugget. When asked what it would be called Josef replied, “Ben Diego,” which means
Artist
The First Australian Parer
The First Australian Parers
Naturalisation Papers. Shipping list.
The ‘True Briton’ Ship, built 1861 owned by Money Wigram & Sons.
“St James’ blessing be on you”. According to the legend, Bendigo derived its name from this blessing. When the gold fields lost their attraction for Francis and Josef, they turned their enterprise to feeding the growing population of Melbourne. The town was in its infancy but already St Francis’ Church had been built and the impressive tower of St Paul’s Cathedral dominated the
skyline. Transport was by horse-drawn wagons, and bullock teams pulled produce and timber for the new houses. It was the time of the bushrangers, when coaches carrying nuggets from the goldfields could be held up. But to Francis and Josef it was an exciting place where they could easily make their mark. Initially, they lived poorly in a tin hut in Swanston St, Melbourne, near the
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
19
The first Australian Parer
site of St Paul’s Cathedral, investing their money from the goldfields in the Colonial Bank. At first they made and sold biscuits on the streets. Then a French cook joined them and tradition has it that they produced the first Australian meat pies. Next, Francis and Josef entered the hospitality industry. The population of Melbourne was then 23,000 but newcomers were arriving all the time. Many had left fine homes in Europe and were confronted by a sea of tents with few hotels. Realising that wealthy newcomers could afford hotel accommodation, they bought the Duke de la Victoria Hotel and the Temple of Pomona Hotel. Business was booming. Meanwhile, the news Francis and Josef received from Catalonia was not good. Concerned that Antonio had so many siblings to care for, Josef and Francis sent money for some of them to migrate to Australia. By the early 1860s, their younger brothers, Estevan, Felipe and Juan had emigrated and were helping in the hotel industry in Melbourne. Later, Juana joined them and married James Triado whose grandson, Ray Triado,
was a close friend of both Damien and Adrian Parer. In 1907 Josef submitted plans for the Federal capital of Australia. Perhaps it is fitting that our first family immigrant to Australia, Josef Francisco Andreu (Josef) Parer pioneered the family tree fascination when he set out his understanding of the family tree as related to him by his father while he lived in Albert Park. It was Josef who gave us his grandfathers name Anton Parer. Pages from Josef’s family tree highlight where he names in his own handwriting his grandfather Anton. Josef died on January 26, 1910, in “Rossmore” Adams Street, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, having lived a long life of 81 years. Mary survived Josef until the 5 September 1936 when she passed away in South Melbourne.
Above: Argus marriage notice. Top left: Josef’s family tree. Right: Caroline Ferguson. Top right: Josef’s submission for the Federal Capital of Australia. Right: c1880 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia from left to right Alfonso, Jim, Josef, Caroline, Charles and Fred.
20 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The First Australian Parer CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
21
Two brothers. Two sisters.
Two brothers. Two sisters. All the pilgrims on this journey are connected via two brothers Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) and Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga (John Arthur) Parer and two sisters Theresa Mary Imelda and Maria Elizabeth (Ria) Carolin who married in separate weddings.
T
he surviving children of the two marriages numbered sixteen and they grew up as one grand family. Catalan. Australian. Parers. It was a sense of family that has been passed onto those that descended from this line. Many traits have been formed from these close family connections. Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) Parer was born and baptised on 23 January 1859, in the Parish of San Felix, Alella, Catalonia, Spain, his father, Antonio (Abi), was 32 and his mother, Josefa (Abia) Arenas y Xicola, was 27. When John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer was born in Alella eight years later in 1867. Michael was a native of Alella, Catalonia, Spain, but was educated in France. When 14 years of age, Michael departed Gravesend, Kent, England on 20 November 1874 for 90 day journey on the ship ‘Somersetshire’ with Pedro and Salvador Parer arriving 20 January 1875 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He became a
naturalised Victorian on 4 April 1881. John left the family flour mill in Alella at the age of 15 with his two sisters Marietta (21) and Angeletta (17) departing Brindisi, Italy on the ‘Ballarat’ which had come via London on the 17 May 1883 bound for Port Melbourne on the 30 November 1883. Neither Michael, nor John could speak English. John joined Michael when he arrived and worked for their uncle Josef, Francis and Juan in the hotelier business. The Duke Hotel opened in 1975. John and Michael worked there. Michael S Parer writes in his Xmas Down South Book: Among the regular frequenters of the Duke were William Angliss, the meat supplier and John Paul Carolin, son of a ship’s carpenter and receiver in 1840 of one of the 500 medals struck for the children born to fee citizens in Hobart. He was Mayor of Bendigo for two terms, a photographer from Kyneton and later
22 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
importer of sewing machines and road making equipment and generally an energetic entrepreneur. He was concerned about the mullock heaps along the alluvial flats in Sandhurst and noticed that a strange red fruit thrived in the clay soil. They were tomatoes. JP Caroline went to Box Hill to visit Francis Parer’s farm and see his tomatoes under cultivation. Consequently he brought seven families from Catalonia to grow crops of the new fruit.
Michael married Maria (Ria) Elizabeth Carolin on October 7, 1885, in Bendigo, Victoria. They had nine children in 16 years.
Francis gave his tomato sauce recipe to Leggo in Bendigo and also to a jam maker, Hoadley. It was Hoadley who introduced Michael Parer to Maria Carolin.
Michael died on August 28, 1935, in Maleny, Queensland, at the age of 76, and was buried in Victoria.
John Paul Carolin and his wife Mary Corcoran had five beautiful teenage daughters, Maria, Agnes, Teresa, Winifred and Vera and two sons, John and William. Their mother would bring three of the girls at a time to Melbourne Opera and stay at Hosies or The Duke.
John married Theresa Mary Imelda Carolin in East St Kilda, Melbourne on 21 November 1895. They had nine children in 18 years. Michael spent most of his life in Melbourne, where he was the proprietor of Parer’s Crystal Café, but in 1933 went to live at Maleny in Queensland upon the death of his wife in December, 1933.
John spent the rest of his life managing hotels and restaurants in Melbourne, King Island, Albury and New Guinea and testing his mathematical theories at Monte Carlo. There are various stories of between 3 and 13 visits to Monte Carlo with the same number of him returning penniless. John Arthur died in 1953 in Brisbane, Queensland, at the age of 86 three years after Theresa.
