Barnet Resident Colin Purkey Publishes Memoir of Apartheid Imprisonment

A retired physics teacher from Barnet has published a memoir recounting his imprisonment by South Africa’s apartheid regime. Colin Purkey, who taught at a further education college for more than two decades, was arrested in the 1980s for posting a letter on behalf of a leading anti-apartheid activist. His book, *Time Served*, documents that experience alongside other personal and political struggles.

A Life Between Activism and Teaching

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Purkey, now a Barnet resident, spent over 20 years teaching physics before retiring. His memoir does not follow a linear timeline. Instead, it is split into three distinct sections. The first covers his months in prison after his arrest. The second recounts a teenage car accident and subsequent hospitalisation. The third examines his broader involvement in the anti-apartheid movement as the regime collapsed.

The book blends personal reflection with political history. Purkey describes repeated police raids on his home, where security forces searched for incriminating documents. He writes about the fear of discovery and the strain of living under surveillance. His account also includes meetings held in disguise to evade police attention.

A Fragmented but Personal Account

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Reviewers note that *Time Served* is an unusual memoir. It moves between time periods, weaving flashbacks into its core narratives. The prison section, for example, includes memories of Purkey’s university years, where he first encountered ideas that later shaped his activism. The hospitalisation section, though brief, detours into discussions of consciousness and philosophy.

David Floyd, writing in the *Barnet Post*, describes the book as difficult to categorise. It is deeply personal, yet it documents events of wider historical significance. Purkey acknowledges his privilege as a white activist compared to the black majority who suffered under apartheid. Floyd suggests the book will appeal most to readers with a specific interest in activism or students studying the period.

“Despite my own distressing experience, I understand the privileges that liberal white activists had in comparison to the black majority on the receiving end of the regime’s actions.”

Colin Purkey, author of *Time Served*

What Happens Next

*Time Served* is available in print and digital formats. No public events or signings in Barnet have been announced. Purkey has not indicated whether he plans further writing on the subject. The book’s publisher has not released sales figures.