From the mid-1830s Parker was using studio addresses in London for Royal Academy purposes and it is possible that he was already anticipating a move from Newcastle.
An opportunity arose through his involvement in Wesleyan Methodism.
In 1839 he attended the conference at Liverpool that celebrated 100 years of Methodism.
As the annual conference was to be at Newcastle the following year, Parker decided ‘to commemorate the occasion by painting a picture of some striking incident in their history.
He consulted the Rev. James Everett, who suggested … the escape of John Wesley from the parsonage at Epworth, when he was a boy.’
After the Newcastle conference Parker sent the picture to the conference president, the Rev. Robert Newton.
Samuel William Reynolds II's engraving of The Fire at Epworth Rectory was another widely circulated image.

Parker became aware of a vacancy for a drawing master at the recently opened Wesleyan Proprietary Grammar School, Sheffield.
Obtaining the appointment, he left Tyneside by 1841.
From the mid-1830s Parker was using studio addresses in London for Royal Academy purposes and it is possible that he was already anticipating a move from Newcastle. An opportunity arose through his involvement in Wesleyan Methodism. In 1839 he attended the conference at Liverpool that celebrated 100 years of Methodism. As the annual conference was to be at Newcastle the following year, Parker decided ‘to commemorate the occasion by painting a picture of some striking incident in their history. He consulted the Rev. James Everett, who suggested … the escape of John Wesley from the parsonage at Epworth, when he was a boy.’ After the Newcastle conference Parker sent the picture to the conference president, the Rev. Robert Newton. Samuel William Reynolds II's engraving of The Fire at Epworth Rectory was another widely circulated image.
Parker became aware of a vacancy for a drawing master at the recently opened Wesleyan Proprietary Grammar School, Sheffield. Obtaining the appointment, he left Tyneside by 1841.
Henry Perlee Parker