Two brothers. Two sisters. CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
23
Two brothers. Two sisters. 24 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Two brothers. Two sisters. Left: Theresa Carolin and John Parer Above left: Michael Parer, Above right: Maria Carolin
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
25
Parers arrive in Australia
Parers arrive in Australia The following text is from Ann Wright June 1983 diploma paper, The Parers of Catalonia: An Australian pioneer family. It has been edited and gives a good back drop of Catalunya as the Parers knew it before traveling to Australia.
W
hen Josef and his brother arrived in Australia they called themselves Architect and Gardener, but their first venture was in poultry breeding, at Petersham, near Sydney. However, their poultry are said to have been wiped out by disease and so they moved south to Melbourne and then to Sandhurst (Bendigo) to look for gold. Apparently, they met other Spaniards on the goldfields and an attractive legend says that one of them found a large nugget there. When asked by a police officer what name they had given it, Josef said ‘Ben Diego’ which means’ St James’s blessing on you’ (St James the patron saint of Catalonia.) From this it was said the name Bendigo was derived. Nevertheless, Josef and Francisco seem to have decided that they could do better in Melbourne for, by 1857 they are said to have been living in a tin hut in Swanston Street, near the site of St Paul’s Cathedral. From this site another Parer legend was born, It is said that a Frenchman who was a cook came looking for shelter. They became friends and the three set
up business together. The Frenchman cooked and the Parer brothers went out selling the produce including the first Australian meat pies to the people of Melbourne, That Josef and Francisco were living in a tin hut in 1857 is easy to believe given the overcrowded state of the city at this time. A canvas town stretched along the route of the new St Kilda Road South of the new Princes Bridge (built in 1851). Occupants ) paid 5/- a head to pitch a tent there. (Hale p.29.) Melbourne city limits stretched to Park Street in Brunswick and to the shores of Hobson’s (Port Philip) Bay in the East and West. Settlements had sprung up at Sandridge (Port Melbourne) before 1850, to cater for passengers who disembarked there from the many ships which brought immigrants to Port Philip. St Kilda was already becoming a summer resort in the 1850s and there were settlements at Richmond, Flemington and Fitzroy. In all of these regions Crown Lands were sold and then subdivided and sold again for profit. As early as 1847, Melbourne had a Building
26 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Society which financed on small dwellings on small allotments at the Eastern end of Lonsdale Street. Hotham (North Melbourne), Carlton and Emerald Hill (South Melbourne) were among the early settlements around Melbourne and by 1853, Essendon, Hawthorn, Northcote and Oakleigh had been officially declared villages. By 1856, municipal councils had been established at Richmond, East St Kilda, South Melbourne, Prahran, Williamstown and East Collingwood and land had been sold at Windsor, Elsternwick and Elwood. St Kilda Road was pushed out to the south in 1854 and a tollgate established at the city end to pay for it. A loan was floated to improve the city streets and to pave the footpaths. Melbourne was booming but still very raw. At the end of the 1840s stumps were still being pulled out of the main city streets and a creek ran down Elizabeth Street into the Yarra, crossed by wooden pedestrian bridges. A visitor to Melbourne around this time remarked on:
“the wilderness of wooden huts… lacking the trace even of the idea of a garden” in Collingwood and Richmond. Houses were built of “weatherboards, canvas and corrugated iron”. (Anderson p89) However, Melbourne was the capital of the colony of Victoria, proclaimed in 1851, and was to grow from 23,000 people to 140,000 within a decade. Melbourne was booming with new buildings and the wealth from gold and from the number of people coming into the new colony to seek their fortune. This was the Melbourne that Josef and Francisco Parer found and they made the most of their opportunities. Not all the wealth of the colony was to come from gold, but also from supplying the people who came for gold and stayed to swell the population of the city. It was in the field of food and accommodation, both badly needed then, that the Parers were to excel in the succeeding decades as Melbourne prospered. Josef and Francisco worked hard and banked the money they made at the Colonial
By this time, the Parer Brothers had received the sad news that their parents, Pablo and Ignasia had both died in 1854. This left nine children at home in Alella. Antonio, the eldest was now 26 and took over the flour mill. Teresa was 17, Estevan was 13, Jaume 12, Juan 10, Eulalia 7, Josefa 3 and Juana 2. Their cousin Josefa Arenas, whose mother was Perpetua Xicola, Ignasia’s sister went to Alella to look after the younger children. In 1856, she and Antonio married.
Her brother, Martin, arrived in Melbourne in 1858 to join his brother-in-law Josef and his cousin Francis. With him came Estevan Parer, the 20 year old brother of Josef and Francisco. Family history records that they both worked at the ‘DUKE’, and that they often gave up their beds to paying customers and slept on the tables and after the hotel had closed for the night. It is also recorded that : “the Parers were obviously foreigners but gained public esteem for their good manners, tolerance and the service they gave “. In 1861, two more brothers, Felipe aged 20 and Juan aged 17, arrived in Melbourne and also worked at the ‘DUKE’. The hotel was often open till 2am and open again at opened at 5am. It was said to be the only place In Melbourne where a traveller wishing to make an early departure could get a meal. One story tells how Francis had his office just inside the door where he also kept his mattress. He would take it out and put it on a table after the last customer had gone and snatch a few hours sleep. It was said that he did not put on a hat or coat for the first five years that the ‘DUKE’ was open. The ‘Duke’ is described (Cole’s Mss. p.13) as 3 storey, Italian style – 46ft frontage, 45 bedrooms, dining hall, private dining room for ladies, sitting rooms and bar parlours. As a result of their hard work at the ‘DUKE’ Estevan and Martin Arenas were able to open a restaurant at 40 Bourke St East. It was known as the Spanish Restaurant and remained
in the family until 1883 when it became Cole’s Book Arcade. Josef Parer seems to have left Victoria around this time, though he may well have retained a financial interest in the ‘DUKE’. It is believed that he went to New Zealand about 1860 and married a friend of a Mrs McNaughton who had befriended him when the ship he was travelling on stopped for a time in Wellington. He appears only once in the Melbourne Directories in the 1860s, at a private address in Highett St. Richmond. He was there in 1867 and not again until 1876, by which time he had 5 children. The last of his children was born in 1870 and since he married a second time it seems likely that he did so in the early seventies. His second wife was said to have been a sister of Mrs McNaughton and she may well have been the Mary Ferguson whose name is known in the family and who appears to have survived him when he died in 1910. At any rate it seems that Josef took little active part in the family business from the time they bought the ‘Duke’, in which Bernard Parer says Josef had a share, until the late 1870s. Bernard also believed that Josef’s first wife was not Catholic and that the children were not brought up Catholic. By 1867, Estevan had the VICTORIA BATHS at 40 Bourke St. East, next door to the Spanish Restaurant. Around this time Martin Arenas moved to a house in Palmel Street, Carlton and Estevan to Dudley Street, West Melbourne. By 1868, the Spanish Restaurant was in Martin Arenas’ name alone and Estevan had the baths next door. Martin was to keep the restaurant until
1874 and Estevan the baths until 1875, the year that they extended the ‘DUKE’. After that the baths were in the hands of Rosa Parer’s son, Augustus Barbeta and a partner, John Griful, until they sold the restaurant in 1882. Augustus was the first of the sons of Rosa Parer and her husband Michael Barbeta to come to Australia. Like many others he was absorbed into the family business.
