On this day in 1950, 28-year-old convict Joseph Purton – otherwise known as Dragon Man – was captured by the military at a disused army camp in Whippingham after being at large on the Isle of Wight for a week after escaping from Parkhurst Prison.
Purton had escaped the notorious prison with a companion – William Smith – who was recaptured in Cowes. He narrowly evaded capture when the occupier of a house discovered him hiding in a wardrobe, but Purton made his escape from the vicinity by stealing a bicycle.
The fugitive then took shelter in a barn near Cowes, but a cowman – suspecting Purton was hidden in the hay – stuck his pitchfork into the stack, causing him to leap out and head for a nearby wood. The cowman gave chase but lost him.
30 policemen were drafted in to capture the Dragon Man but failed to locate him.
The following day, Purton was found by the military in a disused army camp at Whippingham in an unkempt and exhausted state. His face had been cut with a deep gash over his right eye caused by the pitchfork, and he offered no resistance to his capturers.
Before his escape, Purton had trained like an Olympic athlete, winning a 2-mile prison race by 30 yards. He had twice previously escaped from prison in Chelmsford.
Joseph Purton was known as the Dragon Man because of the dragon tattoo on his forearm.
If only Islanders had the bottle to deal with any criminals like that Cow man did.
The Island just might have hope, but all now ‘hide’ behind the feeble excuse that ‘if we do anything we will be punished more than the criminal’
That and karma is just a cowards way out of dealing with such imo
Trouble is nowadays the cow man would have been arrested for attempted murder
I have dealt with two criminals in recent years. One was someone breaking into my home, the other was a man attacking a woman. Both were dealt with very robustly before the police were called. No action was taken against me despite the second one protesting that I’d beaten him.
Most people don’t intervene due to fear for their own safety, not fear of prosecution.
I’m a big guy, and not a lot scares me, though.
Size will never matter TRUST ME .
Sadly in this day and age the Cow man would be arrested for assault and locked up in prison
How times have changed since then, and mostly for the worst.
So refreshing that a farm worker could use an implement to attack a felon, who was no threat to himself, without the Police arresting him.
And how odd that now it is mostly those ‘muvvers’ claiming state funding for paying for their children who have such tattoos rather than just men.
I am sure the next 70 years, life on the Island will be even worse as your youngsters collect their pensions if the money hasn’t been used to fund the world and their dog flooding our nation by then.
Please keep these stories they are so interesting
They should lock him up and throw away the keys !
No mention of what Purton was originally banged up for, must of been something serious enough to end up in Parkhurst.
The nickname ‘Houdini’ would of been more appropriate. Fair play to the brave cowman, little did he realise he was in hot pursuit of a fugitive or what Purton was capable of?
He was a thief who targeted banks and offices, even once breaking into a supposedly “unbreakable” safe made by Chubbs. He was very experienced in using dynamite from his time in the army and put this skill to work. A very capable man. Purton was fantastically fit, (something he maintained into old age) and when incarcerated was always trying to escape. Another successful attempt was when he escaped from Chelmsford prison, digging a tunnel. He had a wicked sense of humour, once referring to a prosecutor by the name of Mr.Buzzard as “Mr.Vulture” repeatedly, nearly causing the man to combust with frustration much to the amusement of people who had come to watch the trial.