Richard Purdon (left)
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Purdon family of Woodley Park and Churchtown House
John Batty (Batty) Purdon barrister and Crown Prosecutor for Co Kildare.
1 William Stanley Purdon born circa 1812. He married Sarah Porter on 20 Oct 1838
at St Mary’s Church. Sarah was the only daughter of the late William Porter of Cork.
William bred prize winning cows. He died 29 Oct 1870 at Windy Arbour House,
Dundrum.
1 Edward William Purdon, eldest son married Louisa Marsh Shew on 22 Jan 1909
at St Thomas’ Church, Dublin. Louisa was the widow of Richard Shrew of
Jamestown House, Finglas and the daughter of William Slator, barrister of Tara
Hill, Co Meath.
2 Richard Purdon a shipping clerk of Richmond Place. He married Elizabeth Agnes
Flood at St George's Church on 3 Aug 1886. Elizabeth was the daughter of Martin
Flood, a farmer.
2 Edward Purdon born circa 1815 married Sarah* circa 1836. He was a town councillor
and alderman of the Rotunda ward. He was the founder and proprietor along with is
brother William of the Farmers Gazette in 1838. His main residence was 23 Bachelors
Walk. He took a lease on land at Killoughran, Co Wexford and in 1869 purchased the
reclaimed land at Wexford Harbour from the Dargan estate and is shown as being the
owner of 900 acres in Wexford in 1876. He was secretary to the Mansion House
committee on cattle plaque in 1865/6. Sarah died 1 May 1867 at 23 Bachelor’s Walk.
He was Lord Mayor of Dublin 1870/1. His daughter Eleanor acted as Lady Mayoress.
1 Madeline Purdon eldest daughter born 7 Sep 1837 at Ballymore Eustace, Kildare
baptised at St Mary’s. She married George Seagrave of Liverpool on 28 May 1861
at St Mary’s Church. George was the third son of the Late William Seagrave of
Lissington, Lincolnshire and a mechanical engineer. She was a widow living at
Walthamstow in 1911.
2 John Edward Purdon eldest son born 25 May 1839 baptised at St Marys received
a Gold medal from Trinity in 1862. He was a surgeon and married Hannah Selina
Kilroy on 28 Mar 1866 at Ballmachugh Church, Cavan. Hannah was the third
daughter of Anthony Kilroy of Omard. They had at least four children. John was
an army surgeon and served in the Isle of Wight and India. He was a surgeon with
the 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers living at St Peter Port, Guernsey in 1881. He retired in
1883 and emigrated to America. He died 18 Oct 1925 in California.
3 William Stanley Purdon second son born 6 Jun 1841 graduated bachelor of medicine
from Trinity in 1862. He died 9 Nov 1877 and was buried at Mount Jerome.
4 Eleanor Dorothea de Courcy Purdon second daughter born 10 Nov 1843 baptised
at St Marys. She married Dr Anthony Hagarty Corley on 11 Jun 1870 at St Mary’s
Church, Dublin. Anthony was the son of Hugh Corley, civil servant. Anthony died
1 Dec 1890 aged 50 at 16 Merrion Square. Eleanor and her children were living at
Pembroke Street in 1901 and 1911. Eleanor died same place on 5 Nov 1912.
1 Anthony H Corley eldest son born circa 1877 was a doctor in Australia. He
was killed in action in September 1915 at the Dardanelles.
5 Edward Purdon born 24 May 1846 baptised at St Mary’s.
6 Richard Purdon born circa 1848. He was a printer of Bachelors Walk and married
Alice Heney on 16 Sep 1873 at Dublin Registrars Office. Alice was the daughter of
Thomas Heney, a salesmaster of Grangegorman. Richard was an amateur actor
and a regular of Dublin's Theatre Royal and the Gaiety in pantos and comedies and
his portrayal of 'Widow Twankey' was well known. Dublin was scandalised when in
1878 he announced that he was turning professional.
