Maley Avenue

From Virtual Norwood

Maley Avenue started life off as Park Avenue circa 1860 during the heady days of property development and the need to build villas for the middle classes. Sadly the railway split the Avenue in half in the late 1800s but four pairs of the original pre-railway houses still stand - they are some of the oldest houses in West Norwood. The arrival of the railway has been more fortuitous than our Victorian ancestors might have guessed. The street is pleasantly quiet and yet only a stones throw from commuter heaven and all the local shops. The street was later renamed after Mr Maley the builder who also built Norwood Parade and numbers 9-14 Maley Avenue.

A new secondary school, The Elmgreen School, is currently being built at the top of the road on Elmcourt Road and and will be completed by September 2009. There is a Residents' Association and because the street only has 21 houses most of the neighbours know each other. Pictures of the street in 1901 can be viewed in John Coulter's 'Norwood Past' available at West Norwood library or from local WH Smiths.