Garry Purdham

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Garry Purdham
File:Garry purdham rugby.jpg
Personal information
Full nameGarry John Purdham
Born20 October 1978
Whitehaven, Cumbria, England
Died2 June 2010(2010-06-02) (aged 31)
Gosforth, Cumbria, England
Playing information
PositionSecond-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1999–05 Whitehaven 127 17 0 0 68
2005–08 Workington Town 58 5 0 1 21
Total 185 22 0 1 89
Source: [1]

Garry John Purdham (20 October 1978 – 2 June 2010) was an English professional rugby league player[2] and farmer. He was killed in the 2010 Cumbria shootings.

Career

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Purdham began his professional rugby league career in 1999 with Whitehaven.[3] There he played alongside his brother Rob Purdham.

In 2005 Purdham transferred to the nearby club Workington Town.[4] He struggled with a recurring knee injury at Workington[5] and ultimately required four operations in six years.[6]

Purdham retired from professional rugby league after the 2008 season;[3] however, he returned in 2009 to play amateur rugby league for Egremont Rangers.[7]

Death

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Main article: Cumbria shootings

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.[8][9] He became the ninth murder victim of spree killer Derrick Bird, who killed 12 people and injured 11 others that day before committing suicide.[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 cremation were held on 10 June 2010, attended by over 600 mourners.[13]

Family

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Purdham is survived by a wife and two children. He was the brother of Rob Purdham, a former player with Harlequins RL[14] who played for England five times.[15]

References

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  1. ^ Rugby League Project
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Obituaries

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