'I have only just found this site site, amazingly, since Mark's concerns are close to my own. I've been immensely moved by the humanity of his approach to all these terrible problems we suffer as a result of the refusal of Big Business to put our health and that of the earth before their own profits. My condolences to Mark's family on the loss of an extraordinary man: I can only say I too wish I'd known him. I hope the website will remain for as long as it is needed.

Those who would like to follow or join in other ways the fight against pesticides and their effect on human and animal health, should visit the website of anther brave crusader, Georgina Downs, currently taking on the might of DEFRA in the High Court, in her mission to force acknowledgment of the poisonous legacy of OP use:

Sara Waterson' - http://www.pesticidescampaign.co.uk/

From: Sandy Moore - 30th March 2008

Dear Margaret and family. 

I was so suddenly shocked to discover Mark passed away in 2006 and cannot believe I didn't know about it. As you know I met Mark in Ireland and we lived rough and happy, played music through the green, misty days of rhododendron blossoms. I will always cherish my memories of him and your visit to Nova Scotia as well as when Linda and I visited High Barn Farm, the bustle of your life and milking those cows with Mark. You all have our sincerest condolences and warmest regards. 

Sandy Moore Sandy V.A. Moore - Brunswick St. Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada B3K 2Y4      

'You Gentle Man – for Mark Purdey

You were a pilgrim of the earth
Hallowed were the paths you trod
Irish forests, Irish fields
Glengarriff to Kenmare 

Chorus Cease to strive you gentle man
Cease to strive

Sacred were your cherished cows
Nature cupped you in her hand
Nourished you who nourished her
Shared her rain and verdant land.

When you blew your saxophone
When you whispered with your flute
Celtic spirits filled the tone
Holy was the harmony.

Anchored was your life in truth
You navigated through the lies
As a standing stone endures
You did not yield to compromise

Father, husband, farmer, friend
Your beloved bear your seed,
Planted in their growing minds,
Rooted in their loving hearts  

Fragile are the threads of life
Delicate the cloth we weave
But your colours shall not fade
From the tapestry you leave' - Nick Malicka

'I'm shocked; came to the website for information, and hadn't heard that Mark had died. He was truly inspiring and I am so sorry at the news.' - Kathryn Moss

'Mark was an amazing man, I was so saddened to read he had passed away, my love and healing thoughts go to his family.' - Karen

'What a shock to hear of Mark Purdey's death. I heard him talk at 'The Green Fair' a few years ago. 

Just hope that there are enough of you to continue in his footsteps.

Regards and condolences to you all, - Judith

'Thank you, thank you for keeping Mr Purdey's great research on line for us. 

To me, he is the 'point soldier' in the battle to expose the diabolical manipulation of victims and truth in the war against world control by the industrial cartels. 

Because of their control of media, few realize we are in a war for survival against a totally depraved power network. 

Only the truth will set us free! - Carl'

'I am sad to hear of the passing of Mark. He gave a very interesting talk

to Somerset Organic Gardeners some years ago and made us all think.

'Dear Family & Friends of Mark Purdey,

Mark like my daughter Clare, are our loved ones. Not numbers, nor statistics or consumers. They are to us real. They are to us valued. They are to us, people. I will be forever grateful for Mark's open mindedness, intellect & his understanding and commitment to our environment.

As his loved one's, I say thank you. As a mother I understand that the accomplishment of one family member reflects also the love, support and commitment of the family as a whole. Mark's commitment to organic farming may well be the difference between my beautiful Clare's recovery from ME/CFS or her slavery to a disease that has consumed the last 5 years of her life. For that & for his determination to be heard by the scientific community, I will be forever grateful.

(My daughter) Clare, aged eighteen and always a good student with dreams of studying music at University, has just pulled out of high school to concentrate on trying to get well. I am researching all I can on organophosphates. If you have an mailing list I would be interested in joining or becoming a member. In 1981 I nursed a patient with Crutzfelt- Jacobsen's Disease, which was little known of at the time. I have a medical back ground as a Registered Nurse. Again my sincere thanks & condolences' - Sincerely Trudy Jane

'I learned only today of Mark's death via your website as I logged on to read his latest research.  

