Place Information
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Purley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a suburban development situated 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south of Charing Cross. The name derives from "pirlea", which means 'Peartree lea'. Purley has a population of about 72,000.
History
Local governmentUnder 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 in 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, was abolished and its area transferred to Greater London and used to form part of the London Borough of Croydon. The urban district council was based in a colonial-style building opened in 1930. The building became the property of the London Borough of Croydon and has recently been sold to developers and converted into housing. AviationKenley Aerodrome, to the east of the town, nowadays home to a gliding club, was one of the most important fighter stations - together with Croydon Airport and Biggin Hill - during World War II. Suburban growthPurley 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. The Webb Estate made headlines in a 2002 survey, which found that it had over the years attracted the highest-earning residents in the UK.
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 both sides Lombardy poplars planted in soil mixed with English and French earth specifically shipped over to the UK, and a plaque at one end with the inscription "Aux soldats de France morts glorieusement pendant la Grande Guerre", as a memorial to the alliance of World War One and the soldiers who died. At the other end of the road stands an obelisk carved from a single piece of stone. Notably, the town was home to Von Ribbentrop when he was ambassador before WWII, and he is understood to have ensured that the town was never bombed. 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. The CR8 postal district was named in 2003 as having the highest average earning residents in the UK. [1] Research Tips
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