[3] Sir Stephen Collins, the Liberal MP for Kennington in Lambeth since 1906 decided not to contest the seat at the 1918 general election, perhaps because at the age of 71 he felt it was time to stand down.

Purchase had the advantage of the Coalition coupon[4] over the Unionist, Colonel Francis Alfred Lucas, the former MP for Lowestoft who had fought the seat in the general elections of January and December 1910.

[10] Although this was a good majority compared with the 55 votes by which Sir Stephen Collins had defeated Colonel Lucas in December 1910, it was perhaps closer than some commentators anticipated, given the landslide for the Coalition which had taken place overall.

One historian has written of Mrs Lucas’ result that she was ‘probably the first woman to discover that there is nothing like bereavement, injury or childbirth to commend a candidate to the British electorate.’[11] Following his attachment as Assistant Director to the Ministry of Food in 1918,[12] in its Enforcement Branch, Purchase was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chairman of the National Insurance Joint Committee in 1919.

In November 1899, the former Liberal prime minister, Lord Rosebery was the leading speaker at a commemorative meeting which raised money for the Prince of Wales's Hospital Fund.

Purchase also furthered his political ambitions by becoming the Secretary to the Committee of London Liberal MPs in which capacity he served from 1918–1922 and in 1930 he was a member of the Bar delegation to Canada and the United States.

[1] In 1931, Purchase produced a legal text book, The Law relating to Documents of Title to Goods, published by Sweet & Maxwell Ltd.