Cecil Purser had a long and distinguished life during which he gave remarkable service to the University of Sydney and to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He was born in Castle Hill, an outlying suburb of Sydney where his family was engaged in orchard farming. After completing his education at Castle Hill and at Newington College, he entered the faculty of arts at the University of Sydney, graduating BA in 1885. He immediately enrolled in the newly established faculty of medicine and graduated in medicine in 1890.

He became a resident medical officer at (Royal) Prince Alfred Hospital in 1890 and medical superintendent from 1891 to 1893. He was appointed honorary assistant physician in 1896 and honorary physician from 1898 to 1912. He is perhaps best remembered at RPAH for his dedication to the board of management of the Hospital on which he served from 1909 until 1933, and for which he acted as chairman from 1924 until 1933. Although he was so involved in the affairs of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, he was able to devote a period of his life to the administration of the University of Sydney. He became an elected member of the University senate in 1909, vice-chancellor 1917-18 and deputy chancellor 1924-25, finally retiring from the senate in 1939. The archives of the University contain any number of accounts of his special role in guiding the University through the difficult years of the Depression and recall his involvement with the establishment of Wesley College of which he was a trustee.

A man of such stature among his colleagues could be expected to serve also on many varied organisations. Cecil Purser was associated with hospitals for the care of tuberculous patients, with the Women's Hospital, Crown Street and also with certain commercial organisations such as Drug Houses of Australia, Australian Drug Investments and the Commonwealth General Assurance Corporation. A recitation of all of his appointments would not add to the story of the influence of this man on the medical scene of his university and of his hospital. He remained in essence a family doctor of his time, enjoying his medical practice in the Sydney suburb of Lewisham which many would record to have been his special interest.