Histories

Biographical Information: HARRY ALEXANDER PURVIS (BRUIN or LEX), D.F.C., A.F.C. and Bar, born 21st October 1905 at Long Newton, near Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, died 23rd December 1966 at Amesbury, Wiltshire, England, buried at Amesbury. Group Captain Royal Air Force. Entered (1924) The Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, Lincolnshire, England, and was commissioned (July 1926). He was selected to give the individual aerobatics display at Hendon Aerodrome, Middlesex, England, in 1929. Prior to World War II he was attached to the Fleet Air Arm and also test flew early models of the Spitfire. Served throughout World War II (awarded the D.F.C., A.F.C. and Bar, Mentioned in Despatches) with the Royal Air Force, including command of an airborne mine detonation squadron, command of a Hudson Coastal Command Squadron at Leuchars, Fife, Scotland, evaluation of American aircraft for the R.A.F. (April 1941-April 1942), command of the Performance Testing Squadron of the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire (April 1942-April 1945), command of the R.A.F. stations at Dum Dum (Calcutta) and Poonah, India. On retiring from the Royal Air Force, he became Chief Civil Test Pilot for the Ministry of Aviation (1946-63) and, amongst others, flight tested the Amassador, Viking, Viscount, Hermes and Comet aircraft. (See British Test Pilots by Geoffrey Dorman, published 1950 by Forbes Robertson Limited, Men with Wings by Sandy Powtell, and obituary in The Times newspaper, London, England, 31st December 1966). He inherited (1962) Kinaldy on the death of his father, sold (1963) the estate to Mr George Milne, who had for many years been his father's farming partner, and the house to his sister Joyce Wilhelmine Purvis (see 1.1.3.6.1.9.1. above). Married 1st (7th January 1933) Eileen Therese O'Connor (born 1908 in Southern Ireland (Eire), died 24th January 1937 at Farnborough, Hampshire, England, in childbirth, buried at Effingham, Surrey, England, together with her brother Brendon O'Connor (killed there (1935) in a flying accident) who was a close friend of her husband), daughter of ….. (died c.1937/38) and ….. (died 195?) who remarried ….. Hanstock, having two children (twins):- HARRY ALEXANDER PURVIS (BRUIN or LEX) married 2nd (27th April 1940) Winifred Mary Sanday (Mary or Pippity) (born 2nd August 19?? in England, died 31st August 1990), who lived on as a widow at Amesbury, Wiltshire, England, daughter of Colonel William Douglas Sanday, D.S.O., M.C. (died 1952, buried in New York), who served with the Royal Flying Corps during World War I, and Ellen St John Broderick (died 1963 in London, England) of Cheshire, England, having two further children:-