Like many, my association with him was by internet only, but during each correspondence Mark was always friendly, accessible, helpful, and ever-so-brilliant - despite all the demands on his time.  

I consider Mark a hero for our times, the best of the best of humanity; it's hard to believe he is gone.  He will be sorely missed by all who seek knowledge, honesty, bravery (!), and truth.  

So long, Mark, and THANK YOU for all you did in your brief lifetime.' - C Symington

'I am deeply saddened to hear of Mark's passing as although my contact with him was only through the internet there was a feeling much stronger than simply 'the web'. 

A great loss indeed to his areas of interest and  people like me who found his work very valuable to subjects of personal research, in this case the Groote Eylandt Syndrome

My sincere and deep sorrow to Mark's family.
May his work continue somehow and his web-site go on, Vale Mark and rest in peace.' - Dan Jordan  

'I have just heard of Marks untimely death and am very saddened by this news. 

I became acquainted with Mark and his family when buying a Jersey cow (called Snowflower) from him in 1981!We all remained friends both through farming and playing music for a number of years until moving away from the South Somerset area. Sadly we lost touch which I now regret very much.

'I only now learned of Mark's passing. It is impossible to explain the shock. I now wish I had called when my instincts prompted me to, but then I always wondered if I was taking valuable time away from his work and family, and so tried to keep calls to a minimum, even though Mark was so kind about sharing his ideas with me. I wish I could have said goodbye, but then, how do we ever say goodbye anyway...

Mark is one of those rare individuals who was able to speak to people fluently in both a scientific and lay manner. His countless, everlasting gifts to the many beings of this fragile planet will continue to nourish our spirits, our minds and hearts. Mark's unbridled thinking laid an immense groundwork of research and understanding that gave an elegant framework to the conversation of living in harmony with nature and the ramifications and costs of our civilization ignoring the natural ways of living and cultivating. His discoveries about BSE are some of the most profound scientific observations of the last several decades.

Mark was in possession of a phenomenal mind which nourished a generation of progressive thinkers, activists, scientists, health practitioners and ranchers from around the world. 

Thank you Mark Purdey for all the love, the gifts, the late nights of research, the generous spirit willing to help those crazy strangers who rang you up at odd hours and who called upon you from all directions, thank you for being a mentor to so many of us who seek the truth. 

May you rest in a blessed paradise of peace,  farewell dear friend and comrade' - Sascha Sarnoff

'I only discovered Mark today and was/am so excited - it all made sense. And then I discovered he had died last year. I am so sorry. 

I could imagine him in 20 or 30 or so years, the wisdom, the acknowledgement by MAFF and co that he was right - vindicated. What else might he have discovered? Instead he will have to watch from heaven. 

My condolences to his family and to mankind.' - Helen Armstrong

62

61

From: David Woodland, Somerset - ITV News Reporter

'Mark was, and still is, an inspirational figure for anyone fighting to get to the truth. Each time I met him I always came away glad that he was there tirelessly and enthusiastically digging away to get at the facts. His intellect was awesome and his knowledge of his subject matter extremely impressive. If only we had more people like him. I am hugely saddened that, at 52, he is no longer alive. I hope Margaret and their eight children can cope on their wild but beautiful hill farm. - David Woodland'

60

59

58

'It was with the utmost sadness I learned of Mark's tragically premature death from my good friend and fellow journalist, Ralph Berney, who is based in Turkey. News of Mark's passing has travelled far, it seems; which is hardly surprising given the respect he commands for his monumental achievements and unflagging devotion to his extraordinary work, and the affection he commands for his gentle, kind and utterly engaging personality. 

Mark was truly a noble 'renegade' who devoted almost two decades of his life to exposing the deceit of the government, corporate-driven psuedo science on BSE/CJD - a deception as nefarious as that of the tobacco industry 'yesterday', the climate-change-denial lobby today, and no doubt some other grotesque, greed-driven concoction of the same depraved, plutocratic state/corporate alliance 'tomorrow'.

