John Purdy ( 1773 - 1843)

Important English hydrographer, the son of a bookseller at Norwich, Purdy took up the study of naval charts and similar subjects.

Before 1812 he succeeded De la Rochette as hydrographer to Messrs. Laurie & Whittle, of 53 Fleet Street, London. Purdy does not seem to have taken part in hydrographic expeditions himself, and his work consisted in writing works and constructing charts based upon the reports of others; but eventually he became a leading authority of his time on hydrography. He was mainly instrumental in bringing Rennell’s Current before the notice of navigators, and in 1832 James Rennell’s daughter, Lady Rodd, asked Purdy to edit his Wind and Current Charts. In 1812 Purdy published a Memoir, descriptive and explanatory, to accompany the, New Chart of the Atlantic Ocean, the work went through many editions.

Purdy died on 29 January 1843.