The Selborne Mission Collection
Details
Type of record: Archive
Title: The Selborne Mission Collection
Classmark: MS 2242
Creator(s): Purches, Samuel Leslie (1898-1955)
Date(s): 1931-1955
Size and medium: 3 photograph albums; black and white photographs; photocopies; volume
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/677548
Collection group(s): Gypsy, Traveller and Roma Collections
Description
The collection relates to the Selborne Hop Mission to members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community on the Selborne Estate, Hampshire, in 1931. The Mission may have been requested by Lord Selborne.
The collection comprises 3 small photograph albums containing black and white photographs of the community. Some of the photographs include the Reverend Samuel Leslie Purches, known as Leslie, who undertook the mission. Leslie Purches can be identified as he was unusually short, the result of a childhood accident.
There is also a photocopy of a short story written by Purches and a book presented to Purches by I. G. Williamson for his work. The collection contains an obituary of Purches.
Biography or history
The Reverend Samuel Leslie Purches was born in Singapore on 17 September 1898, where his father, Walter, an Quartermaster in the army was based at the time. Purches was known as Leslie. Trained at Knutsford College, he became the Rector of Mautby and the Vicar of Runham in Norfolk. The Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community gave Purches the name Tom Paht. Purches' sons have supplied some anecdotes about their father. (1) Our father had to sleep on a high hill called the Zig-Zag on the pathway that led to the top, because the Gypsies weren't at all sure of the flying lights that appeared in the late evenings. They were in fact fire-flies. The Zig-Zag is more commonly named The Hanger and is mentioned quite frequently in Gilbert White's Natural History. (2) I remember going into a chemist's shop when we lived in Norfolk where the counter was most unusually high. [Leslie] banged on the side and shouted 'Is everyone dead here, I can't see anyone?' The assistant, who knew him, replied
'So sorry, Vicar. I can't stop taking the growth tablets. I'm so tall, I can't see you either!'. Such was his nature with all he met. Purches married Winifred K Osborn in 1938. The couple had three children.
Provenance
Donated by R. Michael Purches in October 2019.
Access and usage
Access
Access to this collection is protected under the Data Protection Act. You will need to complete a data protection access form and return it to Special Collections for review by staff before access can be granted