Aircraft Crashing into House in Westcliff. C.1950?

My first foray into Zero 6 was as a 15/16 year old museum volunteer sent by the ex Channel Airways engineers to scrounge some carpet offcuts for the museum’s Viscount nose section.
Went back to the hotel a couple of years ago. Looks completely different from the outside but inside seemed much the same. Very strange going back after all those years.

my auntie lives in leigh on sea
im from upminster and used to go to zero 6 nightclub at southend airport in the mid 70’s as a lad in my lotus cortina wiv my m8s!
before that was always at the airport watching channel airways and carvairs etc since about 1963
we watched sarfend pier burn down (twice i think) and also went to tots club (talk of the south)

here is a pic of me (under the nose of the a/c ):)
little boy wiv dark hair holding a brochure lol
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0223120&photo_nr=6&prev_id=0297995&next_id=0170581&size=L

Sticking with the Essex Meteor crashes, does anyone have any pictures of/ press cuttings about this one?

12th April 1952
RAF Meteor 8 WF700 Fire in air, loss of control Sqn. Ldr. J. Miller sustained bruises during parachute development – tore cartilage on landing.

My Dad – then aged 7! remembers seeing the wreckage having destroyed a bungalow in Thundersley. Apparently, the pilot landed outside the Woodcutter’s Arms.

I found www.sarfend.co.uk on the net:D

Seems to be a lot of forum members with Essex connections, past and present – myself included! Perhaps we need our own foum!

Here is a more recent newspaper cutting showing the fuse up against the house:

I currently live on a corner with Hainault Ave, just a 100 yds or so from the incident.

Southend Memories 2

it was originally released on VHS but a DVD copy has just been released they have it in the info centre at the pier.

Old Fart…

I’ve always spelt it Westcliff-on-Sea myself…But that’s because I lived in the cheap bit:D
When I was a postie around there 20 years or so ago, I always found that those who live in the posh bit south of the London Road put Westcliffe on their letters!!…

Back on topic though…that local history dvd sounds very interesting, and an offer of a copy would be very nice!! Alternatively, what was the title of the dvd, as I would probably buy a copy anyway as I have a bit of Southend local history stuff…just for when I get homesick. I visit my folks there on a regular basis, so could pick a copy up next time I’m visiting.

Regards;
Steve

Its Westcliff-on-Sea small o big S.

How this thing with Westcliffe-on-Sea came about is anyone guess.

There are a few photos in books of the crash site and the story featured on a local history video a few years back if you want I can copy it on to a DVD if you want, ots quite intresting interviews with people who saw the crash or the results of it.

Thanks for the link. I actually found the other thread after my last post.
I didn’t exactly live in Electric Ave as my flat had a horrible habit of trying to fall down or leak every time I thought it was ready. I finally gave up and sold it.
By the way it is Westcliff and I don’t think you could describe the area around Electric Ave as the posh end of town although it certainly isn’t the worst either.

Hi Pete..

Did you check out some of the information in this previous thread that was kicked off by me some time back…

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=56920&highlight=westcliff

I have always been surprised that there were not more casualties on the ground…being the built up area that it is…

Am I also formulating the impression that all the members of this forum lived in Electric Avenue in Westcliff??:D (Also is it Westcliff or Westcliffe?…I always thought that if you lived in the posh bit, then it was Westcliffe…if you lived in the cheap bit…it was Westcliff:D )…sorry, horribly off topic, I know!

Regards;
Steve

Hi Pete..

Small world…I grew up in Electric Avenue…108 to be exact. I asked the same question a few months back regarding the Meteor that came down in Westcliff. I believe it was in the area of Bedell Avenue.

Regards;
Steve
Ex Rebel Air Museum…
Nice to see you guys got the Welland up and running….:)

Hi Steve

I will have to find out the house number Mum lived at then!

Credit for getting the Welland running goes to Terry Jones, I just helped with some of the engineering.
It is remarkably quiet in comparison to a Derwent at ground idle, of course it can`t touch the Merlin for sheer sound, but the one thing you can`t take away from it is it`s history. It is without doubt the oldest running jet engine there is!
Oh, and it HAS been at Legends. 🙂

Pete

Even smaller world as I owned a flat at 31A Electric Ave in the 80’s.
I believe the aircraft was a Meteor. There was a newspaper cutting of the accident framed and hanging in the entrance hall at the Southend Museum. I believe it was still there after the musum became a roller rink.
As far as I recall it was discussed at the museum before the cutting came to light and I think it was a pilot giving an unofficial airshow to his parents but I may have misunderstood the discussion. As a teenager you don’t always listen to the whole story. Can’t remember the road but I am sure it was further towards the football ground than Beedell Ave.

Hi Pete..

Small world…I grew up in Electric Avenue…108 to be exact. I asked the same question a few months back regarding the Meteor that came down in Westcliff. I believe it was in the area of Bedell Avenue.

Regards;
Steve
Ex Rebel Air Museum…
Nice to see you guys got the Welland up and running….:)

Cheers Dave
I should have searched first because I have found this previous post which seems to make sense. There is even another person here who witnessed the crash.

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=56920

Pete

Meteor VZ510 of 263S BUA 10/9/51 at Westcliffe is a possibility.

regards

DaveW