Edward Henry Purcell

Edward Henry Purcell (d.1765), organist, printer, and music publisher, was the son of Edward Purcell, and grandson of Henry Purcell. He was a chorister in the Chapel Royal in 1737.Holman, Peter, and Thompson, Robert 'Edward Henry Purcell' in "Grove Music Online" (ed. L. Macy), , accessed 15 March 2008] . On the death of his father in 1740, he succeeded him as organist of St Clement, Eastcheap.

He was also organist of St Edmund, King and Martyr, between 10 September 1747 and 10 October 1753, from whence he became organist at St John, Hackney, Dawe, Donovan 'Edward Purcell' in "Organs and Organists of the City of London". Padstow: Dawe. 136.] all the while retaining his post at St Clement's. (N.B. the present Hackney church is a later building). At Hackney he was rebuked for lightness and for irregular attendance.'Hackney: The Parish Church' in "A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 10: Hackney" (1995). 115-122. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22711. Date accessed: 24 March 2008]

It may be that Edward Henry is the same Purcell, a printer, who was pubishing music at the sign of the Handel's Head, Wood Street in 1751.] .

It seems that Edward Henry was living very close to poverty at the end of his life, for we read in the "London Gazette" of 23 June 1761, that he was being pursued for debt:

Purcell, Edward Henry: To compell Edward Henry Purcell, late of Mincing Lane, musician, to make a schedule of his estate and effects, as an insolvent debtor, prisoner in the King's Bench Prison, Surrey. Witness my hand the 22d day of June 1761, Henry Saffery

He was buried, alongside his father, near the organ gallery in St Clement Eastcheap.Dawe, Donovan 'Edward Purcell' in "Organs and Organists of the City of London". Padstow: Dawe. 136.]

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