John Samuel Purcell was born on 31 May 1839 in Ireland, a son of Dr John Francis Powell who was a Physician in Ordinary to successive Lords-Lieutenant of Ireland and later an Irish Poor Law Commissioner.
He entered the army and retired when holding the rank of Major in the 28th Middlesex (London Irish) Rifle Volunteer Corps.
On 15 December 1868 he married Alice Fanny Kennett (1849-1928) and they had six children.
He was described as a civil service clerk in 1871 census living in Loughmoe Lodge, Lee Road, Kidbrooke, Kent (now Greater London), with his wife and their daughter, Ethel Alice Purcell (1869-1940), together with a nurse and a cook. This address is confirmed in the 1874 edition of Kelly's Kent Directory.
The 1881 census shows him as a civil service clerk living at 24 Blessington Road, Lee, London, with his wife and four children: Ethel Alice Purcell; Marina Florence Purcell (1871-1974); John Poyntz Purcell (1876-1963) and Violet Arabella Purcell (1878-1961), together with a cook, a parlour maid and a nurse.
He was made a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB) in 1888 and in the 1891 census he is shown as the Controller of Stamps and the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, residing at 18 Blessington Road, Lee, with his wife and their six children: Ethel Alice Purcell; Marina Florence Purcell; John Poyntz Purcell; Violet Arabella Purcell; Lily Rose Mary Purcell (1882-1975) and Hubert Kennett Purcell (1885-1962). This address was confirmed in electoral registers from 1890 to 1899. His occupation also involved giving evidence at London's Central Criminal Court (The Old Bailey), for example in the case against Charles Edward Rowlandson on 27 June 1892.
He was created a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1900 New Year Honours list in which he was shown as the late Controller of Stamps and Stores, and Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, Inland Revenue Department.
In the 1901 census he was shown as a retired civil servant, living at 11 Lee Terrace, Lee, London, with his wife and their six children together with a cook, a parlour maid, a house maid and a kitchen maid. His elder son was described as a barrister & civil servant. Electoral registers confirm that he was listed here from 1901 to 1924 and from 1919 his wife was also shown as Lady Alice Fanny Purcell. However, the Post Office London Directory of 1920 shows him as a Justice of the Peace at Glebe Lodge, Blackheath, London, SE3.
He died, aged 85 years, on 7 December 1924, his death being registered in the 4th quarter of 1924 in the Lewisham registration district, London. His body was buried on 10 December 1924 in Hither Green Cemetery, Verdant Lane, London, SE6 1TP. Probate records give his address as Glen Lodge, Blackheath and state that probate was granted on 11 February 1925 jointly to his widow Dame Alice Fanny Purcell and his two sons, his effects totalled £45,906-1s-3d.
He is shown as Sir John Purcell, K.C.B. on the Barnato-Joel Memorial in Nassau Street, London, W1.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