Parers arrive in Australia
Bank, Melbourne’s second bank which opened for business in 1856. William Greenlaw, who later became manager of the bank in 1871, was a clerk there but must have had considerable influence. He came to admire the initiative and hard work of the Parer brothers and they were able to borrow enough to buy a small shop which is said to have been near the corner of Elizabeth and Collins Streets. They later moved from there to a larger shop in Little Collins Street. This property later returned to the family In the 1880s. It had become the JOHN BULL HOTEL in the 1860s. It was finally closed 1920 and McEwan’s store now stands on the site. (Note 6) In 1858, they were able once more to borrow from the Colonial Bank to buy a new property in Bourke St. They were advised by Greenlaw to apply for a hotel licence and the new property was named The Duke de la Victoria, in honour of their new home. It was situated at 95 Bourke Street East and appears in the Sands and McDougall Melbourne Directories for first time in 1860 in the name of Frank Parer.
Events in 1870 indicate the extent of family cooperation which made each member a success in Australia. Apparently in that year Francisco bought 40 acres of land at Box Hill for £15 an acre on which he planned to grow vegetables for the ‘DUKE’ and to supply other hotels. Estevan is said to have had a produce store in Little Collins Street (though I have found no official record of it). Francis is believed to have had £100,000 at this time but to have later spent half of that bringing relatives from Spain to Australia. At the time, Juan asked if he could run the farm at Box Hill but, since Josef wanted to return to New Zealand and Francis preferred to move to Box Hill, they gave the ‘DUKE’ to the boys, Juan (Johnny) and Felipe (Philip), in whose name it appeared in the Melbourne directory (in conjunction with other members of the family at different times, until 1890). Francis never married but remained at Box Hill until he died in 1915. He eventually gave two acres of his land to the church and the Church of St Francis still stands on that land in Whitehorse Road.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
27
The Anton Parer Pilgrims
The pilgrims
28 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims
Michele Christine (Shelly) Kelly nee Parer and Michael Stanislaus Arthur Parer were the main protagonists of the pilgrimage. They were joined by Theresa Carmel Veivers nee Parer, her son Shane Veivers, Shelly’s daughter Caroline Louse Kelly, Anne Rosa Minter nee Owen and her husband Guy Minter. Pepita Luise (Pip) Cominsky nee Parer, Michael’s son Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer, his wife Paula Parer nee O’Neill and their three daughters Stephanie Marie Game, Anaïs Vittoria Parer and Eliana Vita Eme Parer. Paul Anthony O’Sullivan and his daughters Teresa Margaret O’Sullivan and Marguerite Mary O’Sullivan joined the pilgrims for part of the journey early in Barcelona and Alella.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
29
The Anton Parer Pilgrims 30 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
31
The Anton Parer Pilgrims 32 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
33
The Anton Parer Pilgrims
The pilgrims
Michele Christine (Shelly) Kelly nee Parer
Caroline Louse Kelly
Daughter of Wilfred Herbert (Bob) Parer, son of Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Daughter of Michele Christine (Shelly) Kelly nee Parer daughter of Wilfred Herbert (Bob) Parer, son of Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Antonio Parer son of Anton Parer
When Michele Christine (Shelly) Parer was born on August 28, 1946, in Brisbane, Queensland, her father, Wilfred, was 47 and her mother, Mary, was 41. She married John Peter Kelly on July 30, 1972. They had three children during their marriage Caroline Louse (1973), Kristina Marie (1975) and Georgina Thérèse (1978). She has two brothers and three sisters.
34 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
When Caroline Louse Kelly was born on March 11, 1973, in London,, her father, John, was 29 and her mother, Michele, was 26. She married Paul John Barany on September 28, 1996, in New South Wales. They had two children during their marriage, Jacob John Kelly (2003) and Lily Michele Parer (2008). She has two sisters.
The Anton Parer Pilgrims
Teresa Carmel Veivers nee Parer
Shane Michael Veivers
Daughter of Wilfred Herbert (Bob) Parer, son of Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Son of Teresa Carmel Veivers nee Parer daughter of Wilfred Herbert (Bob) Parer, son of Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
When Teresa Carmel Parer was born on October 15, 1944, in Brisbane, Queensland, her father, Wilfred, was 45 and her mother, Mary, was 39. She had two brothers and three sisters. She married James (Jim) Gerald Veivers on September 9, 1967, in East Brisbane, Queensland. They have four children, Shane Michael (1970), Matthew David (1972, Kate Michele (1973 and Jane Louise (1978).
When Shane Michael Veivers was born on May 24, 1970, in Brisbane, Queensland, his father, James, was 30 and his mother, Teresa, was 25. He married Alexandra Margaret (Alex) Rawson on October 4, 2008, in Brisbane, Queensland, when he was 38 years old.. They have two children, Eden Ashley (2010) and Ella Louise (2012). He has one brother and two sisters.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
35
The Anton Parer Pilgrims 36 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
37
The Anton Parer Pilgrims 38 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
39
The Anton Parer Pilgrims 40 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
41
The Anton Parer Pilgrims
The pilgrims
Dr Michael Stanislaus Peter Parer
Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer
Paula Marie Parer nee O’Neill
Son of Stanislaus Arthur Parer, son of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Son of Michael Stanislaus Peter Parer son of Stanislaus Arthur Parer, son of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Wife of Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer son of Michael Stanislaus Peter Parer son of Stanislaus Arthur Parer, son of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
When Michael Stanislaus Peter Parer was born on April, 1933, in Malvern, Victoria, his father, Stanislaus, was 34 and his mother, Catherine, was 27. He had three brothers. He has three sons and one daughter with Marlene Patricia O’Brien, Marta Kathleen Edwards nee Parer 1969, Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer (1971), Jonathan Josef Zacheaus Parer (1972 and Zorba Jeremy George Parer (1976).
