My understanding of the situation is that Parker and Hardcastle are part of the larger Dunhill company, and in fact are made in the same factory as Dunhills. I don't know to what degree they can be called 'seconds,' i.e. using bowls originally made for Dunhills but somehow found wanting, but both Parker and Harcastle pipes are, in my experience, solid and well made low to mid range pipes.
I have a single Parker, a black sandblast Jockey Club, which for its humble price is an excellent smoker, though a little small for my normal preferences. I also have five Harcastles of different sorts, two Royal Bruyere, two Regency, and one Russet. The Russet is an especially nice pipe, and could well, judging by the size and shape of the bowl, be a Dunhill 'second.'
In short, I would strongly recommend Parker and Hardcastle as excellent English pipes in the low to mid price range.
I find it interesting, btw, that the new Ben Wade are also made on commission in the Dunhill factory. They too are usually great pipes, especially if you're looking for some larger, group 5-6 or even ODA sizes. There is clearly some overlap between the Ben Wade and Hardcastle lines, for example, as I own two Hardcastle Regency pipes where the exact same bowl shape is to be found in slightly pricier Ben Wade Chesham line. My guess is that the slightly flawed bowls are used for the Harcastle, the better ones for Wade.
Though I don't know exactly where Britannia pipes are now made, I have made the same observation there--Ben Wade and Britannia pipes with identical bowl shapes, e.g. Ben Wade Ruby and Britannia Yellow Stone.
So, Parker Hardcastle is definitely a Dunhill product, Ben Wade pipes are made in the same factory, and I SUSPECT at least some Britannia pipes are made there as well.
