Garry Purdham
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Garry John Purdham | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Garry John Purdham (c.1979 – 2 June 2010) was an English professional rugby league player[1] and farmer. He was killed in the 2010 Cumbria shootings.
Career
Purdham began his professional rugby league career in 1999 with Whitehaven RLFC.[2] There he played alongside his brother Rob Purdham.
In 2005 Purdham transferred to the nearby club Workington Town.[3] He struggled with a recurring knee injury at Workington[4] and ultimately required four operations in six years.[5]
Purdham retired from professional rugby league after the 2008 season;[2] however, he returned in 2009 to play amateur rugby league for Egremont Rangers.[6]
Death
On 2 June 2010, Purdham was working with his uncle mending a wire fence on his father's farm near the Red Admiral Hotel at Boonwood, near Gosforth when he was shot and killed.[7][8] He became the ninth murder victim of spree killer Derrick Bird, who killed 12 people and injured 11 others that day before committing suicide.[9] It was claimed by Purdham's neighbours that he was aware of Bird's rampage from radio broadcasts and recognised Bird's vehicle as it passed. It is alleged that Purdham was attempting to subdue Bird with a fence post when he was shot and killed.[10]
In honour of Purdham and the other Cumbria victims, one minute's silence was observed before every rugby league match played in England on the weekend of 5–6 June 2010.[11]
The Workington club has announced that a memorial in honour of Purdham will be established.[12] His funeral and burial were held on 10 June 2010, attended by over 600 mourners.[13]
Family
Garry Purdham had a wife and two young children. He was the brother of Rob, a player with Harlequins Rugby League,[14] who has played for England five times.[15]
Obituaries
References
- ^ "Rugby star Philip speaks of gun horror". Edinburgh Evening News. UK: Johnston Press Digital Publishing. 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b "Tributes are paid to ex-Workington player Garry Purdham". news.bbc.co.uk. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ Ledger, John (25 June 2005). "Featherstone fear Dragons' backlash". yorkshirepost.co.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ Morgan, Martin (5 June 2008). "Purdham on course for comeback". timesandstar.co.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ Morgan, Martin (6 November 2008). "Workington's Garry Purdham to play on for one more season". newsandstar.co.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ "Egremont give new coach Roper perfect start against Crosfields". whitehaven-news.co.uk. 14 September 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ "Cumbria shootings: The victims named". The Whitehaven News. CN Group. 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
- ^ Bingham, John (3 June 2010). "Bitter family row over will was trigger that sparked killing rage". independent.ie. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Hazelton, Liz (3 June 2010). "Family releases first picture of Cumbria gunman's slain twin brother as they insist there was no feud". dailymail.co.uk. London. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ "Cumbria shootings: Derrick Bird 'was settling scores'". telegraph.co.uk. London. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
- ^ "Game-wide minute's silence". therfl.co.uk. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ "Workington plan memorial for Garry Purdham". guardian.co.uk. London. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ "Funeral for Cumbria shooting victim Garry Purdham". bbc.co.uk. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ "Rob Purdham on compassionate leave". superleague.co.uk. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ Taylor, Matthew (2 June 2010). "Derrick Bird's brother was the first victim before random spree in Cumbria". London: The Times. Retrieved 3 June 2010.