I had the huge privilege of interviewing Mark Purdey just a little more than a year ago. I had intended the interview to last some 20 minutes or so, but so utterly compelling, committed, passionate, articulate and uniquely affecting was he that I found myself utterly captivated for fully one hour and twenty minutes!
(To see the interview - Click here! - An mp3 file 12.5 MB 13,179,136 bytes)

Mark said something during the interview that, although it fell victim to editing, has stuck resolutely with me ever since; "...I honestly believe that, whether it takes a week or many, many years, the truth will always 'out'; there's nothing they can do to stop it". Those who, perhaps understandably, fear that Mark's prodigious work may now have been in vain should take heart. Mark was surely as right in this as he was in his astounding science!

Yours - Mark Pickard'

57

56

55

'To everyone who is moved and shaken by the tragic passing of Mark Purdey, there comes to mind some precious and poignant thoughts about this marvelous man. I first met Mark back in 2001 when he spoke at Acres. and I met him again in Vermont when I also met Larry and Linda Fallace (authors of their latest blockbuster, 'Mad Sheep') who discussed their indescribable experiences at the hands bureaucrats.

Mark expounded on the never-ending dots that were being connected about the real cause of BSE and the underpinnings of why we have pandemic levels of CJD, Alzheimer’s, ALS, MS, Parkinson’s, all beyond comprehension in a country that espouses a clean air and clean water policy.

Gandhi said, “Almost anything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it”. For those of you who agree, and who know that Mark Purdy was a true gift to us all, whether or not you laughed in his presence, let’s keep his company amongst us by creating a living memorial to him. His work, and his legacy to change this place. 

Maybe what I’m beginning to learn is that “the work” lives on, regardless of when and how we leave it in the hands of those we can trust to carry on. We are, after all, mortals; the work is our gift to immortality. 

Godspeed Mark. Thank you so much; guide us all along the way.

Blessings - Jerry Brunetti'

54

From: John, Sean & Margaret Gilsenan

'Just a short note to say how sorry we are to hear about Mark’s premature death.
We know Nigel well and are aware how missed Mark will be.
Sincere condolences. - John, Sean & Margaret Gilsenan'

53

'I never met Mark. But ever since I first heard his name in the early 80's I had a subtle feeling that the angels were with us - that there were lion-hearted individuals fighting their corner of life against overwhelming odds - and winning.

I am so sorry he has died. I feel for his family.And I'm very grateful to him for his life, and to you'all for your support of his work. You must miss him.

Much love to you all - James Showers'

52

From Judith Porter, Somerset

'I still remember visiting you in your caravans in Devon and in Elworthy, before you had a house, and the fact that you were always welcoming. I know we haven’t been in touch for ages; some how you always think that people will be there for ever; yet we should seize the moment and not drift away.

Mark was so dedicated, knowledgeable and likeable, that I always wondered why the establishment wouldn’t sit up and listen!  Listening to his discourse on organophosphates, before anyone else seemed to care about them, was educational and inspirational. It is a tribute to him and his dedication that he became as well known as he did. However, my memories will be of picking swedes in the cold and rain, mending a roof and helping with the cows in the Brendon Hills .

Best wishes to all of you - Judith Porter'

51

This is a great loss to the people of Britain, for whom Mark was a kind of local hero. And it is a loss and to all who believe in questioning the tyranny of establishment ethics and corporate protectionism. 

Mark upheld the great moral issues of his day and did so with humour, affection and tireless zeal. 

The likes of Mark Purdey should replace the priests of yesteryears. Out with superstition; in with practical philanthropy. 

Would that I could have an ounce of his energy and dedication - I would be twice the man I am - Roland'

50

49

48

'Although I only met Mark once, we corresponded occasionally and, like many others whose families' lives have been affected by pesticide poisoning, I greatly appreciated the inspirational and brave stand he took in exposing the results of the indiscriminate use of organophosphates.  

Dotun Adebayo, who hosts the "Up All Night" show on Radio 5 has agreed to include mention of Mark in his "Brief Lives" programme, which is a feature of the show.  It will be broadcast early on Sunday morning (26th November) on Radio 5 and is usually repeated during the weekend.  It will also be found on the audio archive of the FiveLive website during the week following the broadcast on http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/listen/audioarchive.shtml'

47

'The world needs courageous, questioning people like Mark Purdey, and as one of the many who admired and respected him without ever having the pleasure of knowing him I am desperately sorry to read of his untimely death.  

