Purley, London
Template:Distinguish Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox UK place Purley is an area of the London Borough of Croydon in London, England, Template:Convert south of Charing Cross, with a history going back at least 800 years. It was originally granted as an estate from holdings at Sanderstead and until as a district of Surrey and then, with neighbouring Coulsdon, as an urban district that became an electoral ward of the London Borough of Croydon, becoming part of the ceremonial county of London, in 1965. In 2018 the Purley ward was divided into two: Purley and Woodcote, and Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown.
Purley is a suburban area of South London, and the quintessential suburban environment has been referenced in fictional and popular culture, most notably as the setting for the long running Terry and June sitcom.
Purley had a population of 15,184 in 2022.
History
[edit]Toponymy
[edit]The name derives from an estate, mentioned in about 1200 when it was deeded to one William de Pirelea, son of Osbert de Pirelea by the abbot of St. Peter's monastery near Winchester.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The original meaning of Purley was probably a wood or clearing where pear trees grow,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> derived from "Pirlea", which is from Anglo Saxon Template:Lang, pear or Template:Lang, pear tree and Template:Lang, a clearing or a place.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Local government
[edit]Under the Local Government Act 1894, Purley became part of the Croydon Rural District of Surrey. In 1915 Purley and the neighbouring town of Coulsdon formed the Coulsdon and Purley Urban District which was based at the Purley Council Offices.<ref>Template:NHLE</ref> The council was abolished in 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, and its area transferred to Greater London and used to form part of the London Borough of Croydon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The urban district council was based in a colonial-style building opened in 1930. The building, on the A23 Brighton Road near Reedham Station, became the property of the London Borough of Croydon and was sold to developers. It was left derelict for many years but was converted into flats in 2012. Plans to dig under the building and build additional flats were refused in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Aviation
[edit]Kenley Aerodrome, to the south of the town, is currently official property of the Ministry of Defence. It was one of the key fighter stations – together with Croydon Airport and Biggin Hill – during the World War II support of Dunkirk, Battle of Britain and for the defence of London.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Suburban growth
[edit]
Purley grew rapidly in the 1920s and 1930s, providing spacious homes in a green environment. Northeast Purley stretches into the chalk hill spurs of the North Downs.
One road, Promenade de Verdun, created by William Webb, has a distinction all of its own. It is 600 yards (550 m) long and has on one side Lombardy poplars planted in local soil mixed with French earth specially shipped over to the UK. A plaque at one end of the road explains that the French Ministry of the Interior donated the soil from Armentières, as a memorial to the alliance of World War One and the soldiers who died. At the other end stands an obelisk carved from a single piece of stone with the inscription "Aux soldats de France morts glorieusement pendant la Grande Guerre".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In World War Two, the 32nd Surrey Battalion of the Home Guard was known as the Factory Battalion, and had the specific task of guarding the Purley Way factories: its units were mainly based on staff from the individual firms. The factories adjoining Croydon Airport took the worst of the air raid of 15 August 1940: the British NSF factory was almost entirely destroyed, and the Bourjois factory gutted, with a total of over sixty civilian deaths.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A comprehensive history of Purley and its growth around Caterham Junction (now Purley Station) with the coming of the railways some 150 years ago is found in the Bourne Society's 'Purley Village History' and in its Local History Records publications.Template:Cn
Webb Estate
[edit]
The Webb Estate is a gated community with around 220 homes.<ref name=truelove /> It began as 260 acres of farmland before being purchased in the 1880s and transformed into Edwardian homes and landscaped gardens by estate agent William Webb. Known for having a "garden village" feel with a high level of privacy, it also includes two private schools plus a restaurant and deli.<ref name="truelove">Template:Cite web</ref>
The estate made headlines in a 2002 survey, which found that it had over the years attracted the highest-earning residents in the UK, having established itself as an attractive destination for wealthy city workers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Notable people to have lived on the Webb Estate include singer Francis Rossi, footballer Wilfried Zaha, television presenter Laura Hamilton, and former Downing Street Press Secretary Bernard Ingham.<ref name=truelove />
