Memorable Manitobans: Philip Purcell (1865-1939)

Philip Purcell Click to enlarge

Journalist, editor, civil servant.

Born at Guelph, Ontario on 7 June 1865, he attended school there. He apprenticed as a printer with the Guelph Mercury before coming to Brandon in 1887. He began working with Ernest Lisle Christie in publishing the Brandon Times and was later a reporter and editor of the Brandon Sun. He left Brandon 1912 and spent five years as Telegraph Editor of the Manitoba Free Press. He was appointed King's Printer on 2 April 1917, succeeding James Hooper, and retired from the position on 30 April 1937.

In June 1892, he married Margaret Rose “Maggie” Scanlon (1867-1940) at Winnipeg and they had four children: Mary Purcell (1898-?), Eugene Joseph Purcell (1893-1900), Philip Gillis Purcell (1904-1987), and Eileen Purcell (1906-?). He lived at 756 Jessie Avenue, Winnipeg, at the time of his death, which occurred at St. Boniface on 7 February 1939. He was buried in the Brandon Cemetery.

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Birth and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Philip Purcell, former King's Printer, dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 February 1939, page 3.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 26 December 2021

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!