the eldest son of colonel edward bagwell-purefoy of the greenfields estate, county tipperary, wilfred bagwell-purefoy was educated at harrow school and then at the royal military academy sandhurst. on 10 may 1882 he joined the 3rd king's own hussars and served for six years with the rank of lieutenant. he resigned from the army to start a stud farm at greenfields, county tipperary. he was the director of the autostrop safety razor company, a competitor of gillette.