He was born at Carlingcott, Somerset, in 1879, and as best I can find out, the Parfitt brothers and sisters were brought to Canada by their father in 1889.
www.netzerovictoria.com/blog/parfitt-brothers-and-plan-number-5
....Funeral services for Mark Parfitt, 90, last member of the well-known Parfitt Brothers construction firm, will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Sand's funeral home, Rev. Norman Archer officiating.
....Mr. Parfitt, who helped build some of Victoria's best-known landmarks, died Sunday in Glenwarren private hospital.
....Mr. Parfitt was born near Bristol, England. He apprenticed as a bricklayer and later worked as a contractor with native helpers in South Africa. He served in a bicycle regiment during the Boer War.
....He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church and served as Sunday school superintendent for many years.
....Parfitt Brothers built Christ Church Cathedral, St. John's Church and hall, and Fairfield United Church. The Ray Street armory was also built by the firm.
....Mr. Parfitt was predeceased by his four brothers James, Aaron, Fred and Albert. He is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Norris (Netty) Harwood, and Mrs. W. S. (Vera) House; one sister, Mrs. (Mabel) Nixon; four grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Victoria Daily Colonist, Tuesday 10th June 1969
www.findagrave.com/memorial/170856583/mark-parfitt
A CYCLIST'S EXPERIENCES AT THE FRONT.
....The following are extracts of a letter received by relatives of Private Parfitt (Cycling Corps to the Scottish Horse), in which the writer gives an interesting account of his experiences since the time martial law was proclaimed throughout Cape Colony. Having alluded to the privations and hardships the men had undergone, he says:—
...."I want to make it clear to you that it is chiefly the fault of our officers that we have to go without food and sleep on the open veldt, without blankets to cover us. I joined on the 22nd of January at Cape Town, and on the 24th, after breakfast, our officers took us for a 25 mile run into the country, which took us until one o'clock, owing to the bad roads. Anyway, this was our officers' home, and so they had a good dinner, and told us if we liked we could go to the river and have a bath; and those who had money could have a feed for 1s 6d, and those who had no money had to go without! As only a few had money it was small wonder that some of the fellows were stuck up on the return journey, and about every two miles we had to stop for those who fell out. We arrived back at camp about seven o'clock, and I'm sorry to say there was not a crust of bread to be had. I don't know what they did who had no money. When we made a complaint the officers told us that it was nothing to what they would have to go through when they got to the front. I see in my diary that the next day was quiet for us—only bitter complaints about the food, which consisted of a small loaf of bread and half a pot of jam a day. But I didn't know then that the time was very near at hand when I should have been thankful for a dry crust of bread. On the following morning, January 25th, we had orders to pack up and be in full marching order, and to march to the docks to take ship for Durban. It was about five miles to the dock, and being very hot we were about done up by the time we embarked on H.M.S. Simla about three o'clock, but as we were not to sail until the following morning our officers spent the evening in town, and here again we never had a bit or drop from eight in the morning until seven o'clock at night. That was entirely the fault of the officers, because we had to wait until they returned to the ship to get their signatures, which you must have before you can draw rations. But after the first night we had good food and also a pleasant voyage to Durban, which we sighted about six o'clock Tuesday, 29th. We were fortunate to get fine weather, and we passed East London, which looked grand, and Port Elizabeth in the day time. We landed at Durban about three o'clock in the afternoon, to find a train waiting to take us on to Maritzburg. which is about 70 miles by rail. I shall never forget the scenery. It was wonderful, too, how the train climbs the mountains. We got to Maritzburg about twelve o'clock at night, then we had to off-load our kit and bicycles and march to camp, about two miles from the station, and our officers ought to have kept us up with the transport, but they let us lose sight of it, consequently we found ourselves in the wrong camp. I may say there are four camps around Maritzburg, and we were marching until four o'clock next morning before we found our proper camp, and then we found there were not sufficient tents for us. sol experienced my first night on the open veldt, and half of us could not find our blankets until daybreak. Well, we stayed at Maritzburg until Monday, February 4th, just for practice, and there we had very good food, but the heat was terrible. Then we had orders to start for Johannesburg. After three days and nights riding we arrived at Johannesburg. Then we marched from the station to Belgrave, about two miles, and we had hardly pitched our tents before rain set in very heavily, and six of us were told off for twelve hours' guard, myself being one of the unfortunates. I can assure you after being in a cattle truck for so long, with very little food, I felt more like going to the hospital than to do twelve hours guard. But it was no use grumbling. We filled our pockets with bully beef and biscuits, and started guard. How l got through it I don't know; it rained the whole night, and we were just as though we had been pulled through the river when we got relieved next morning. But our troubles never ended here, for no sooner had we finished our breakfast than we all had to turn out skirmishing, which lasted for two hours. I am surprised that only one of the six was in hospital. We stayed over Sunday at Belgrave. and on Monday at sunset we started a forced march to Klip River, where the Boers were reported 4,000 strong. I shall never forget the march that night. It was quite dark, and we had to go through Jackson's Pass, and had strict orders not to speak or strike a light. The main column passed over the river the same night, and we had orders to guard a kopje about a mile to the right, and this was awful. We had to clear a deep donga with our bicycles, and then form out in skirmishing order to take the kopje, owing to our scouts coming back and reporting Boers in possession. But this turned out to be untrue. Anyway, we had to stay on the top of this kopje until daybreak, without coat or blanket, and the wind was bitterly cold. Well, we had to march to Roodport Nek. a distance of 10 miles, and join forces with the 38th battery and a few Lancashires, under Colonel Finch; and next day our cycling company had to escort some : sick men back to Johannesburg. We stayed there that night, and brought back a convoy of prisoners. The night we stayed in Johannesburg we had nothing to eat—(l mean allowed us by the military)—but our officers allowed us to draw 5s each, ana I assure you it was all spent in food. We afterwards started on a looting expedition, and I shall never forget it. The first farm we got to there were 30 geese and about 20 fowls. So we killed them all, and plenty of pigs. Our officers gave orders to shoot four pigs, and I was the first one to have my rifle unslung and knock one over. Then we came to another farm, and the fruit was lovely— grapes, figs, oranges, and pears and peaches. It was very sad to see the lovely homes broken up. In some places they (the Dutch) had left good pianos and organs. We stayed in one farm one night where there was a good organ and first-class feather beds, such a change from the open veldt. Since yesterday we are cut off from Cunningham's force by the Boers. I hardly know how to write this as we have just done a forced march of 21½ miles since daybreak this morning, and not a bit to eat since last night until now, two o'clock in the afternoon. The Boers are on the hills close by. I can hear them sniping; they are reported to be making for our convoy of provisions, but half of our column has gone out to meet them and hold them until we have had a feed and are ready. We were trying to get to Banks station, but I don't think there is much danger, because Cunningham has a large force not far from us. This is an awful experience, half of our fellows are falling sick. I think it is the bad water. We are bound to drink something because of the heat, and we are glad of anything so long as it's wet. If we have another day like this one I expect we shall all be in hospital. Two of our fellows have been wounded and two taken prisoners. We have two 15-pounders and a pom-pom with us. I believe we are the first cyclists to be with a column as yet at the front."
The Western Daily Press, Thursday 4th April 1901
