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  1. Home
  2. Purley on Thames
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  4. Purley, Lock c.1950

Purley, Lock c.1950
Photo ref: P373007X
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Photo ref: P373007X
Photo of Purley, Lock c.1950
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This image is a Reference Print: it has not been shown on our website before as it has not been optimised and therefore may not meet the quality standards we require for use in our normal product range. However, we understand that this image could be potentially important for genealogical, local history or architectural research and so we are showing it on the website for on-line research only. The photo may be available to buy, but needs to be checked and optimised before you can place an order.

Why are these different? All 300,000 photographs in The Frith Collection have been scanned, but as the photos were taken over a 110 year period on a wide range of glass & film negatives, using different photographic processes, every image has to be checked and optimised, before we make a print for a customer.

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A Selection of Memories from Purley on Thames

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Purley on Thames

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13 15 Colyton Way
I was born in Purley in 1953, at No 3 The Short -- off Colyton Way 13 Colyton Way was my grandparents' address, changed at some point to No 15, The grocery store was next door. My grandfather introduced me to fishing and I spent my very young years fishing along the stretch from Mapledurham Lock going back to Riverside Gardens. Fantastic to see these old photos -- it's still very clear in my memory.
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Added 27 September 2020

19 Colyton Way
A friend of the family introduced us to Purley. My father John Dighton, took over management of the grocery shop at 19 Colyton Way in 1952. I remember the water was from an outside type pump in the kitchen, and electicity from a huge noisy generator in a large shed at the back, and the floods every winter. My two brothers and I learnt to swim in the river. The house on stilts was freezing in winter and ...see more
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Added 08 May 2012

River Gardens.
I have so many happy memories of Purley on Thames. My older sister lived at No 1 River Gardens in the latter part of the 1960s until the middle of the 1970s. As kids, my brother and I spent many, many happy days playing in the large garden there and along the river bank from the stile right up to Mapledurham Lock. I also remember swimming in the Thames there, and the night we swam across to the island ...see more
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Added 02 February 2011

Halycon Days
As a young child, these were good days, we had very little but so did everybody else, Mum had a few chickens, and we lived in a little house on stilts, brick piers, my Dad was working for the Thames Valley, and when the floods came, he had to row the first few hunred yards to get to the hill, which would carry him over the railway and up to the main road to catch the bus in Reading. Joyous days by the ...see more
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Added 01 December 2010

More about Image Optimisation

All our photos are printed as optimised versions of their originals, this process can take anything from 15 minutes to several hours. This ensures that the product you get shows the true quality that Frith photos are renowned for.

Example of image retouching:

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Genealogy & Research Images

Despite over 20 years’ work on the archive, these scans have still not been individually checked and may prove to be damaged, faded, or not of sufficient quality to ever be offered in our full product range. However, if you would particularly like to buy one of these please get in touch quoting the Frith negative number,(s) the town name and size of print you would like to buy. On receipt of your enquiry our archivist will check the scan and advise you if the quality is good enough.

What is an Album?

An album is a way to save a selection of Frith photos, maps and memories that are of interest to you.

Creating an Album enables you to make short lists and then make a final selection from the album. In particular it makes ordering things like calendars much easier - simply create an Album of the 12 photos you like and then use the Album when placng your order - our order process will give you this option.

You can create as many Albums as you want, so perhaps make one for your hometown, where you live now, where your parents live now etc.