Project Purley

The Local History Society for Purley on Thames

The Purley Park River Estate

2/8/2019

The Purley Park River estate was established in the 1930s when land desined for a new mansion was sold off after threats of flooding. It was sold off in small lots to fishermen and campers and people who wanted a very rural temporary retreat. During WW2 many of those who had bought plots self evacuated themselves from London to escape the Blitz. After the war it became a target for local opposition with the County Council several times seeking to have it closed down and the land cleared.

By this time it sported a wide range of types of accomodation ranging from buses and railway carriages to wooden shacks and tents. Gradually over the years these were replaced by more substantial buildings which were in their turn replaced by modern brick buildings so that today most of the estate is hardly discernable from developments elsewhere.

Many articles have been written about the estate and we provide links to these as follows:-

Purley Park River Estate
Two articles by Jean Debney published in the Purley Parish News

Our very own shanty town
A very controversial article published in a local paper c1974

The Purley Park River Estate
Anonymous article written in 2007

The Purley Park River estate - section from original account of Purley on Thames

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