42 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
When Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer was born on 26 January, 1971, in Katoomba, New South Wales, his father, Michael, was 37 and his mother, Marlene, was 36. He married Dianne Carol Ross in 1997 in Berwick, Victoria. He then married Paula Marie O’Neill Mrs and they have two children together. He has two brothers and one sister.
When Paula Marie O’Neill was born on 12 November, 1971, in Bournemouth, Hampshire, her mother, Linda, was 19. She has one daughter, Stephanie Marie 1997 from her marriage with Alexis Robert Game. She then married Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer on Taylors Beach on October 24, 2004, in Sydney, New South Wales, when she was 32 years old. They have two children together, Anaïs Vittoria (2003) and Eliana Vita Eme (2008) . She has two brothers.
The Anton Parer Pilgrims
Stephanie Marie Game
Anaïs Vittoria Parer
Eliana Vita Eme Parer
Daughter of Paula Marie Parer wife of Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer son of Michael Stanislaus Peter Parer son of Stanislaus Arthur Parer, son of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Antonio Parer son of Anton Parer
Daughter of Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer son of Michael Stanislaus Peter Parer son of Stanislaus Arthur Parer, son of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Daughter of Benjamin Emmanual Michael Parer son of Michael Stanislaus Peter Parer son of Stanislaus Arthur Parer, son of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
When Anaïs Vittoria Parer was born on 12 November, 2003, in Hammersmith, Shepherds Bush, London, her father, Benjamin and her mother, Paula, were 32.
When Eliana Vita Eme Parer was born on 17 March, 2008, in Guildford, Surrey, her father, Benjamin, was 37 and her mother, Paula, was 36.
Stephanie Marie Game was born on 27 January, 1997, in Reading, Berkshire, the child of Alexis Robert (Bobby) Game and Paula Marie O’Neill age 24.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
43
The Anton Parer Pilgrims 44 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
45
The Anton Parer Pilgrims 46 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
47
The Anton Parer Pilgrims 48 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
The Anton Parer Pilgrims CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
49
The Anton Parer Pilgrims
The pilgrims
Anne Rosa Minter nee Owen
Guy Dudley Biron Minter
Pepita Luise (Pip) Comiskey nee Parer
Daughter of Doreen Mary Parer, daughter of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Husband of Anne Rosa Minter nee Owen daughter of Doreen Mary Parer, daughter of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Daughter of Cyril Gerard Antonio Parer, son of John Arthur (Juan Arturo Luis Gonzaga) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
When Anne Rosa Owen was born on July 26, 1943, in Maleny, Queensland, her father, Hedley, was 42 and her mother, Doreen, was 41. She had three brothers and six sisters. She married Guy Dudley Biron Minter on August 20, 1966, in Brisbane, Queensland, when she was 23 years old. They have two children, David John (1967) and Michael Robert (1970).
50 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Guy Dudley Biron Minter was born on April 26, 1940, in Worthing, Sussex. He married Anne Rosa Owen on August 20, 1966, in Brisbane, Queensland, when he was 26 years old. They have two children, David John (1967) and Michael Robert (1970)..
When Pepita Luise (Pip) Parer was born on December 15, 1947, in Brisbane, Queensland, her father, Cyril, was 44 and her mother, Marie, was 42. She married Francis (Frank) Bernard Comiskey on February 11, 1949, in Queensland. They had three sons, Luke Gerard Parer (1984), Rory Francis Parer (1985) and Will (1987). She had one brother. Her husband Francis (Frank) Bernard passed away on December 31, 2004, in Blackall, Queensland, at the age of 55. They had been married 55 years.
The Anton Parer Pilgrims
Paul Anthony O’Sullivan
Teresa Margaret O’Sullivan Marguerite Mary O’Sullivan
Husband of Sheila Thérèse Parer daughter of Wilfred Herbert (Bob) Parer, son of Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Daughter of Sheila Thérèse Parer daughter of Wilfred Herbert (Bob) Parer, son of Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Daughter of Sheila Thérèse Parer daughter of Wilfred Herbert (Bob) Parer, son of Miguel Joaquin Ramon (Michael) Parer son of Antonio Parer y Bosch son of Pau (Pablo) Parer y Renom son of Anton Parer son of Jaume Parer
Paul Anthony O’Sullivan was born on June 30, 1939, the child of Brian and Hilda. He married Sheila Thérèse Parer on May 19, 1962, in Brisbane, Queensland. He had five children by the time he was 29, Anthony Brian (1963), Teresa Margaret (1964), Damian Paul (1966), Brendan Lenton (1967) and Marguerite Mary (1968). His wife Sheila Thérèse passed away on June 5, 2011, in Brisbane, Queensland, at the age of 71. They had been married 49 years.
When Teresa Margaret O’Sullivan was born on May 7, 1964, in Brisbane, Queensland, her father, Paul and her mother, Sheila, were 24. She has three brothers and one sister.
When Marguerite Mary O’Sullivan was born on December 5, 1968, in Brisbane, Queensland, her father, Paul, was 29 and her mother, Sheila, was 28. She has one daughter Zia with Gert Stevens. She then married Stephen McCarthy in September 2014. She has three brothers and one sister.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
51
From the Facebook diaries
The Facebook diaries
Marguerite and Paul O’Sullivan have arrived at the Hotel Regina just up the road from the Modernista.
Arrival
Red banana buses
29 March 2015 The Pilgrimage proper has begun. Mike arrived in the afternoon to Barcelona with Ben, Paula, Stephanie, Anaïs and Eliana following in the evening. We have arisen from our Modernista apartment and are off to the market for breakfast. 32 hours from Camelot to Barcelona compared to 8 months in 1874. Mike travelled 3 hours to airport 14 hours to Qatar then 8 hours to Barcelona and 1 to the Modernist plus a bit of layover time in between. Total cost $2000 return. Compare John Arthur with sisters Marietta and Angeletta. 1 week Barcelona to Rome then 1 week to Brindisi then 8 sailing vessel ‘Ballarat’ to Melbourne via Cape Town across the roaring forties North of King Island. 10 weeks at a cost of 4 months salary ie. 18 times the cost.
