Reverend Dr Arthur Guyon Purchas was a clergyman, missionary, surgeon, musician, engineer, inventor, pioneer, geologist and botanist born in Wye Valley, who lived most of his life in Auckland, New Zealand. He was the father of fourteen children and an important figure during British colonisation of New Zealand.
In October 1844, Purchas travelled to New Zealand on the Slains Castle, where he was the surgeon. He arrived in Nelson on 26 January 1845, where he met Bishop Selwyn. He travelled to several parts of New Zealand, including Nelson, Wellington, New Plymouth and Auckland, before returning to England. On 27 December 1845, he married Olivia Purchas in Liverpool. In April 1846 Purchas permanently migrated to New Zealand with his wife Olivia Purchas, visiting Sydney, Australia on their way. They departed from Sydney to Auckland on 3 October 1846. He learnt to speak and write the Māori language fluently and continued work as a doctor and a missionary. He was inducted vicar of St Peter's Church in Onehunga and ordained deacon on 19 September 1847, and later priest on 18 December 1853. In 1848, he met and helped introduce future British Prime MinisterRobert Gascoyne-Cecil to New Zealand. In 1850, Purchas became the first European to discover the Huntly coalfields. Purchas was known for his interest in relations between the British and Māori, seeing education as a priority for the Māori. In March 1861, Purchas and James Ninnis were granted the first patent in New Zealand history. It was for a plant fibre dressing process and leaf-stripping machine for their flax mill on the Waitangi Stream at Waiuku. This was accompanied with the enactment of the Purchas and Ninnis Flax Patent Act 1860. Purchas' interest in science saw him work with geologist and botanist Ferdinand von Hochstetter. Together they surveyed the Auckland volcanic field.
Later life
Purchas was the musical director for the New Zealand Anglican Diocese, leading him to produce two national hymnals in both English and Māori. He also taught singing to children at St John's College in Auckland. In addition, he taught music to the blind and invented a system of reading music for the blind; a quick method for preparing metal plates to print braille. Purchas designed the initial Mangere Bridge, which opened in January 1875. He recommenced medical practise as a doctor in 1875. In 1884, Purchas had a block built on Karangahape Road, Auckland, designed by Edward Bartley.
Death and legacy
Purchas died on 28 May 1906. He was buried at Purewa Cemetry in Meadowbank, Auckland, on 1 June 1906. In a tribute, the New Zealand Herald stated that "he laid the foundations of all that is good and true in the social life of the colony" with respect to the British colony in New Zealand. He has also been described as the 'Leonardo da Vinci of New Zealand', and 'perhaps the most gifted person ever to come to this country '. Purchas Hill in Stonefields, Auckland was named after Purchas in gratitude for his work on the Auckland volcanic field by von Hochstetter. The road Purchas Hill Drive is located where Purchas Hill was before being quarried. The snail Omphalorissa purchasi, discovered by Purchas and Ferdinand von Hochstetter, was named in his honour. The scale insectIcerya purchasi was originally described in 1878 from specimens collected in New Zealand by Purchas. It was therefore named after him.
