In the graveyard of Peartree Church there is a memorial stone to a Richard Parker. Richard was a cabin boy on the yacht 'Mignonette'. On the 25th July 1884 the yacht was shipwrecked in the tropics and the crew of 4 took to the life boat. After 19 days with very little food, one of the crew killed poor Richard and all 3 eat him. Within a few days they were rescued and return to England where they stood trial in the High Court. The trial was recorded in the national newspapers and set a legal precedent.
Bitterne Local History Society have produced a
publication called THE SAD TALE OF RICHARD PARKER by Jim Brown.