31 March 2015
family tree or history, as an immersion in the Catalonian lifestyle, people, food, streets, artists, activists, sweet sellers, markets, tapas, marinas, Chris Columbus, art, architecture, rickshaws, siesta time and La Rambla. It’s an intoxicating mixture, that wears out the feet and back as much as plump the brain.
La Rambla immersion 30 March 2015
Today was not so much an exploration of our
52 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Shelly and co arrives at our Casa Parer de Modernesta while we travel on the red banana bus to the Nou Camp Barcelona’s football stadium and up the mountain where Ben tries to teach Mike the meaning of art with Joan Miro. Paula points out the greatest surrealism of the moment is the fact that a gathering of Parers from across the globe has returned once again to explore the motherland and eke out the truth of our existence. We are like a bright yellow Miro splash on the Catalonian canvas. We discover all of Barcelona is a work of art and in every face we see our ancestors. They are all tarred with the Parer, Rubira, Triado, Cabus and like us are all works of art.
Our fellow Catalunya Australians returned to Barcelona to set up the restaurant Kasparo. The pilgrimage of Parers descended tonight for a feast of mostly sangria and tapas. Salute!
Alella!
1 April 2015 This morning a group of pilgrims braved the elements of the drizzly rain and drop in temperature to head to the market off La Rambla for breakfast. Lunchtime at the old house now a restaurant of Can Sors, Alella. The original nobleman’s homestead for whom the Parers likely worked the flour mill. Who would have thought: Parers are hard workers.
Viva Catalonia! Mike, Ben, Paula, Stephanie, Anaïs and Eliana return to Casa Parer and the rest of our pilgrim group waiting and enthusiastic about life and all things Parer.
Afterwards we pay visit to the Parer Stone on Carrer Moli (street of the mill): The original stone from the flour mill where the descendents of Anton Parer originated.
From the Facebook diaries
The Mayor of Alella saw a mob of Parers at the winery and decided to make the occasion official.
L’s are silent. Thought this might particularly interest you Mandy Parer with your daughter called Alella.
descendents of John and Michael) with a five course grand meal of local wine and produce.
Family roots
They then brought us to a nursery run by the Arena’s who promised to search to find a link to Abia Arenas as Josefa was known to our family. We will return on the 12th for a paella and gain the recipe for their special dish Calgots amb salsa Romesco calçots with romesco sauce and a search of the church records.
1 April 2015
The family tree came out quite a lot. We visited Alella’s church – Parròquia de Sant Feliu d’Alella. What incredible hosts we had showcasing all the best of what Alella has to offer and so helpful. We couldn’t find a genealogical connection but we are kindred spirits.
In terms of pronouncing Alella, the locals inform us that effectively the last two
Wednesday: Returned to Alella. Family roots of Miguel (Michael) departed for Melbourne 1876 and Juan (John) 1883. Their father Antonia worked the flour mill and married Josefa Arenas y Xicola. The flour mill was on the property of the land owner. In 1950 it was bought by the Tialmiron family. They have now the millstone in their front garden. We were shocked to see it and have always thought of the mill stone as a grinding stone, but seeing this 5 foot diameter wheel made me rethink Jesus words of tying a mill stone around the necks around those who lead children astray and cast them into the sea. The landlord’s home has now been bought by the Fontanella family in 1950 and renovated into a stunning restaurant where they plied 21 of us (mostly
part of three centuries as per dates from our grandfather Anton Parer kept the flour mills at Santa Perpetual de Moguda and married our grandmother Renom. Their family were Josef Parer y Renom, Francisco Parer y Renom, Pau Parer y Renom, Antonia Parer y Renom. Our father Pau Parer y Renom kept the flour mills of Casa Sors in Alella. Joined the state of matrimony on 4th March 1822 with Eulalia Bosch y Millet native of El Masnou the neighbouring town.
Shelly Kelly has previously written:
Pau Parer was born in 1786 in Santa Perpetua de la Moguda and had three siblings. Pau and his first wife Eulalia Bosch kept flour mills – Casa Sors in Alella. Reading what was written by Josef Parer on 17 July 1902, we may need to visit Santa Perpetua de Moguda where the Parers kept flour mills for centuries and where our ancestor Pau and probably his siblings Josef, Francisco and Eulalia were born. From some time in the year 1700 up to date embracing
Sagrada Familia 2 April 2015
Sagrada Familia is a forum full of light and wonder on such a grandiose scale and in such a manor that takes a folly to the point of leaving all in its wake gobsmackingly awestruck. Wow! is what we were left with. The stained glass windows created such a vivid hue as to only be comparable to a sunset. Gaudi’s cathedral is like swimming in a sea of
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
53
From the Facebook diaries
The Facebook diaries
and mother nature’s means of seduction.
colour, the columns are like Montserrat. It’s in the midst of an urban area swamped by a commercial and residential district built for the glory of god, but I’m not sure what that means. It attracts countless visitors who are paying for it’s completion in 2026. Later we went to old town theatre with flamenco dancers full of energy reminding us of the lyrebirds
Then to the nearby park where the full moon for Easter was celebrated by a light and sound show of water, colour and Queen’s music. It’s grand to be on a pilgrimage.
Good Friday 3 April 2015
Good Friday at the Barcelona Cathedral, Picasso Museum, Rickshaws and Quattro Gats Restaurant. Many of the pilgrims met the O’Sullivans before they continued their journey elsewhere.
54 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Off to the Costa Brava 5 April 2015
Park Guell: 8am start meant we were first to arrive at Goudi’s spectacular people’s park. The whole city is the modernist style, a prelude to the revolution. Frank is another example of a leader of his people gaining independence then turning dictator. I am unsure if the Parer migration, and indeed the Catalonian diaspora was purely economic, but
also wanting liberation and independence. The Parers in Australia were not politically involved, but strongly family oriented to build a secure economic base. The pilgrimage moved location north up the coast of the Costa Brava to a villa in the outskirts of Lloret de Mar with celebrations for Michael S Parer’s 82nd birthday and where Stephanie enjoyed a cocktail or two. We’re
From the Facebook diaries
located in a fantastic spot in a fabulous villa on top of the mountain.
