You are here:
Purley
Purley maps
Historic maps of Purley and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Purley maps
Purley area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Purley and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Purley
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Purley.
There are 13 shared memories to read.
Add your memory of Purley
or of a photo of Purley.
Growing up in Purley
When I lived in Purley, there weren't many stores. I can remember when Sainsbury's opened across from Purley Fountain. There was a toy shop in the High Street called Morgan's. I stole a whistle from there when I was not very old. I can remember it to this day. It was yellow plastic with one of those pea things in that made the whistling noice. I must have taken it home but I was soon on my way back to Morgan's to return the whistle and apologise for stealing it!
We lived in Dale Road and there was a row of shops along the Godstone Road. A greengrocer's, Mr King's the grocers, Mr Nicholls newsagents, Mr Burrough's the tobacconist and a couple more than I can't remember. We were friendly with the Nicholls and went round there to watch the Coronation on their television. We did not have a television at the time. My Mom used to smoke and we often got sent round for 20 Churchman's No. 1.
Reedham Orphanage Purley
I do have some good memories of Reedham. My elder sister Suzanne and my younger sister Rosemary lived there for some years. We were born in Argentina. Who remembers Magot, assistant Matron!! Had some good times toasting cheese on bread over a candle in the tower. Listening to Luxemburg top hits after 12pm. Does anybody remember Mr Bristow, ooowww? I was dressed as an angel and driven to Reedham station to represent the Queen's horse called Angel Bright, as she was on her way to the races and waved to us. Have a newspaper cutting!. I remember Easterbrooks, Billy North and have a menu of the Mayors Lunch in London with loads of signatures. Oh, I also ran away a couple of times but didn't get very far!! Name was Paget.
War Memories
I, with my 2 brothers, was at Reedham from 1943-1944. My memories are happy ones. I recall walking in the lanes and being given apples. Reedham was bombed in 1944 and we were evacuated to Nottingham.
I Hate Reedham
The day after our trip to London, I woke in the morning and was told to immediately get dressed and put on my new shoes and overcoat by mother. We dropped Bernard at Aldersbrook School and then caught a bus into Wanstead Tube Station, from here by train we went south of the Thames exactly where I do not remember, but from a South London station we walked on to a very large house near a large lake. It turned out to be an orphanage. Again I had no idea where I was and again I guessed it was some orphanage. At last I did ask grumpy mother where we were, and she said, “You are staying here for some time to help you get better, it’s a convalescent home.” Today, probably for good reason, I have forgotten the name of the place. Again I was never told what was happening to me. As we arrived at the front door of the large imposing house after traversing the long driveway,... Read more
Growing up in Purley
I grew up in Lansdowne Road, Purley. On Suday evenings in the summer, we used to sit on the edge of the fountain and watch the traffic coming back from the coast. Sometimes the cars were lined up all the way back to the Regal Cinema! On VE Day, my brother Wally rolled up his trousers and paddled in the fountain. My dad used to drink at his local, "The Jolly Farmers", which is still there. We live in Canada now, but still have many happy memories of Purley.
Purley Fountain And High Street
I was born in Mayday but brought up in Lansdowne Road for the first two and a half years. I remember the fountain being in the grounds of the water works where Tesco is now situated. When I was nearly 3 we moved to above the old gas showroom in the High Street, Purley. The cinema that is there now used to be called the Astoria and I can remember as a very small child having tea in the restaurant. My great uncle Fred used to live in the flint cottages just along from the cinema. Where the Sainsbury's now stands used to be a big car park to service the train station. Also in my twenties I used to work for the Abbey National in the High Street. Sadly the High Street consists of banks, estate agents and building societies these days. I have not been back to Purley for many years but can remember that the High Street used to flood very badly due to the fact that... Read more
The Grocers Next to Morgan's!
Born in 1939 and living in Banstead Road during the war, I have many memories of Purley, Croydon and Coulsdon. An alleyway ran from the High Street to the station, where I used to meet my father in the evenings from the London train. Beside Morgan's was a little grocer`s which had a system of overhead wires and brass containers taking money to the cash desk. Sawdust covered the floor! Next to the cinema, further along, was the Food Office, where I went with my mother to collect our Ration Books. It was her that I first saw " balloons" that I had heard about, rather disappointing, I thought; probably put there to celebrate V.E. day. The United Dairies had a depot here, but the stable for the horses to pull the floats was further along, backing Whytecliffe Road. I remember being taken to see them. At the town end of the High Street was the Water Works, in the grounds of which stood the Air Raid Siren. This... Read more
Reedham School
I attended Reedham School from 1957 for a couple of years. My father had pased away and my mother sent me to Reedham, our home was in Harrow, Middlesex. I have read some of the other memories, mine were different. I was physically punished by prefects and staff, made to stand in dark rooms for talking in bed at night, had mail withheld and to be honest I have no good memories of Reedham at all. I only ever remember being called by my number J16 and having my long hair cut off short when I arrived. I am pleased to hear from some people their memories were good ones and they feel fondly towards their days at Reedham. I wish I could feel the same. Susan
