PURDIE, ALEXANDER CALLENDER (1824-99) was born in the parish of Fenwick, Ayrshire, educated there, and trained as a wireworker in Glasgow. While working at his trade he saw many country residences throughout the United Kingdom and had an opportunity of studying botany. Before coming to Otago in the Pladda (1860) he had already made contacts with leading botanists. He was associated with the Exhibition of 1865, and thereafter devoted himself mainly to scientific pursuits. With Beverly, G. M. Thomson and others, he formed the field naturalists club, and he was a staunch supporter of the horticultural society. He sent a species of whale to the British Museum collection. Purdie for many years contributed notes on natural history under the nom de plume of 'Pakeha' to the Otago Witness. He died on 24 Jun 1899. A son became professor of geology in the School of Mines in Adelaide.

Otago Daily Times, 5 Jul 1899.

Reference: Volume 2, page 97

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