John Stanley Purvis OBE FSA FRHistS (9 May 1890 – 1968) was a British clergyman, archivist, poet, and artist.

[2] He had studied at St Catharine's College, Cambridge and, after graduation, Purvis joined Cranleigh School as a history teacher in September 1913.

[3] Purvis was commissioned in 1913 to the West Surrey Regiment,[2] before being assigned as a Second Lieutenant to the Green Howards in March 1916.

[4] Probably due to compassionate grounds, Purvis was then seconded to the Bomb and Trench Mortar School.

[5] Using the pseudonym Philip Johnstone, Purvis wrote as a war poet and published the works 'High Wood' and 'Chance Memory'.

[7] Purvis was the first director of the Borthwick Institute for Archives in York, appointed to the role in 1953 and serving until his death in 1963.

As a historical researcher, Purvis worked extensively on ecclesiastical subjects as well as the contents of the Borthwick's archives.