Edward William Purvis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 4, 1857 |
| Died | August 16, 1888 (aged 31) Colorado Springs, Colorado, US |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom Kingdom of Hawaii |
| Service/ | 70th (Surrey) Regiment 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment King's Staff (Hawaii) |
| Rank | Colonel, Major, Sub-Lieutenant |
Colonel Edward William Purvis (July 4, 1857 – August 16, 1888) was a British army officer and settler of the Kingdom of Hawaii who served as Vice-Chamberlain during the reign of King Kalākaua. After resigning from the royal household, Purvis published two political satires aimed at undermining the image of the king and his prime minister, Walter M. Gibson, who had been responsible for the removal of Purvis' superior. These actions and other factors led to the demise of the Gibson regime and the Bayonet Constitution of 1887. Purvis died in the following year, after going to the United States to seek medical attention for his health. According to popular legend, he was an expert player of the Portuguese machete or cavaquinho and was believed to be the inspiration for the name of the Hawaiian ukulele.