The Thomas Parr Monument is located along Ahmad Yani Street, in the Kampung Cina subdistrict of Bengkulu City, Bengkulu. It is not far from the city center, and easily accessed. The monument is located approximately southeast of Fort Marlborough, the former British stronghold in the region. This location was originally near the buildings housing the British East India Company government and ruling council. However, since then the area has become predominantly commercial, with several shops and a post office located near the monument.
Description
The Thomas Parr Monument is octagonal in shape, covering a total area of. Three arched openings provide entrance, and six Tuscan or Roman Doric columns surround the monument. The monument is topped with a dome. Owing to this dome, the mausoleum is also known locally as "Kuburan Bulek". A wooden plaque lies within the monument, though as of 2014 it is illegible. Alan Harfield, in his 1985 discussion of the British graveyard and monuments in Bengkulu, quotes it as follows: Around the monument is a small park, with trees and other plants. The park is, in turn, surrounded by an iron fence.
History
Bengkulu fell under control of the British East India Company during the 17th century. The company built a fortress, Fort Marlborough, and began to govern the region. In 1805, Thomas Parr was appointed Resident of Bencoolen. The contemporary British described Parr as "a benevolent Father" to the Malay residents of Bengkulu, while Indonesian sources describe him as a man of cruelty who introduced the forced agriculture of coffee to the region. During a rebellion against his rule on 27 September 1807, Parr and his aide Charles Murray were killed; three men entered his home, Mount Felix, stabbing and decapitating Parr and dealing fatal wounds to Murray. The British quashed the rebellion, and the following year, the East India Company built a monument to Parr. Though the monument was built as a memorial to Parr and his death, the people of Bengkulu have reinterpreted it as a testament to their refusal to accept colonialism and their defense of their land and rights. The monument is a cultural property of Indonesia.
