samuelene "lena" purcell (25 july 1898 – 20 december 1982) was a new zealand shop assistant and trade unionist. she was born in auckland, auckland, new zealand in 1898. she was active as a trade unionist from the 1920s to the 1960s and, alongside alice cossey of the tailoresses' union, was auckland's most prominent female unionist during that time.