Vale Richard Parslow

Richard Parslow, former HarperCollins sales and marketing director, died on Sunday, 9 July. All are welcome to attend a celebration of his life to be held at the Patonga Community Hall at 12 noon on Saturday, 22 July.

Dennis Jones writes: 

‘I met Richard ‘Trickey’ Parslow in the early 1970s when he was employed by C T Oldmeadow, Australia’s largest independent children’s bookseller at the time. He was identified by my employer William Collins Pty Ltd as a likely candidate to build the educational business around. Richard became both a good friend and a positive addition to the local team.

‘As happens in life, change is continual and Richard shifted to Sydney where he thrived with work life and gradually worked his way to be appointed trade hardback sales manager New South Wales in October 1984. The biggest program Richard oversaw was the launch of the Collins Australian English Dictionary when we were on a path to disrupt the Oxford Pocket English Dictionary as the preferred school dictionary. Of course we were great disruptors.

‘For the year I spent in Sydney we were fortunate to have Richard as a friend and close business ally. Good natured, he would drive me home most nights from the Clarence Street offices as Frenchs Forest was on the way to Palm Beach.

‘Whilst John C Clement was in charge he appointed G (Rex) Beachley as sales & marketing director with all state managers reporting to him. When Rex resigned the current MD Terry Kitson appointed Richard to the sales & marketing director role.

‘Richard loved making decisions. He would say at least once every meeting “You live by the sword—you die by the sword”. Our business (now HarperCollins) had a commanding position in the market place and the UK editors would spend big to acquire the author properties to drench the market with.

‘The biggest coup with these mega authors was the time we had to stuff upwards of 225,000 paperbacks on the one release into the market place. Stumped as to how to do it the meeting stumbled onto the idea of a dump bin containing 72 copies. “Trickey” problem solving! (No one had heard of the link between global warming and moderation in those days; only sales figures and happy editors who paid the advances.)

‘By the 1990s I had left HCP which was like leaving home after 21 years. What happened over those years to follow was a stronger bond between Richard and myself. All of my UK and US book wholesale colleagues became friends with Richard and shared his exuberance many times.

‘I went to Richard’s 60th, his 70th, and stayed as a mate for all these years.

‘Richard over this time finished his sales and marketing director position with HarperCollins, started the Ozrights business, which enabled him to better articulate publishing opportunities in a market worn out by traditional rights agreements, and held a role with online retailer Seek Books. His last post was with Read How You Want; he then bought the Mustang and became a local of Patonga, NSW.

‘Richard was present at a recent dinner in Adelaide the night before the ABA (BookPeople) trade show. It was the first time I had seen Richard in some months and the same for our group of … veterans? Can’t think of a better word.

‘Richard passed away on Sunday July 9. His companion of almost 30 years Kaye Wright was by his side, his children had all spoken with him.

‘One of the messages came from Jonathan Tuseth in the US who said, “Richard always made the room he entered more fun”.

‘RIP Richard from your many admirers.’