He made an inestimable contribution to the debate about the origins and causes of BSE and associated conditions at a time when an entirely discredited state machine faced no real challenge, and we should all be conscious both of the quality of his argument and the personal effort he put behind it.  

What a fine, admirable man - and what a terrible loss to his family and friends, to whom I offer my deep sympathy and condolence. - J.E.S.Bradshaw'   

46

Wet the hills, wet the roads,
Wet the beech, wet the mist
Rolling in off the moor,
Swollen streams bursting at the seams
Orange red the leaves, scudding,
Tree trunks grey and green with moss
Like elephant legs,
Thorn bowed down by a century of wind,
The gathering at the church,
A coffin of willow, dressed in autumn colours
Had drawn us there, infectious enthusiasm
That had somehow come to the end of its mechanism
His unruly spring unwound, while the real clock
At the back of the church
Could be heard ticking away the years,
The heady mixture
Of anecdote and sadness
Like a tree felled
Cut down in his prime
Ideas forever branching out
From the barn, theories unfurled,
Gaining energy and pace.
Till they can fly
The whole of life’s
Hypothesis to be tested
To the limit, and beyond
No doubt he’s at it now
Playing sax to Holy Cows.'

45

From: Penny Kemp

'I am so saddened to hear of the death of Mark.  My condolences to his family.  I met Mark when he came to speak at the Green Forum at Glastonbury and at the Big Green Gathering.  

His knowledge and the informative way he gave his talks was inspirational and I know many, many people were moved to help campaign following Mark’s presence at the festivals. 

We will miss him.- Penny Kemp'

44

'I am so very sorry to hear about Mark. What a sad, early loss to all of us, but especially his family.

With sympathy and love - Jo and Simon'

43

42

From  : School friend - Nick Hardy. 

I went to school at Haileybury with Mark and I don’t remember a whole lot about it but I do remember Mark as being a wonderful person to be around. We had many a laugh in the woods and country side in and around the school and I seem to remember him living nearby and having a welcome break there from school. Mark use to have a “dirty old man’s” rain coat and loved playing the sax, from what I can recall, standing in a stream with his 'John Lennon' specs. We lost touch with each other and I moved to the States but I was always interested and supportive of his move into organic farming and the stands he took.

I would like to pass on my deepest condolences to his family and I am glad his work might carry on under Nigel’s stewardship.

Kindest regards, Nick Hardy.(Allenby House, in a time before girls!)'

41

40

39

'I was so shocked to hear of Mark's illness, news of which only came to my notice last week.  When I asked a friend if I could go and see him I found it was too late.  I first met Mark when he was still farming in Wales in the 1970's.  His characteristics then, the warmth, the gentleness, yet at the same time his extraordinary fiery determination to take on a cause and struggle against the odds for what he believed in, remained with him all his life.

Our paths drifted apart despite our common interests in dairy farming and the organic movement, but my feeling of warmth and connection with him remained, as a kindred spirit and fellow traveller.

I shall miss him and I know this feeling will be echoed by many others connected with the Soil Association who have been touched by his work.

Patrick Holden'

38

37

'Very sad indeed to hear about Mark's death. we went through Haileybury at exactly the same time together and were in the same chemistry class for many years. Mark was delightfully eccentric and scruffy even in those days... great fun sitting next to him or playing around with chemicals. Always testing authority to the limit...

His lectures on BSE were always fascinating and led on to long discussions about warble fly, OP's prions, manganese lock up etc etc.

A keen, roving intelligence. Sadly missed. Lets hope his work will be completed...  and fully recognised.

All the best - James Crowden'

36

From: Francesca Garman, Mangar International (Director)

'People like Mark who are braver then most of us, and who are ready to fight the status quo to unearth important truths are rare and special and usually have a very hard time of it. Mark certainly had endless battles at great personal expense, both his own and that of Margaret and the children….But his was an exceptionally worthwhile life

And there are those who will carry on with his work, how ever inconvenient that might be to his opponents.

It was a privilege to meet him and we send our love and encouragement to his family. - Francesca Garman'

35

'He gave freely of his precious time and advice. He saved my life, although I did not know him.  What more is there to say?

