John Landles Purse (28 June 1879 – 2 March 1953) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the St Kilda Football Club and Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Jack Purse
Personal information
Full name John Landles Purse
Date of birth (1879-06-28)28 June 1879
Place of birth Hawthorn, Victoria
Date of death 2 March 1953(1953-03-02) (aged 73)
Place of death Boyup Brook, Western Australia
Original team(s) Brighton
Height 179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Defender
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1898 St Kilda 001 0(0)
1900–1908 Melbourne 109 (12)
Total 110 (12)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1901, 1904 Victoria
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1908.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family edit

The son of John Purse (1838–1893),[2] and Alison Purse (1845–1927), née Landles,[3] John Landles Purse was born in Hawthorn, Victoria on 28 June 1879.[4]

He married Victoria May McKay (1878–1972) on 25 April 1904.[5] One of their sons, Neil Landles Purse (1911–1942), was killed in action serving with the Second AIF on 26 October 1942.[6][7]

Football edit

Recruited from Brighton in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association, Purse made his VFL debut for St Kilda against Geelong in round 17 of the 1898 VFL season, at Corio Oval. He transferred to Melbourne in 1900 and in his first season became a premiership player, playing in the 1900 VFL Grand Final at centre half-back. He has been given the Melbourne Heritage Number of 77, based on the order of his debut for the club.[8]

His younger brother Hugh Purse also played for Melbourne.

Death edit

He died at his home in Boyup Brook, Western Australia on 2 March 1953.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2011). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (9th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. p. 699. ISBN 978-1-921496-12-7.
  2. ^ Deaths: Purse, The Argus, (Tuesday, 25 April 1893), p.1.
  3. ^ Marriages: Purse—Landles, The Australasian, (Saturday, 22 July 1871), p.27; Deaths: Purse, The Argus, (Friday, 20 May 1927), p.1.
  4. ^ Births: Purse, The Argus, (Wednesday, 9 July 1879), p.1.
  5. ^ Marriages: Purse—McKay, The Australasian, (Saturday, 28 May 1904), p.57.
  6. ^ Births: Purse, The Prahran Telegraph, (Friday, 22 December 1911), p.1.
  7. ^ Deaths on Service: Purse, The West Australian, (Thursday, 26 November 1942), p.1; Australian War Memorial: Roll of Honour: Private Neil Landles Purse (WX9891).
  8. ^ "Heritage Numbers – 0–500". Melbourne Football Club. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  9. ^ Deaths: Purse, The Age, (Wednesday, 4 March 1953), p.20; Deaths: Purse, The Age, (Wednesday, 4 March 1953), p.13.

External links edit