Geography
[edit]
The Purley postal district encompasses Purley high street and extends through Woodcote to the West, includes the Peaks Hill area to the North, and borders Purley Oaks in South Croydon. To the East it includes Riddlesdown and to the South it borders Kenley and Coulsdon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The current electoral ward of Purley and Woodcote is largely co-extensive with the postal district,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but Riddlesdown is now in the neighbouring Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown ward.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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Woodcote is contained within Purley. Developed in the early 20th century, it is centred on Woodcote Village Green and is the location of Woodcote Model Village.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Purley's Webb Estate lies on Woodcote road, close to Upper Woodcote Village.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Bourne river runs through Purley. The river is culverted but can flood in Purley valley. A local history society take their name from this river.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
[edit]
Purley is home to a number of schools;<ref name="Schools">Template:Cite web</ref> including four Catholic schools. Two of which are in Peaks Hill neighbourhood of Purley, and these are The John Fisher School an all boys' state school (formerly an independent and then a voluntary aided state school),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Laleham Lea School a co-educational prep-school.[citation needed]
Purley has one of the UK's longest-established language schools, Purley Language College, founded in 1928.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The current schools in Purley are:<ref name="Schools"/>
Current Purley Schools Name Type Mix Status Enrollment Beaumont Primary School Primary Mixed LEA 128 Christ Church Cofe Primary School Primary Mixed C of E 214 Cumnor House School for Girls Primary Girls Independent 118 Laleham Lea School Primary Mixed Catholic Independent 147 Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School Primary Mixed Catholic 219 Oakwood School Primary/Prep Mixed Catholic Independent 219 Reedham Park School Limited Primary Mixed Independent 113 Riddlesdown Collegiate Secondary Mixed LEA 1517 St David's School Primary/Prep Mixed Independent 167 St Nicholas School Primary Mixed LEA/Special 103 The John Fisher School Secondary Boys Catholic 1004 Thomas More Catholic School Secondary Mixed Catholic 717 Tudor Lodge School Mixed Mixed Independent 8 Wattenden Primary School Primary Mixed LEA 139 West Dene School Primary Mixed Independent 107
Retail and commerce
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Purley used to have many different kinds of shops such as greengrocers, butchers, toy shops, tobacconists, a restaurant and a cinema. There was an earlier Sainsbury's store that closed in the 1980s, when a new Sainsbury's was opened at Purley Fountain.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The new Sainsbury's closed in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A Tesco superstore was opened in 1991, and there has been a shift in the town's retail offering towards charity shops, restaurants and non retail businesses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Purley retail and commerce interests are represented by the Purley Business improvement district. This Business Improvement District (BID) is in the second 5-year term having successfully been voted in favour in 2015 and 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The island opposite Purley Baptist Church has been refurbished and the Church, under the banner of 58:12<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (a company and charity set up by the Church) are planning to redevelop it. Other partners in the development of a strategy for the regeneration of central Purley include the Purely Business improvement district, the Purley & Woodcote Residents' Association and Purley Rotary who actively participate in the Neighbourhood Partnership forums hosted by Croydon Council.[citation needed]
Demography
[edit]As of 2022, the largest ethnic group in Purley & Woodcote was ‘White’, constituting 56.97% of the total population. The ‘Asian’ ethnic group was second largest, making up 20.13%, while ‘Black, Caribbean or African’ accounted for 11.73% of the population. Mixed/multiple ethnicities made up 7.5%. 'Other ethnic groups' account for 3% of the population. The smallest ethnic group was 'Arab', making up only 0.6% of the wards population.
71.4% of the wards population were born in the UK. The remaining 28.6% were from overseas, with the largest amount being listed as from 'The Middle East & Asia'.
The largest religion was listed as Christianity, at 51.3%. The second largest religion was Islam, at 9.5%. Third was Hinduism, at 8.2%. Following that were Sikhism at 1%, Buddhism at 0.9%, Judaism at 0.2% and 'Other Religion' at 0.8%. As well as this, 'No Religion' accounted for 28% of the population.