The pilgrims then headed to Manresa for Anne and her family homes which have always been called Manresa.
Relaxing & cycling
We then saw the caves of Saint Ignatius, his church and chapel which Michael says is the families patron saint. The spirit of the pilgrimage was very much alive today.
6 April 2015 Ben went out for an afternoon spin on a Cannondale road bike. A bit lumpy around the Costa Brava coastline with nice sting in the tail up to the villa as well. Today we waved a fond farewell to a fellow pilgrim, Caroline, as she headed to Barcelona by bus and then an evening flight to the islands of Greece. The other pilgrims spent a day out at Girona which is about 45 minutes drive away, a Parer heartland with over 6,000 Parers on the birth deaths and marriages registrar. There were a dozen more hanging about today. What it means to our family heritage is still to be discovered. Beaches,
Relaxing sunburn, charades, pasta, cycling, and magic tricks rounded out the day.
Montserrat 7 April 2015 Montserrat – on top of the world! The pilgrims made their way to Montserrat and climbed the alien mountains to visit the derelict monastery at the top and view the Catalan vistas far below. All
the while contemplating what it means to be part of this family, our family’s religion, our connection to the Catalan land and to the Southern lands, but more importantly how our enormous family has remained so connected in such intangible ways. We are pilgrims and we are family, it’s the Camino – the way. The Parer Camino.
8 April 2015 A day of relaxing and meandering along the streets shopping and the beaches of Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar. Resting up in preparation for tomorrows return to Banyuls-sur-Mer and Mas Parer. We finished the evening with some wine from Alella by Finca Parera – A family link perhaps?
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
55
From the Facebook diaries
The Facebook diaries
Mas Parer 9 April 2015 The three greatest mysteries in science are generally reckoned to be the origin of the universe, the origin of life and the origin of consciousness’, Life on the Edge p176 by Al-Khalil and McFadden Bantam 2014. The simple mystery for the Anton Parer Pyrenees Pilgrimage for me is: Pablo Pau Parer 1796-1854. Was he born at Santa Mogoda de Mogoda. Did the family come from the vineyard in Banyuls-sur-Mer as recorded in the number one family tree of Bernard/Andree/ Mary? From where did his 14 children leave to come to Australia including our great grandfather Antonia (father of Miguel and John Arturio)? Lets hope the next week reveals all this as we leave the Costa Brava. Today we travel to Banyuls-sur-Mer
then next week Alella again and Mogoda. The pilgrims made their way to Banyuls-sur-Mer – the swamp by the river and enjoyed a lovely meal for lunch. From great roots shoots sprung afresh in Australia. The pilgrims made their way to the heartland of Mas Parer to witness the developmental change that has transformed the hillside with houses appearing at every opportunity. Much discussion was had over the likely places of the old family homes and flour mills. Some mysteries still remain. An amazing chance encounter with local historian and author France who seemed to have all the local history knowledge and importantly spoke half a dozen languages including English. She will look into
56 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
the Parer history at Banyuls for us. She suggested the local registrar was not a great source of information due to past floods and poor archiving. Parer history from the amazing Madame France Vetterlein Marsenach or to us Francesca who has been tracking Banyuls history. A joy to meet and get to know this amazing couple with her beloved Ulrich. At Mas Parer – 8 route de Baillaurey 66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer (Note this is the correct spelling according to Francesca. A pilgrimage is a journey, meetings and mostly chatting and sharing every evening as in the Canterbury Tales. Back to the Parer roots, what a vineyard – so extensive and in such harsh rocket soil. Gather that in 1854 life was tough to make
a living from wine, a cheap and plentiful drink for all. More lucrative was flour and cereal which was a means for the local lord to control taxes. This was compounded for Pablo Pau who had his growing family of 14 surviving children. Like the Irish, emigration was needed for survival and upward economic mobility, The new world with gold and land and freedoms was attractive so all the nine boys and the five girls who married locals, the Rubiras, Triados the Clotas, Cordinas etc and were sent sailing boat fares by Francisco, Johnny, and the hoteliers of Melbourne to bring out all family members to Marvellous Melbourne that was prospering after the gold rush. Worth a visit to Catalan Footprints website to gather the extent of the Catalonian Diaspora. Tomorrow we leave this
From the Facebook diaries
villa on the Costa Brava and head west of Alella to Caldes de Montbui.
Caldes de Monbui
11 April 2015
13 April 2015
children all of whom came to Melbourne between 1855 and 1890. There we were greeted by two enthusiastic Catalunyan record keepers who had fervours to embrace their heritage and share their local knowledge with Catalunyan families from Down Under. These two enthusiastic government employees went out of their way to gather records, contact specialists and share their official photographs and books.
Pilgrims go Michelin star with Robert de Nola Restaurant in the Caldes de Monbui. Lovely Catalan wine and food. Too much beautiful food. A 9-course feast that took 4 and a half hours to meander through. A thoroughly enjoyable sojourn.
Little did we know what was ahead when we left this morning from the farmhouse, hermitage and castle of Josef and Anna. Guided by the well planned direction of Annie we arrived at the cultural and historical group at the civic centre of Santa Perpetua de Mogoda, the birth and baptismal spot of Pablo Pau our forbear and father of 14 surviving
They then led us to the original site of Anton Parer’s flour mill beside the Roman ruins that were used to make ice and later to store the grain as in a silo. Pere relished the opportunity to practice his English and to translate to the history colleague Danny. They read letters to the castle and the dwellings for the Barron’s workers in the fields and vineyards
Another pause 10 April 2015 Shopping and eating. Plenty of wine, beer and other bits of alcohol. Pilgrims need to live and be merry. The sun was out too. Tomorrow we head back towards the outskirts of Barcelona.
Caldes de Monbui
A pretty nice abode is discovered overlooking the Caldes de Monbui.
12 April 2015
Ben, Paula, Stephanie, Anaïs and Eliana have separated from the other pilgrims to stay the night at the airport hotel for their flight to London in the early hours. A Bon voyage and happy hunting pilgrims. The photography baton passes to Pip, Shane and Mike.
