Old workmate sheds light on tragic Isabella

Published on Saturday 11 July 2009 11:49

A FORMER colleague of Isabella Purves, the tragic pensioner found dead in her flat after lying undiscovered for five years, has come forward to reveal further details of her life.

Patricia Anderson, 61, today said Ms Purves had worked as a nursing officer at the Simpson's Maternity Ward – part of the old Edinburgh Royal Infirmary – until retiring some 30 years ago.

Mrs Anderson, from Gilmerton, said: "Isabella was very proud of her work, which made her very strict. She was always a professional. She was quiet."

She said she was shocked to read about Ms Purves' tragic death but recognised a picture of the pensioner straight away.

Ms Purves, who would have been 90 this year, was thought to have no living family, but today police said they had now identified a man, believed to be a son or nephew, who they will be talking to in the next few days.

A police spokesman said: "We can confirm that officers have identified an individual from the Edinburgh area who is believed to be the closest surviving relative of Isabella Purves."

A woman, who laid roses outside Ms Purves' tenement block which were later stolen, also revealed that the spinster had a sister, but that the two did not get on and were not in contact.

Sandra Brownlee, who owns a florists next door to the four-storey tenement building in which Ms Purves lived, said local residents were hoping to attend the funeral of their late neighbour.

"All the people around here are upset and we'd like to pay our last respects.

"I just pray Isabella died peacefully in her sleep. It is unbearable to think that she could have been lying there injured or unwell for days."

She added that she would like to provide flowers from the whole of Rodney Street at Ms Purves' ceremony.

The date of the funeral has not yet been announced, but it is thought that it will be organised shortly now a relative has been traced.

Her property on Rodney Street and all other assets will go to her next of kin.

If a relative had not been traced and no will found, the procurator fiscal dealing with her death would have passed the case to the local council, who would usually opt for a National Assistance Funeral paid for by the state.

The body of Ms Purves was found eleven days ago after water from a cracked pipe leaked through the ceiling of the flat below.

A combination of circumstances led to her body lying undiscovered for half a decade. It is believed that her bills were covered by her weekly pension payment, which was paid directly into her bank account.

Residents who knew Ms Purves are all said to have moved out of the building within a few weeks of each other, around the same time that she died.