34

'I remain extremely saddened at the tragic news about Mark Purdey.'

The emails continued and I spoke with him twice over that period.Then the silence.

I knew something was wrong. He eventually wrote to advise about his tumor before and after his surgery. He last emailed me January to confirm that he was feeling well again. I spoke with his wife about 3 months ago but Mark was too mentally exhausted to speak with me. I did manage to get some important supportive words across to him. That was the final contact we had.

He will be very sadly missed. I will make further contact with his brother Nigel next year. - Graham Steel'

33

From: 10Radio - Eddie Gaines

' Mark was clearly a much respected man, very brave, honest and compassionate in - effectively mounting a lone challenge to  “ the established view on the safety in the use of pesticides”  for the benefit of current and future generations.

On behalf of 10radio can I pass our condolences to his wife Maggie and all his family.' - Eddie Gaines'

32

31

From Somerset: Terry Roth 

'Over the years in and around Stogumber, West Somerset , Mark has been one of the most intellectually stimulating and engaging people I have met.

Delivering and collecting children at the school gates, a few years ago, other parents would be considering packed lunches, while Mark would be considering the same- plus several issues of global importance simultaneously. His verve for life, his penetrating questions, his desire to debate sometimes came as quite a wakeup call first thing in the morning, but he was perhaps someone ahead of his time: every day, and in many ways.

Mark’s systemic, intelligent, anti reductionist world view will, I hope, be the way of the future. It certainly needs to be.

My love to Margaret and everyone. Melissa, Lauren, Jess and John send their love. - Yours, Terry Roth'

30

From Mary Critchley (Warmwell) A personal message

29

28

'Our thoughts are with Margaret, Petra, Holly, Aster, Gabriel, Tansy and Fraser, you know where we are...Ian, Kim, Capella and Oliver.'

27

26

25

24

23

'The world is a better place because Mark Purdey has passed through it. 

It is better for his example of courage, persistence and dignity in the face of entrenched opinion, and one day it will be better because of his scholarship and research. 

You will not be forgotten Mark. - John Tuck'

22

21

I had the unique opportunity of working with Mark here in Colorado on the possibility of heavy metals affecting BSE and CWD.  

He stayed with me while he was here.  We became friends and had many wonderful conversations about England and Colorado.  

Mark was truly a unique soul and I know God received him with opened arms when Mark left us.  I will miss his humor and warm friendship.' - Kay Sinclair

20

19

'I am deeply saddened to hear of Mark Purdey's untimely death.

18

16

'Mark Purdey's dogged and self-financed battle in trying to tell a deaf Establishment that it is manganese that can cause the prion protein to transform into its BSE causing form won him the affectionate respect of many. He pointed out that the sole piece of evidence for the 'hyperinfectious' theory of BSE is that TSEs (along with various other diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, thyroiditis, some cancers and toxic metal encephalopathies which are not labelled 'hyperinfectious') can be transmitted via injections of TSE diseased brain tissues into unfortunate laboratory animals. (See warmwell pages).

Michael Meacher and former chairman of the House of Commons Agriculture Select Committee, Sir Richard Body, were among those who wanted Mark's work to be taken seriously. Sir Richard once said, "The Ministry of Agriculture has behaved disgracefully because he challenged their authority. ... A lesser man than he would have given up years ago. "
In 2000, the Times called him a person " of extremes: impassioned, intelligent, dogged, charming and obsessive" In 1996, Andrew Marr wrote in the Independent: that Purdey was " ...harassed by the "official" scientists who were committed to the pesticides he was questioning. After all, Maff had licensed OPs to be used in quantities far higher than in other countries; if there was a link with BSE, the department itself would be responsible for it, and who knows what else?"

He will be deeply missed by those lucky enough to have been in contact with him and to have been aware of his quite extraordinary, selfless thirst for truth.'

15

'Mark will be sadly missed. Long may his life's work of 'seeking the truth through science' continue.- Tom Rigby'

Johnsons Farm, Lowton, Warrington, Lancashire

14

'I am shocked and saddened at this news. Mark fought for truth and justice. It was a hard struggle and his bravery is an example to us all. I admired him immensely. - Linda Melvern'

13

'I'm numb.

