Family and death Charles Purnell

poem purnell jubilee clock tower in christchurch, published in star on 27 may 1899

purnell s parents remained in new plymouth until deaths. father, charles purnell, had in life worked david napier before becoming self-employed, supervising construction of boats crimean war. in taranaki, charles purnell sr worked harry atkinson. mother, sarah ann purnell (née clegg) died on 28 june 1866 bronchitis @ age of 52. father died 2 years later on 3 may 1868 aged 67. both buried @ te henui cemetery in new plymouth, in block a, row 12 no 177. third family member, ada purnell, died on 14 september 1960 aged 72, shares family grave.

charles purnell jr eldest child. next born james jim purnell (9 may 1844 – 15 january 1926), became major after new zealand wars. champion rifle shot in new zealand, , town clerk in wanganui before retiring freemans bay, auckland, lived in wood street.

the next oldest brother george purnell (20 july 1846 – 20 july 1931), who, james purnell, lived in wanganui. son, george proctor purnell, set law firm in christchurch in 1919 still exists purnell creighton lawyers.

the next brother alfred henry purnell (february 1849 – 13 june 1908), moved thames in 1874 mining. died @ home in mary street in thames after long illness.

his eldest sister sarah ann purnell (21 april 1852 – 8 august 1932), married charles frederick andrews @ thames on 16 october 1875. retired grey lynn, lived in sussex street not far away brother james.

the youngest sister made journey england new zealand jessie eleanor purnell (1855 – 23 may 1928). married james graham on 16 april 1887 @ brother james house in wanganui, in town couple lived until deaths. prominent in methodist church.

one more sister, mary caroline lucy purnell (13 january 1858 – 23 october 1945), born after family had arrived in new zealand. married robert pitkethley , lived in manly, sydney.

on 2 june 1870, purnell married flavia marie hyde, daughter of herbert wilson of jersey, @ st john baptist church, christchurch. eldest daughter married in november 1904. wife died in 1924. purnell died in ashburton on 7 december 1926 after brief illness; worked barrister until death.