Thomas Henry Parry (1846-1906) was a saw maker at Shoreditch in the East End of London, near the docklands. In about 1866, he started business as a tool maker and dealer at 329 Old Street. His son (by his wife Esther) was Arthur Thomas Parry (1872-1945), who joined his father as partner. In 1901, Arthur Thomas Parry was a ‘tool shop keeper’, living in Hackney.  Thomas Henry died at Brighton on 30 March 1906. His probate was resworn  at £2,359.

Parry’s continued to trade at Old Street under Arthur Thomas. The ‘Parry’ name and the trade mark ‘SUNDIAL’ were stamped on the firm’s woodworking and machine tools, which were usually (like its cutlery) bought from outside suppliers (especially in Sheffield).

In 1943, Parry & Sons (Tools) Ltd was registered as private limited company (capital £5,000) at 329 Old Street. The directors were Arthur Thomas and his wife, Edith Vera, who lived at Eastbourne, Sussex. Arthur Thomas died on 3 September 1945 at Eastbourne, aged 73, and was buried at City of London Cemetery & Crematorium (Ilford). He left £15,924 (net personalty £11,511) to Edith.

Another tool merchant at Old Street, Shoreditch, was S. Tyzack & Son Ltd [see G. Tweedale, Directory of Sheffield Tool Manufacturers, 2019]. After Arthur’s death, Edith offered the business to one of the Tyzacks (following her late husband’s wish).  The businesses were merged at Parry’s address in Old Street. Parry Tyzack Ltd traded until the end of the 1980s, when it became insolvent.