The Fire Kindlers

' THE FIRE KINDLERS '

THE STORY OF THE PURKIS FAMILY

Introduction

In researching the ''Purkis'' family history we came across a book entitled 'The Fire Kindlers - The Story Of The Purkis Family'. The author is Leslie S. Purkis who was resident in Canada at the time of writing the book in the late 1930s

Here are a few of the notable comments taken from the book that relate to our subject of Purkis the Charcoal Burner:

The author suggests that the origin of the name Purkis comes from the Greek, Purkaeus, meaning The Fire Kindler.

So how did a Greek Fire Kindler end up in Britain? The author believes that a Greek settlement was founded in Winchester for the purpose of trading their rich woven cloths for hides and that the trade was so successful that the buyers settled permanently. Clearly the Greeks brought their fire kindler with them.

In an early chapter is included this little poem and the hint of a ghostly tale:

" Eight hundred years ago, sir,

As I have heard men say

A King rode in the forest

His royal stag to slay;

Through brier and brake the huntsman's horn

Rang with a cheerful swell;

But instead of a royal stag that day

The King of England fell. "

Was this the first recorded case of an anti-hunt demo?

And the hint of a ghost story...... batsanm.gif (1753 bytes)

' It is said that about midnight on August the second every year a ghostly procession may be seen anywhere along what is known as the King's Lane.'

The King's Lane referred to is the route that the charcoal burner Purkis was supposed to have taken to get to Winchester as he carried his gruesome burden on his cart.

The book chronicles the arrival and departures of members of the Purkis family throughout the ages and their more notable achievements, but as our intention is to focus on the charcoal burner we will not detail this history here. One thing is of note, that ' Purkis ' remains a common name in Hampshire and Purkis family was associated with charcoal burning at Castle Malwood ( near Stoney Cross in the New Forest ) right up to the end of the nineteenth century.

The explanation as to why we have decided to reproduce the work of Leslie Purkis for the internet lies in the words, taken from ' The Foreword ' of the book:

' I have a dual purpose in telling the story; first to give to the present and future all the interesting information I have been able to gather concerning our family in the past; second, and more important, to uplift and make clear to all, to our own family and no less to the whole human family, the spiritual light that shines from the lives of our forefathers-a light which came from on high and leads to heaven; a light by no means peculiar to our family, but one which shines everywhere, though men perceive it not; yet which is coloured with a singularly beautiful inspiration in the story of our fathers. '

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOSE OF THE PURKIS FAMILY WHO HAVE CONTACTED US AND OFFERED THEIR SUPPORT AND APPROVAL OF OUR DECISION TO PUBLISH 'THE FIRE KINDLERS' ON THE WEB. THIS THANKS GOES ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WITH A CLOSER FAMILY RELATIONSHIP TO THE AUTHOR LESLIE PURKIS.

TO READ THE FULL CHAPTERS CLICK ON ' THE FIRE KINDLERS FOREWORD ' OR ' CHAPTER I ' OR ' CHAPTER 2 ' ETC IN THE COLUMN OF LINKS ON THE RIGHT.