(born c. 1716 – died 8 July 1759)
Local connection
There was a monumental inscription to him at St Mary’s church, Lewisham.
Biography
James Purcell was Governor of Tortola Island, Virgin Islands from 1750 – 1751.
Purcell and his brother John had plantations on Tortola Island and rebuilt the fort close to their plantation, which was renamed 'Fort Purcell’; today it is known as 'the dungeon’.
By 1754 Purcell also had a property at Chatham, although he did not live there.
Purcell had a black servant who was also baptised James Purcell at St Mary's church, Lewisham 24 March 1737, aged 32. He was noted as being with Purcell at 'Boydes', a probable reference to Augustus Boyd, a plantation owner on St Christopher Island (now St Kitts).
Boyd's son James bought Danson House and used the huge profits from the plantations to create the house we see today.