By 1881 he was a full time actor/comedian and toured with the D'Oyly Carte's
company. In December 1889 straight from a run at London's Theatre Royal he
arrived back in Dublin to reprise the role of Widow Twankey. 'Queen of the
Coombe'**, was specially written by W S North for a Gaiety Theatre production of
'Aladdin, or The Scamp with the Lamp'. The song was sung by Richard Purdon to great
acclaim. He continued to tour England and also wrote sketches and plays. He moved
to America circa 1912 and appeared in at least eight silent movies. He died in New
York on 11 Oct 1916 and Alice died in 1923.
1 Richard Ireland Purdon born 5 Feb 1876 at Mount Street baptised at Chapelizod.
He married Florence Lindsay at Capetown in 1906. He was Inspector in Chief of
foreign labour in Johannesburg. He served during WW1 and received an OBE in
1919. They moved to Snow Hill Cottage, Crawley Dow, Sussex circa 1935 where
Florence died in 1938. Richard kept a poultry farm and died in 1964.
2 Stanley Purdon baptised at the Rotunda Chapel on 22 Aug 1878.
3 Charles Henry Purdon 8 Apr 1879 at Eblana Terrace, NCR served during WW1.
4 Alice Madeline Gladys Purdon born 28 Dec 1881 in Dublin baptised at St Mary's.
She was living with her aunt Madeline Seagrave at Forest Road Walthamstow in
1911 and with her mother at Selwyn Avenue, Walthamstow in 1921. Alice died
in 1948.
Edward secondly married widow Jane Bates Spinks on 30 Apr 1879 at the parish church of
West Derby, Lancashire. Jane was the daughter of Richard Richardson. They lived at
Churchtown House from 1880 to 1883 and at Woodley Park in 1884. He died 28 Mar 1888
at Halewood, Lancashire.
3 John B Purdon an emigration agent and town councillor of Galway. He married Maria Savage
in February 1839 at Tuam.
*Possible marriage to a Sally Murphy on 4 Nov 1836 at Ballymore Eustace.
** Later revived by Jimmy O'Dea and the Dubliners and renamed Biddy Mulligan, the Pride of the
Coombe.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2021/updated March 2025
Return to Woodley page
Return to Churchtown House
John Batty (Batty) Purdon barrister and Crown Prosecutor for Co Kildare.
1 William Stanley Purdon born circa 1812. He married Sarah Porter on 20 Oct 1838
at St Mary’s Church. Sarah was the only daughter of the late William Porter of Cork.
William bred prize winning cows. He died 29 Oct 1870 at Windy Arbour House,
Dundrum.
1 Edward William Purdon, eldest son married Louisa Marsh Shew on 22 Jan 1909
at St Thomas’ Church, Dublin. Louisa was the widow of Richard Shrew of
Jamestown House, Finglas and the daughter of William Slator, barrister of Tara
Hill, Co Meath.
2 Richard Purdon a shipping clerk of Richmond Place. He married Elizabeth Agnes
Flood at St George's Church on 3 Aug 1886. Elizabeth was the daughter of Martin
Flood, a farmer.
2 Edward Purdon born circa 1815 married Sarah* circa 1836. He was a town councillor
and alderman of the Rotunda ward. He was the founder and proprietor along with is
brother William of the Farmers Gazette in 1838. His main residence was 23 Bachelors
Walk. He took a lease on land at Killoughran, Co Wexford and in 1869 purchased the
reclaimed land at Wexford Harbour from the Dargan estate and is shown as being the
owner of 900 acres in Wexford in 1876. He was secretary to the Mansion House
committee on cattle plaque in 1865/6. Sarah died 1 May 1867 at 23 Bachelor’s Walk.
He was Lord Mayor of Dublin 1870/1. His daughter Eleanor acted as Lady Mayoress.
1 Madeline Purdon eldest daughter born 7 Sep 1837 at Ballymore Eustace, Kildare
baptised at St Mary’s. She married George Seagrave of Liverpool on 28 May 1861
at St Mary’s Church. George was the third son of the Late William Seagrave of
Lissington, Lincolnshire and a mechanical engineer. She was a widow living at
Walthamstow in 1911.