Santa Perpetua de Mogoda
They showed us the remnants where an Order of Monks set up their monastery to get the Baron in through the Pearly Gates. We were told that in the 18th and 19th centuries Catalunyan economics were tough – not as hard as the Irish, but Catalunyans had a fierce desire to expand in business and life and there was an emigration particularly to North and South America. Many returned wealthy and were called Indians. They build lavish dwellings on the hill out of town. There is the ancient castle once owned by the Baron now belonging to the people and the city opened twice a year on 25th of April and Christmas In 1936 the castle was used for refugees during the Civil War. Pere told us of the hardship for 40 years
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
57
From the Facebook diaries
The Facebook diaries
under revolutionary dictatorship and persecution of Generalissimo Franco. When he was a child he could not be christened with a Catalunyan name and so was called Pedro, but at the first opportunity he changed it by deed poll to the Catalunyan name of Pere. Like many locals he is fiercely nationalistic and hopes for independence. But since the region is rich the Government will resist this all Catalunyans fear. They are proud of the display of their culture at the opening of the 1992 Olympic games. With Pere and Dani then our distant Catalan cousin Lira pilgrims by the flour mill.
Andorra and beyond 13 April 2015
Greetings from the Pilgrims as we share a few of the faces of modern Catalonia
– our distant cousins. Today we venture deep into the Pyrenees maybe as far as Andorra and the raptor birds via San Juame the home of Lluisa. We are a merry band and have made wonderful friends at our ancestral roots. Catalonia is fiercely independent and wants separation from Spain at the grass roots. It is openly spoken about and espoused. The picture on the local church door of the young women wrenching control from the powers – be it church or state is very strong here in the cradle of Pablo Pau our great-greatgrandfather. Tomorrow we return to discover more with the help of wonderful and willing Catalunyans.
Futbol at Alella 13 April 2015 Sunday Futbol with our new extended Parer
58 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
family celebratory gathering reunion.
to Castle where Rose Marie and Dani will soon be wed.
We arrived early for Futbol (sic) with Guy as driver and Annie navigator at the Alella futbol ground to be greeted by Sylvia, the team captain. An amazing Catalan welcome, treated as a member of the family with a happy mix of vitality and new memories. Overwhelmingly welcomed by Sylvia’s parents Monse and Joan (John) in their domain where Joan is President and Monse the Top hat behind the bar. Also greeting were Christina, Sylvia’s sister and Laia who was out of action with the plaster cast on her leg.
Monse (Montserrat) was busy preparing the 70 cm Paella with prawns, shellfish, crustaceans, and mushrooms to feed 23 of us. Rose Maria’s parents Pepi and Salvador came with Choux Pastries filled with Creamer of Catalan.
Then smoothly the team entered the ground against the gladiators from Barcelona. It was played as if to the death in an idyllic setting with mountains surrounding as we looked up
We had the feeling our adoption into this extending Catalan family was a fait accompli. Salvador is Monse’s brother and there is a Parer connection via New Zealand with the San Miguel family that I am sure will be untangled by someone who comprehends the entanglements that lead to the birth of each of us.
Our final missions 16 April 2015
1. To find the grave of Anton in Santa Perpetua de Mogoda
From the Facebook diaries
2. The flour mill of Pablo Pau in Alella and its history 3. To find the Anton Parer connection between Alella/Santa Perpetua de Mogoda and at the Banyuls Parers. 4. To gather the links to the Triado families We have farewelled Shelly, Teresa and Shane this morning and will welcome David and Judith tomorrow. Desperate help needed please Silvia, Rosa Maria, Monse, Joan, Mayor of Alella, Dani, Pere, Neus, Miguel and all others. Can anyone direct us to the cemetery where Anton may Rest in Peace in Santa Perpetual de Moguda We have been to the site of Pablo Pau’s flour mill and grind stone and silo and know another is burdened beneath the road, but what was it like as he raised
with his two wives their 14 surviving children. We will return with Sylvia to the library and meet the mayor the to seek the answers. And at breakfast I made the announcement that sank like the proverbial mill stone that I will return in 10 years to complete the pilgrimage. I have since reconsidered after bruisings from pip, Shelly, Annie and Teresa and will return in five years after Easter 2020 hopefully with our grand and great grandchildren
Santa Juame de Frontanya 17 April 2015
Another day for the pilgrims. This time in our Opel van we trekked to Lluise Vitale’s village of Santa Juame de Frontanya in the deepest heart of the Pyrenees. Lluise is the creator of the extraordinary website www.
catalanfootprintinaustralia. net. This is the story of a group of Catalans who decided to cross the world and start in the new settlement named Melbourne, after Viscount Melbourne. Lluise grew up in the Pyrenees steeped in Roman ruins, village life, and escaping Franco’s attempt to destroy her Catalan heritage. At university she majored in presenting and displaying local history in Galleries. Lluise was awarded a Catalan Government grant to participate in the project to record the Catalan Diaspora of the 19th century. Jose Canals and the Catalan Casal of Melbourne supported her. Lluise presented her work at the Melbourne Immigration Museum in 2012. This is permanently available and is a marvellous and comprehensive view of the emigration to Australia that has exponentially spread
and prospered as a cohesive extended family. What a revelation Lluise’s village Sant Juame de Frontenac was to us on this pilgrimage day. The journey was sunny through twisted roads of the spectacular snow capped serrated dolomite rocks of the Pyrenees. On entering we were reminded of the High Noon movie town. The alpine settlement was deserted, tranquil, mysterious, a lover’s nest, ideal for a honeymoon or a detention centre for Prime Ministers who break their election promises. The sleeping refuge was hushed. The restaurant was mute as if awaiting a Top Hat chef to establish a Michelin oasis to attract clients from hundreds of miles. Not a soul was in sight. We wandered the streets spellbound and in the end as if bewitched we had to be dragged away. Onwards and upwards we were driven by Guy and guided by Annie till we got to Andorra where the duty free Mecca was shut for siesta and we were condemned to a Western fast food eatery. We were not bewitched and did not have to be dragged away to return to our special town at Caldes de Montbui with our hosts Josef and Anna and children, Laia, Josef Jr and Juane and the 91-year-old Grandmother Maria.
