Thomas Parr’s 152nd Birthday Draws King, Ends With Life-Pill Fame

Parr’s age and abrupt London demise became a sensation—two centuries later, Herbert Ingram launched Parr’s Life Pills, claiming the secret recipe. The oddity of a 152-year-old’s supposed wellness formula made his name a byword for dubious longevity cures and poetic tributes.
Thomas Parr’s 152nd birthday and London journey spark kingly attention, then death—yet his name and “life pills” outlive him, fueling odd fame centuries later.