A child prodigy, Purkis studied with Thomas Grenville (circa 1744–1827), also blind, and the organist at the Foundling Hospital in London.
[4] Over the next 21 years he performed popular Saturday afternoon recitals on the instrument at the firm's showroom, 101, St Martin's Lane.
[5][6] At the recitals Purkis often played fantasias on opera themes that were later published as piano pieces by William Hodsoll, and these became very popular with home pianists in the 1820s.
[9] In 1811 Purkis went through a series of operations, performed by Sir William Adams of Exeter, that gained him some limited sight.
[2] His pupils included the organist and music historian William Smith Rockstro.