Politics
[edit]
Purley lies within the Croydon South parliamentary constituency, where voters have consistently returned Conservative Party MPs to the local seat since 1974. Purley has been staunchly conservative and its amalgamation into the London borough of Croydon in 1965 helped consolidate the middle class domination of that borough.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Purley electoral ward returned Conservative party councillors in Croydon London Borough Council elections from 1965 up until the reorganisation of 2018. In 2018, Purley was split into two wards; Purley and Woodcote, and Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sport and leisure
[edit]There are a number of football clubs in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Purley John Fisher Rugby Football Club is based in Old Coulsdon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Purley Cricket Club is part of Purley Sports Club.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Purley Sports Club also provides tennis, squash, padel and netball.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
There are a number of field hockey clubs based in and around Purley that are part of the South East Hockey and the London Hockey league structures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Current hockey clubs in and around the area are Kenley, Purley, Purley Walcountians and Sanderstead.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Fictional references
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- On television the town became known in the sitcom Terry and June, in which Terry and June Medford (Terry Scott and June Whitfield), had moved after the characters' previous series, Happy Ever After. The sitcom was set on the cusp of Purley and Wallington (on Church Road in a house within sight of St Mark's Church) and the opening credits featured them searching for each other around the (now unrecognisable) Whitgift Centre – a shopping precinct in Croydon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- One of the houses used in Footballers' Wives is 7 Rose Walk, Purley, owned by former Crystal Palace FC Chairman Ron Noades.<ref name="Daily Mirror">Template:Cite news</ref>
- The CBBC children's sitcom Little Howard's Big Question is based in Purley, and also features continuous references to Croydon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Mr Angry, a character on Steve Wright's Radio 1 afternoon show in the 1980s, is from Purley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable residents
[edit]- Michael Arthur, Vice-Chancellor of Leeds University, Provost of University College London from September 2013, was born in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Jay Aston, singer with Bucks Fizz, was born in Purley.<ref name="ency">Template:Cite book</ref>
- Ronald Binge and his wife Vera lived at 18, Smitham Bottom Lane in the 1950s. He composed the well-known Elizabethan Serenade there.<ref>Norris, Gerald. A Musical Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1981), p. 96</ref>
- Derren Brown, magician and mentalist, was born and grew up in Purley.<ref name="nyprofile">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
- Kit Connor, actor, was raised in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Peter Cushing, actor, was born in nearby Kenley, and went to school in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Brian Fahey, composer of "At the Sign of the Swingin' Cymbal" (the signature tune to BBC Radio's Pick of the Pops).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Andy Frampton, former professional footballer, grew up in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Shelagh Fraser, actress, was born in Purley<ref name="fraser-obit">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Laura Hamilton, TV presenter and Dancing on Ice Contestant, lives in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Nigel Harman, actor, was born in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher's former press secretary, lived in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Sir David P. Lane, oncologist best known for identifying P53, went to John Fisher school in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Martin Lee, singer with Brotherhood of Man, was born in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Archibald Low, pioneer of radio guidance systems, was born in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
- Ray Mears, TV survivalist, went to school in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Ron Noades, former chairman of Wimbledon FC, Crystal Palace FC and Brentford FC and owner of the Altonwood Golf Group, lived in Rose Walk, Purley, from 1993 until 2013.<ref name="MyLondon">Template:Cite news</ref>
- Innes Hope Pearse, doctor and co-founder of the Peckham Experiment, grew up in Purley.<ref>Template:Cite ODNB</ref>
- Francis Rossi, lead singer of Status Quo, lives in the Webb Estate in Purley.<ref name="MyLondon"/>
- John Horne Tooke, an English politician and philologist, lived in Purley at the end of the 18th century where he began writing Epea Pteroenta, Or, The Diversions of Purley.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Wilfried Zaha, footballer, Crystal Palace FC, lives in the Webb Estate.<ref name="Daily Mirror"/>
Transport
[edit]
Purley Cross gyratory connects routes leading south-east to East Grinstead and Eastbourne (the A22), west to Epsom and Kingston (the A2022), south to Redhill and Brighton (the A23), and north to Croydon and Central London (the A23 and A235). The A23 north from Purley forms the Purley Way, which leads to Croydon's trading and industrial hinterland and also to the former Croydon Airport, the predecessor of the present London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport.<ref name="Travel">Template:Cite web</ref>
The town is on the main London-to-Brighton railway line and is served by Purley and Purley Oaks stations on that line, and Reedham station on the Tattenham Corner Line.<ref name="Travel" />
Nearest railway stations
[edit]- Purley railway station
- Purley Oaks railway station
- Riddlesdown railway station
- Reedham railway station
- Sanderstead railway station
Nearest places
[edit]- Banstead
- Coulsdon
- Croydon
- Kenley
- Riddlesdown
- Sanderstead
- Selsdon
- South Croydon
- Warlingham
- Woldingham
See also
[edit]- The John Fisher School
- Commonweal Lodge
- Purley Language College
- Purley Business Association
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Purley Business Improvement District
- Purley Business Association
- Purley Business Expo
- Purley Festival
- Local Gov. Site Promenade de Verdun
- History of Purley Village
- PWRA, Purley & Woodcote Residents' Association
- The Bourne Society, representing heritage interests in the debate over Purley regeneration
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