Arthur Purchas

Arthur Guyon Purchas (27 September 1821 – 28 May 1906) was a clergyman, missionary, surgeon, musician, engineer, inventor, pioneer, geologist and botanist born at St. Arvans in the Wye Valley, Monmouthshire, Wales, who lived most of his life in Auckland, New Zealand. He learnt to speak and write the Māori language fluently and continued work as a doctor and a missionary. He was appointed to the Parish of Onehunga (which additionally included Epsom, Remuera, Otahuhu, Waiuku and Manukau districts), inducted vicar of St Peter's Church and ordained deacon on 19 September 1847.

Purchas was ordained priest on 18 December 1853.

In March 1861, Purchas and James Ninnis were granted the first New Zealand patent (lodged 10 October 1860), This was accompanied with the enactment of the Purchas and Ninnis Flax Patent Act 1860. Purchas was instrumental in the flax industry.

Purchas' interest in science saw him work with geologist and botanist Ferdinand von Hochstetter. Together they surveyed the Auckland volcanic field.

Purchas was the musical director for the New Zealand Anglican Diocese, leading him to produce two national hymnals in both English and Māori. He compiled and arranged The Tune Book for the New Zealand Hymnal. Purchas 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. where he continued his practise as vicar, until he relinquished the Parish of Onehunga and moved with his family to Penrose in 1875. In a tribute, the New Zealand Herald stated with respect to the British colony of New Zealand, that "he laid the foundations of all that is good and true in the social life of the colony." 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 [New Zealand]".

Legacy A photo looking down Purchas Hill Drive in Stonefields, Auckland. alt=A remnant of the predominantly quarried Purchas Hill, with Mount Wellington in the background. A remnant of the predominantly quarried Purchas Hill, looking over College Road, with Mount Wellington in the background. Purchas Hill in Stonefields, Auckland was named after Purchas in gratitude for his work on the Auckland volcanic field by von Hochstetter. Purchas Hill Drive is located where Purchas Hill stood before it was quarried.

Animal species named after Arthur Purchas: Omphalorissa purchasi, a New Zealand snail discovered by Purchas and Ferdinand von Hochstetter. Icerya purchasi, cottony cushion scale, a scale insect originally described in 1878 from specimens collected in New Zealand by Purchas.