Parham, officially known as the Town of Parham, is the capital of

Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...

, the largest city in Saint Peter, and the fourteenth largest city in

Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda is a Sovereign state, sovereign archipelagic country composed of Antigua, Barbuda, and List of islands of Antigua and Barbuda, numerous other small islands. Antigua and Barbuda has a total area of 440 km2 (170 sq mi), ...

. Parham's population was 1,307 in 2011, distributed over 1.99 square kilometres. Parham is similar in population to

Potters Village Potters Village is a township located on Antigua in Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda is a Sovereign state, sovereign archipelagic country composed of Antigua, Barbuda, and List of islands of Antigua and Barbuda, numerous other small ...

, the thirteenth most significant city in Antigua and Barbuda, and Bendals, the fifteenth largest city. Parham is situated on the shore of Parham Harbour, one of the most important harbors in the country, enclosed by the Parham Peninsula and

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

. Parham comprises four main neighbourhoods: Lovers Lane, Parham Market, Byam Wharf, and the School neighborhood. If the Saint Peter portion of All Saints, home to 1,954 people extending across three parishes, is considered a separate city, Parham would be regarded as the second largest city of Saint Peter. The major division of Parham, the town's metropolitan area, stretching over the eastern portion of the parish, had a 2011 population of 3,499 people.

Etymology

The town was given its name in 1675 when a British naval officer by the name of Lord Willoughby de Parham arrived from England with a patent from King Charles II, allowing him to designate Parham as one of the six trading towns in colonial Antigua while also establishing it as the capital of the colony.

History

Parham served as a significant trading port for the importing of slaves from West Africa and the sale of rum and sugar to England during the colonial era. The agricultural products of the St. Peter, St. Phillip, and St. George parishes were sold at Parham Harbour. Around 1750, the Parham sugar mill was divided into two separate enterprises, each with its own windmill and boiling house. As a result of the St. Peter's Anglican Parish Church's construction in 1840, Parham would not have seen its heyday and peak population until the middle of the nineteenth century, during the height of the Industrial Revolution and the early days of freedom. The Parham Anglican Primary School and the Parham Anglican Rectory were also built at that time. The Antigua Almanac, a newspaper from the 19th century, claimed that the people these initiatives drew would have turned the town of Parham into the island's capital once more. When sugar prices collapsed in the early to mid-20th century, the most sugar planters departed the island, and the descendants of freed slaves from the nearby sugar plantations are likely to have moved into Parham. They maintained the town's existence as a flourishing commercial hub by engaging in trades, including fishing, farming, carpentry, and masonry. Massive emigration caused by the collapse of the sugar industry in the 1960s and 1970s led to a population loss in Parham that has not been replaced or recovered from to this day. Agriculture and fishing continue to be the mainstays of the neighborhood economy.

Geography

Parham is on the shore of Parham Harbour, a well-protected anchorage.

Demographics

Parham is subdivided into six enumeration districts, Lovers Lane, Parham Market, Byams Wharf, Parham School #1, Parham School #2, and Parham School #3. The centre of Parham is located in the Parham Market neighborhood, and is home to four of Parham's 39 business owners. * ''50700 Parham-LoversLane'' * ''50800 Parham-Market'' * ''50900 Parham-ByamsWharf'' * ''51001 Parham-School_1'' * ''51002 Parham-School_2''

Census data (2011)

Source:

Attractions

*Parham Hill, a well-preserved colonial home. * Great Bird Island, in Parham Harbor *St. Peter's Anglican Church was built in 1840 by eminent English architect Thomas Weekes.

Law enforcement

In January 2021, the Parham Police were moved to a temporary headquarters in the ticket booth in the

Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is a stadium in North Sound, Saint George, Antigua and Barbuda. It was built for use in the 2007 Cricket World Cup where it hosted Super 8 matches. The stadium usually caters for 10,000 people, but temporary seatin ...

, until a new police station can be constructed, with the old one being demolished.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parham, Antigua And Barbuda Populated places in Antigua and Barbuda Populated places established in 1632 1630s establishments in the Caribbean 1632 establishments in North America 1632 establishments in the British Empire Saint Peter, Antigua and Barbuda Towns in Antigua and Barbuda