2 John Edward Purdon eldest son born 25 May 1839 baptised at St Marys received
a Gold medal from Trinity in 1862. He was a surgeon and married Hannah Selina
Kilroy on 28 Mar 1866 at Ballmachugh Church, Cavan. Hannah was the third
daughter of Anthony Kilroy of Omard. They had at least four children. John was
an army surgeon and served in the Isle of Wight and India. He was a surgeon with
the 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers living at St Peter Port, Guernsey in 1881. He retired in
1883 and emigrated to America. He died 18 Oct 1925 in California.
3 William Stanley Purdon second son born 6 Jun 1841 graduated bachelor of medicine
from Trinity in 1862. He died 9 Nov 1877 and was buried at Mount Jerome.
4 Eleanor Dorothea de Courcy Purdon second daughter born 10 Nov 1843 baptised
at St Marys. She married Dr Anthony Hagarty Corley on 11 Jun 1870 at St Mary’s
Church, Dublin. Anthony was the son of Hugh Corley, civil servant. Anthony died
1 Dec 1890 aged 50 at 16 Merrion Square. Eleanor and her children were living at
Pembroke Street in 1901 and 1911. Eleanor died same place on 5 Nov 1912.
1 Anthony H Corley eldest son born circa 1877 was a doctor in Australia. He
was killed in action in September 1915 at the Dardanelles.
5 Edward Purdon born 24 May 1846 baptised at St Mary’s.
6 Richard Purdon born circa 1848. He was a printer of Bachelors Walk and married
Alice Heney on 16 Sep 1873 at Dublin Registrars Office. Alice was the daughter of
Thomas Heney, a salesmaster of Grangegorman. Richard was an amateur actor
and a regular of Dublin's Theatre Royal and the Gaiety in pantos and comedies and
his portrayal of 'Widow Twankey' was well known. Dublin was scandalised when in
1878 he announced that he was turning professional.
By 1881 he was a full time actor/comedian and toured with the D'Oyly Carte's
company. In December 1889 straight from a run at London's Theatre Royal he
arrived back in Dublin to reprise the role of Widow Twankey. 'Queen of the
Coombe'**, was specially written by W S North for a Gaiety Theatre production of
'Aladdin, or The Scamp with the Lamp'. The song was sung by Richard Purdon to great
acclaim. He continued to tour England and also wrote sketches and plays. He moved
to America circa 1912 and appeared in at least eight silent movies. He died in New
York on 11 Oct 1916 and Alice died in 1923.
1 Richard Ireland Purdon born 5 Feb 1876 at Mount Street baptised at Chapelizod.
He married Florence Lindsay at Capetown in 1906. He was Inspector in Chief of
foreign labour in Johannesburg. He served during WW1 and received an OBE in
1919. They moved to Snow Hill Cottage, Crawley Dow, Sussex circa 1935 where
Florence died in 1938. Richard kept a poultry farm and died in 1964.
2 Stanley Purdon baptised at the Rotunda Chapel on 22 Aug 1878.
3 Charles Henry Purdon 8 Apr 1879 at Eblana Terrace, NCR served during WW1.
4 Alice Madeline Gladys Purdon born 28 Dec 1881 in Dublin baptised at St Mary's.
She was living with her aunt Madeline Seagrave at Forest Road Walthamstow in
1911 and with her mother at Selwyn Avenue, Walthamstow in 1921. Alice died
in 1948.
Edward secondly married widow Jane Bates Spinks on 30 Apr 1879 at the parish church of
West Derby, Lancashire. Jane was the daughter of Richard Richardson. They lived at
Churchtown House from 1880 to 1883 and at Woodley Park in 1884. He died 28 Mar 1888
at Halewood, Lancashire.
3 John B Purdon an emigration agent and town councillor of Galway. He married Maria Savage
in February 1839 at Tuam.
*Possible marriage to a Sally Murphy on 4 Nov 1836 at Ballymore Eustace.
** Later revived by Jimmy O'Dea and the Dubliners and renamed Biddy Mulligan, the Pride of the
Coombe.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - November 2021/updated March 2025
Return to Woodley page
Return to Churchtown House