Robert Purnell
life guard · active 1905
Named in the Democratic Messenger of 29 July 1905 simply as "Mr. Robert Purnell, the life guard," one of three men who saved August Roder, Jr., from drowning in front of the Atlantic Casino. The use of "the life guard" as a settled job title is the earliest documentation the campaign has of a designated beach life guard at Ocean City, twenty-five years before the Ocean City Beach Patrol was founded in 1930. Nothing else about him is recorded, and he should not be confused with the many other Purnells in the 1905 record, including the pier promoter R. Lee Purnell.
In the record (1)
1905 · 1905-07-26
August Roder, Jr., son of the Atlantic Hotel's manager, is pulled from the surf in front of the Atlantic Casino by three men including "Mr. Robert Purnell, the life guard."
"August Roder, Jr., son of Mr. August Roder, of Baltimore, manager of the Atlantic Hotel, Ocean City, last week, while bathing in front of the Atlantic Casino Wednesday, got beyond his depth and was nearly drowned. Mr. Thomas Purnell, Mr. Robert Purnell, the life guard, and Mr. David Moore, who happened to be near at hand, plunged in and bravely saved the exhausted lad." The phrase "the life guard," used as a settled job title, is the earliest documentation the campaign has of a paid or designated beach life guard at Ocean City — twenty-five years before the Ocean City Beach Patrol was founded in 1930. David Moore is the same Washington visitor who organised the fire brigade three days earlier.
Ocean City Beach PatrolAugust RoderDavid Moore
Source · checked 2026-08-06