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
59
30 March 2015 | Barcelona
BARCELONA 29TH MARCH TO 4TH APRIL 2015
60 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
30 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
61
30 March 2015 | Barcelona 62 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
30 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
63
30 March 2015 | Barcelona 64 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
30 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
65
30 March 2015 | Barcelona 66 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
30 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
67
31 March 2015 | Barcelona 68 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
31 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
69
31 March 2015 | Barcelona 70 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
31 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
71
31 March 2015 | Barcelona 72 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
31 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
73
31 March 2015 | Barcelona 74 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
31 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
75
31 March 2015 | Barcelona 76 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
31 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
77
31 March 2015 | Barcelona 78 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
31 March 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
79
1 April 2015 | Barcelona 80 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
81
1 April 2015 | Barcelona 82 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
83
1 April 2015 | Alella
ALELLA 1ST APRIL 2015
84 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
85
1 April 2015 | Alella 86 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
87
1 April 2015 | Alella 88 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
89
1 April 2015 | Alella 90 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
91
1 April 2015 | Alella 92 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
93
1 April 2015 | Alella 94 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
95
1 April 2015 | Alella 96 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
97
1 April 2015 | Alella 98 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
99
1 April 2015 | Alella
Can Sors Restaurant T
he restaurant is a typical Catalan farmhouse of the fourteenth century located in Alella, 10 minutes from Barcelona. The farmhouse was restored and converted to a restaurant in 1987 by Joan Crivillers Pratdesaba. Operating daily, including weekends, our cuisine is based on typical Catalan dishes with a touch provided by Marc Crivillers Mas. A courtyard / garden is available, where you can hold all kinds of events – communions, dinners in summer outdoor, snacks or simply for children to play with confidence.
100 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
101
1 April 2015 | Alella 102 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
103
1 April 2015 | Alella 104 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
105
1 April 2015 | Alella 106 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
107
1 April 2015 | Alella 108 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
109
1 April 2015 | Alella 110 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
111
1 April 2015 | Alella 112 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
113
1 April 2015 | Alella 114 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
115
1 April 2015 | Alella 116 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
117
1 April 2015 | Alella 118 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
119
1 April 2015 | Alella 120 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
121
1 April 2015 | Alella 122 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
1 April 2015 | Alella CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
123
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 124 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
125
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 126 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
127
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 128 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
129
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 130 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
131
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 132 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
133
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 134 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
135
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 136 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
137
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 138 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
139
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 140 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
141
2 April 2015 | Barcelona 142 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
2 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
143
3 April 2015 | Barcelona 144 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
3 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
145
3 April 2015 | Barcelona 146 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
3 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
147
3 April 2015 | Barcelona 148 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
149
4 April 2015 | Barcelona 150 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
151
4 April 2015 | Barcelona 152 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
153
4 April 2015 | Barcelona 154 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
155
4 April 2015 | Barcelona 156 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
157
4 April 2015 | Barcelona 158 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
159
4 April 2015 | Barcelona 160 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Barcelona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
161
6 April 2015 | Tossa de Mar
COSTA BRAVA 4-10TH APRIL 2015
162 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
6 April 2015 | Tossa de Mar CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
163
4 April 2015 | Lloret de Mar 164 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Lloret de Mar CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
165
4 April 2015 | Lloret de Mar 166 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Lloret de Mar CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
167
4 April 2015 | Lloret de Mar 168 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Lloret de Mar CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
169
4 April 2015 | Lloret de Mar 170 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
4 April 2015 | Lloret de Mar CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
171
6 April 2015 | Girona 172 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
6 April 2015 | Girona
GIRONA 6TH APRIL 2015
CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
173
6 April 2015 | Girona 174 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
6 April 2015 | Girona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
175
6 April 2015 | Girona 176 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
6 April 2015 | Girona CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
177
7 April 2015 | Montserrat
MONTSERRAT 7TH APRIL 2015
178 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
7 April 2015 | Montserrat CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
179
7 April 2015 | Montserrat 180 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
7 April 2015 | Montserrat CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
181
7 April 2015 | Montserrat 182 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
7 April 2015 | Montserrat CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
183
7 April 2015 | Montserrat 184 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
7 April 2015 | Montserrat CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
185
7 April 2015 | Montserrat 186 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
7 April 2015 | Manresa CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
187
7 April 2015 | Manresa 188 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
7 April 2015 | Manresa CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
189
8 April 2015 | Costa Brava 190 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
8 April 2015 | Costa Brava CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
191
9 April 2015 | Banyuls-sur-Mer 192 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
9 April 2015 | Banyuls-sur-Mer CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
193
9 April 2015 | Banyuls-sur-Mer 194 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
9 April 2015 | Banyuls-sur-Mer CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
195
9 April 2015 | Banyuls-sur-Mer 196 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
9 April 2015 | Banyuls-sur-Mer CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
197
9 April 2015 | Mas Parer 198 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
9 April 2015 | Mas Parer CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
199
9 April 2015 | Mas Parer 200 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
9 April 2015 | Caldes de Montbui CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
201
9 April 2015 | Mas Parer 202 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
9 April 2015 | Caldes de Montbui CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
203
9 April 2015 | Mas Parer 204 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
9 April 2015 | Caldes de Montbui CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
205
9 April 2015 | Mas Parer 206 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
9 April 2015 | Caldes de Montbui CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE |
207
Banyuls-sur-Mer
THE JOURNEY
Girona
Manresa
Sant Feliu de Codines
Montserrat Santa Perpetua de Mogoda Alella
Barcelona
208 | CATALUNYA 2015 : ANTON PARER’S PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
Lloret de Mar
Banyuls-sur-Mer
THE JOURNEY
Girona
Manresa
Sant Feliu de Codines
Lloret de Mar
MontserSanta Perpetua de Mogoda Alella
Barcelona
THE ANTON PARER PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
29 MARCH TO 18 APRIL 2015
BY BEN PARER
THE ANTON PARER PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
From 29th March to the 18th April 2015 the Anton Parer Pyrenees Pilgrimage ensued. This publication covers the voyage, discoveries and insights along the way. It is a mainly photographic journey of discovery with our collective family history as its raison d’être. We travelled around Catalonia from Barcelona and Alella to Banyuls-sur-Mer and Girona to Santa Perpetua de Mogoda and Sant Jaume. Along the way we were met, guided and aided by such a collection of local Catalans and with such a verve as to make our hearts sing. We absorbed the land and culture and soaked into our souls the ambience of our ancestors as we wrestled with the need to research and understanding the mindset and motives of the past.
THE ANTON PARER PYRENEES PILGRIMAGE
29 MARCH TO 18 APRIL 2015
BY BEN PARER