John Purvis was born on 13 February 1892 in Lambton, New South Wales. He played as a back and before the war was one of the “Dudley Hard Heads” most prominent players. He arrived at the front in France in early 1917 and was wounded twice, once severely in the right knee. By the end of the war he had been promoted to Sergeant.
Prior to demobilisation, in January 1919, he played for the 35th Battalion against the 34th Battalion to help his team secure the 9th Brigade premiership.
Upon his return in 1919 he resumed playing, with Adamstown, Charlestown and Hamilton before being regraded and returning to play for Dudley. He died on 14 November 1962 in Charlestown, New South Wales, at the age of 70.