Anthony Parkhurst

Anthony Parkhurst was a merchant and explorer known as the earliest English who advocated the colonization of Newfoundland.

Through recommendations Parkhurst had joined a famous John Hawkins as an adventurer on his second slaving voyage (1564-65). During this voyage he visited West Africa, the Caribbean, and Florida, and got a valuable insight into the economic potential of the visited areas.

After he was left disinherited because of an argument with his father, Parkhust moved to Bristol in 1573 and engaged in trade. As he was acquainted with the fishing off Newfoundland, he invested his money in purchase of the ship becoming an entrepreneur in fishery. He accompanies his ship each year on the expeditions and spent much time in Newfoundland.

He was also interested in exploration and he travelled to northeastern as well as southeastern Newfoundland collecting information from French and Portuguese fishermen. The knowledge he accumulated prompted him to propose to the English government to colonize Newfoundland. He thought that the settlement could bring only advantages to the English economy: the exploitation of a product (fish) which need not be paid for expensively in exports but which would provide cheap food at home; the acquisition of an independent source of naval stores; prospects of iron mining and smelting; the training of seamen; the occupation of surplus population.

Parkhurst expressed his views in letters (1577-78) – one addressed to an unknown courtier and the other to Richard Hakluyt.