I so hope all his efforts will in some way be preserved and even enhanced by the next generation of true scientists, enquiring of what is supposedly fact, challenging convention etc.  

I hope to be at Nettlecombe next Wednesday. 

Best wishes - Oliver Dowding, Shepton Farms Ltd'

12

11

From Goats UK: Christine Ball

'Mark’s research was held in great esteem by members around the world of the GoatsUK online group. Our condolences to his family on their loss.

Christine Ball - Group Manager.'

10

'This is to express my condolences at the passing of a courageous, brilliant researcher, whose intrepid efforts set the bar for those of who continue.

09

'I feel so privileged to have had the chance of talking to such a great scientist in the true meaning of the word.

"A prophet hath no honour in his own country"

I truly believe that Mark's work will one day be vindicated.

Sincere and heartfelt sympathy to those he leaves behind - Joyce'

08

From England: Pat Gardiner

'Writing something about someone who has died is difficult beyond belief.

I never met Mark, but had read most of his writings and we did correspond. Comment on his science from me would be meaningless. What value praise on his research from a scientific illiterate?

He stood like a beacon, needing no praise for his energy and spirit of enquiry. That was obvious to all. But despite all this, my contribution to his memory can be quite unique.

Mark made some seemingly outrageous claims about harassment. At least, that was what most of us thought, even if unspoken. His last illness may quite reasonably have contributed to the doubts. But that would be wrong and the record needs correction.

On at least one occasion, Mark was right. He was being harassed and followed. He was not only telling the truth, but even knew who was responsible. We compared notes. They tallied. He was right. I felt cold when reading his comments.

Mark was being tailed and harassed during the late 90s. No question and no doubts in my mind. Mark not only worked hard, but he had immense physical and moral courage when facing abuse and dark dirty deeds.

England has lost somebody very special. You don’t get too many like this man.

We should all feel poorer and lonelier tonight.
Regards - Pat Gardiner'

07

From: Jo Wooding and Simon Pinder

'We are so very sorry to hear about Mark.  What a sad, early loss to all of us, but especially his family. 

With sympathy and love, - Jo Wooding and Simon Pinder.'

06

'When I first heard of Marks illness I immediately thought, oh well, Mark will be able to cope with this one, this isn't going to finish him off! I was so sure of his ability to survive that I remained in my own selfish environment, with my own self indulgent problems!

I have known Mark for 27 years and he was a great inspiration for me with my own journey into Organic farming and as a good friend. I remember very vividly his intelligence, humour and drama that went with his unique life style and way of thinking. I will always remember the times I spent with him in the early days of his farming in mid-Devon.

This poem by Margaret Torrie springs to mind.

The Intention.

Healing is both an exercise and an understanding, yet not of the will nor of the intention
It is a wisdom and a deeper knowledge of the daily swing of life and death in all creation
There is defeat to overcome and acceptance of living to be established and always there must be hope
Not hope of healing but the hope which informs the coming moment and gives it reason
The hope which is each mans breath, the certainty of love and of loving
Death may live in the living and healing rise in the dying
For whom the natural end is part of the gathering and of the harvest to be expected
To know healing is to know that all life is one and there is no beginning and no end. And the intention is loving                         

05

'You will be missed by all of your contacts and friends in Cumbria.
You gave generously of your time and knowledge and gave added hope to farmers and others who had been so badly damaged during the Foot & Mouth disaster 2001.

Sleep well dear friend.'

04

'Although we never met, I am so proud to have been able to know Mark Purdey as one of my best friends. Always a 'gentle man', brave and fearless, devoted to his family, the animals and perhaps above all, devoted to his fellow man.

May he rest in peace and may we all have the courage to follow in his footsteps to seek and find the truth - Jane Barribal'

03

'Lina and I wish you would pass our condolences on to Mark's family from the Burkholder Tribe at Abilene, Kansas. - Gary and Lina  Burkholder'

02

'I can only offer my sincere condolences to Mark's family. Rest In Peace Mark  - Bryn'

01

We met Mark a couple of year's ago in Saskatchewan after having read through a volume of his work.  We are so sorry to hear of his passing as we have lost a man with immense passion for the earth and its peoples. - M. McBride'