Purnell-Edwards family of Stillorgan
John Purnell Purnell-Edwards married Gwladys Ruth Liddon
born 6 Jan 1886 7 Jun 1913 born October 1888
Stancombe, Gloucestershire Kensington Iron Acton, Gloucestershire
died 13 Dec 1956 died 16 May 1935
The Rectory, Stillorgan Ealing
John Purnell-Edwards only son born 6 Jan 1886 at Stancombe, Dursley in Gloucestershire son of
Rev David Edwards, vicar of North Nibley and Emily Anne Purnell*. He was educated at Harrow
and Christ Church Oxford. On his 21st birthday he was presented with a knee hole writing desk,
silver inkstand, a dress suit case and an illuminated address by the parish committee. He was
an engineer forking for the civil service and married Gwladys Ruth Liddon on 7 Jun 1913 at St
Mary Abbot’s Church, Kensington. They spent their honeymoon in the Lake District. Gwladys was
the youngest daughter of Captain Matthew M Liddon of the 8th Regiment and the niece of Harry
Parry Lidden, Canon of St Pauls. They lived at Burnham, Buckinghamshire and moved to Ealing
circa 1934. Gwladys died 16 May 1935 at her home in Colebrook Avenue in Ealing and was
buried at Danbury, Essex. She became entangled in the flex of a reading lamp and was
electrocuted. John worked as an engineer in Beira, Mozambique in 1930 and in Antigua from 1935
to 1938. He was a member of the Leander Rowing Club and was a member of a winning Henley
crew. He was living Blackrock by 1944 and helped coach both sides (Trinity and UCD) for the 1948
Colours Boat Race. He later lived at 2 Dublin Road, Stillorgan. He died 13 Dec 1956 at The Rectory,
Stillorgan. The Rev Marcus Taylor the informant.
1 Anne Ruth Purnell-Edwards born 27 Nov 1915 London. She qualified SRN at the Middlesex
Hospital, 1938 and listed as on the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service in 1941.
She married Joshua William Squire Sprigge on 12 Jul 1944 at Chelmsford.
2 Helen Elizabeth Purnell-Edwards born 19 Oct 1921 London. She married George Masao
Maruyama on 13 Apr 1946 at St, John's, Antigua and Barbuda and they moved to Dubuque,
Iowa.
3 William Paston (Bill) Purnell- Edwards born 1924 Burnham, Buckinghamshire attended
Malvern College. He joined the RAF in 1944. He was with the 186 Squadron, Royal Air
Force Volunteer Reserve and was a sergeant/gunner. His Aircraft was shot down over
Meiderich, north of Duisberg by anti-aircraft fire on 15 Oct 1944. His body was recovered
and he was buried at Hamborn, Duisburg. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
*Emily Ann Purnell born 9 Apr 1854 at Strand Street Tralee, Co Kerry baptised 4 May 1854 at Tralee
Co Kerry was the daughter of Captain William Paston Purnell of Stancombe Park and of the 90th
Light Infantry and his wife Emily Agar. Her mother was the second daughter of John H Agar of
Ballyhar, and Lohercannon House, Co Kerry and died on 24 Apr 1854 at Strand Street, Tralee from
paralysis. Her parents married in Columbo, Ceylon on 29 Nov 1844.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - October 2024
John Purnell Purnell-Edwards married Gwladys Ruth Liddon
born 6 Jan 1886 7 Jun 1913 born October 1888
Stancombe, Gloucestershire Kensington Iron Acton, Gloucestershire
died 13 Dec 1956 died 16 May 1935
The Rectory, Stillorgan Ealing
John Purnell-Edwards only son born 6 Jan 1886 at Stancombe, Dursley in Gloucestershire son of
Rev David Edwards, vicar of North Nibley and Emily Anne Purnell*. He was educated at Harrow
and Christ Church Oxford. On his 21st birthday he was presented with a knee hole writing desk,
silver inkstand, a dress suit case and an illuminated address by the parish committee. He was
an engineer forking for the civil service and married Gwladys Ruth Liddon on 7 Jun 1913 at St
Mary Abbot’s Church, Kensington. They spent their honeymoon in the Lake District. Gwladys was
the youngest daughter of Captain Matthew M Liddon of the 8th Regiment and the niece of Harry
Parry Lidden, Canon of St Pauls. They lived at Burnham, Buckinghamshire and moved to Ealing
circa 1934. Gwladys died 16 May 1935 at her home in Colebrook Avenue in Ealing and was
buried at Danbury, Essex. She became entangled in the flex of a reading lamp and was
electrocuted. John worked as an engineer in Beira, Mozambique in 1930 and in Antigua from 1935
to 1938. He was a member of the Leander Rowing Club and was a member of a winning Henley
crew. He was living Blackrock by 1944 and helped coach both sides (Trinity and UCD) for the 1948
Colours Boat Race. He later lived at 2 Dublin Road, Stillorgan. He died 13 Dec 1956 at The Rectory,
Stillorgan. The Rev Marcus Taylor the informant.
1 Anne Ruth Purnell-Edwards born 27 Nov 1915 London. She qualified SRN at the Middlesex
Hospital, 1938 and listed as on the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service in 1941.
She married Joshua William Squire Sprigge on 12 Jul 1944 at Chelmsford.
2 Helen Elizabeth Purnell-Edwards born 19 Oct 1921 London. She married George Masao
Maruyama on 13 Apr 1946 at St, John's, Antigua and Barbuda and they moved to Dubuque,
Iowa.
3 William Paston (Bill) Purnell- Edwards born 1924 Burnham, Buckinghamshire attended
Malvern College. He joined the RAF in 1944. He was with the 186 Squadron, Royal Air
Force Volunteer Reserve and was a sergeant/gunner. His Aircraft was shot down over
Meiderich, north of Duisberg by anti-aircraft fire on 15 Oct 1944. His body was recovered
and he was buried at Hamborn, Duisburg. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
*Emily Ann Purnell born 9 Apr 1854 at Strand Street Tralee, Co Kerry baptised 4 May 1854 at Tralee
Co Kerry was the daughter of Captain William Paston Purnell of Stancombe Park and of the 90th
Light Infantry and his wife Emily Agar. Her mother was the second daughter of John H Agar of
Ballyhar, and Lohercannon House, Co Kerry and died on 24 Apr 1854 at Strand Street, Tralee from
paralysis. Her parents married in Columbo, Ceylon on 29 Nov 1844.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - October 2024