Demolition starts on Historic WWII pub The Propeller

Here are a few more photo’s of the demolition that i took today the 14th, Will post more when i can.
I can not vouch for what it was like in 1968, but i remember seeing it as a child in the 1970s and 1980s and drank in there when i hit drinking age in 1992, It was a nice bar at that time, All pubs go through different phases in there lifes and my memories are quiet fond ones, It ended its time as a Hungry horse pub and the food was ment to be great(i never ate there, Was more a drinker that a eater then).

As to its connection to Aviation, Its a known fact that during the Battle of Britain and the rest of WWII it was a regular haunt for pilots, I do not remember much in it that did show tribute to its history, But the building itself was history, We are losing so much of our modern history and in particular pubs recently and i think its a shame. We should not forget how important places such as the propeller are/were.
I still feel strongly it could of had a future somehow, probably not as a pub, But it was not to be,Even in its demolition it still looks a strong building.

I am pretty sure that if you were to go to the Purley Way now you would all agree with me that its a souless place of ugly retail units and flats, To me the Propeller and the buildings that are left from Croydon Airport days were the only saving grace for the area.

No incoming fire RetreatingBlade but did the pub make a tribute to its past?
For example close to Martlesham Heath is the Black Tiles pub and the proprietors have always had a display of sorts as a tribute to some famous WWII fliers. I have not visited it for four years though.

Last time I visited, which has to be 1968-ish, the only thing vaguely aeronautical was the huge red propellor outside. I certainly don’t remember anything of any note on the inside. It was so far removed from what remained of Croydon Aiport and surrounded as it was by industrial units and housing estates, it was just another pub. Not exactly a shrine to aviation. Mind you, the Aerodrome Hotel wasn’t much better.

RB

Well, I’ll probably get ripped to pieces for this because its my first post but here goes anyway. When I worked at Croydon Airport, ‘The Prop’ was a bit of a dump. I’m amazed its taken 40-odd years for someone to demolish it.

Incoming!!!!

RB

No incoming fire RetreatingBlade but did the pub make a tribute to its past?
For example close to Martlesham Heath is the Black Tiles pub and the proprietors have always had a display of sorts as a tribute to some famous WWII fliers. I have not visited it for four years though.

Well, I’ll probably get ripped to pieces for this because its my first post but here goes anyway. When I worked at Croydon Airport, ‘The Prop’ was a bit of a dump. I’m amazed its taken 40-odd years for someone to demolish it.

Incoming!!!!

RB

I am very much one of these people who live ‘in the past’, that everything that went before was better. I love history, indeed I wish I had lived 40 years ago as opposed to now (and not just from an aviation point of view). I joined a forum recently about my home town, Liverpool, and all the time there are discussions about gorgeous buildings that just aren’t there any more. It’s a tragedy, not just, more often than not, because of the beauty of some of the buildings that Liverpool (and probably every other city) but the history, the connection to them. That can’t be beaten.
It’s a tragedy that the Propeller is coming down, make no mistake, more than anything because of it’s history, but the situation at RAF Northolt is of far more importance. How what is going to happen is even being contemplated is beyond me. If it was another country, it wouldn’t even be considered. In 10 years time, the regret will be unbelievable. Liverpool filled in the Cavern to build a railway, and straight away regretted it. I am in the building trade and I KNOW FOR A FACT, this is going ahead. We have been asked to quote one element of the works for it!! A LOT more noise needs to be made about this because, believe me, this will be gone by the summer, and just a petition won’t stop it, trust me….. 🙁

i definately think you are looking back with rose tinted specs!

you’d gladly go back to a time with poor health care, no internet or computers, air travel was for the rich, long hours in work, no central heating. you had blankets on your bed not a duvet, and showers in homes were a rare thing!

yes its a nice idea, but i think there are far too many modern conveniences that people take for granted these days that they couldn’t do without.

I know!! I’m not!! Honest!! All i’m saying is the fact that these things at Northolt should be saved. Because of their history. There is a thing in Liverpool at the moment with Stanley Dock. They were going to turn it into apartments but the ceilings are too low. The building is in good nick, but if there is no use… But, these buildings at Northolt, the history, why even contemplate it??

And why wouldn’t I? You’ve done a full character assesment on me then? How would you know? I wouldn’t know, that’s for sure.

Don’t take it personally!

Generally, it’s fair to say most people don’t like (and some can’t cope) with a lower or more restricted standard of living. Going back to the past in the UK is just that. (Your model takes you to 1966, not a bad year, but one where you’d find the food boring and bland, the entertainment options highly limited, and the opportunity for travel appalling, the quality of clothing (and haircuts) very hard to cope with, transport restricted and slow.) They were happy with it then, because that’s what they knew – you’d hate it. Don’t believe me – just assess what you’ve done and used in a given day, and strip out anything post ’66.

As to ‘some things should be saved’. Why? (I’m being rhetorical, but it’s telling that most of us here are hard pushed to make a case to defend an item that’ll convince the layperson.)

We don’t live in the past, and we do need new things – the trick is to strike a balance.

And why wouldn’t I? You’ve done a full character assesment on me then? How would you know? I wouldn’t know, that’s for sure. At the end of the day, i’m making a point. You can’t save everything, I know that. I’m saying that this is something that SHOULD be saved, because of its history. It’s sad to see things you’re connected to disappear, one of them is my avatar, but this is something that the destruction of shouldn’t even be contemplated.

Go on, next punch… 😉

The destruction of the Propeller is a pity, and I’m sorry to see it. More sorry to see the emasculation of Croydon airport though, and I remember duxfordhawk’s original posts.

Where are these countries which preserve more of their heritage than the UK? That’s the most bizarre ‘grass is greener’ I’ve hit for a while.

Italy has a good deal of trouble protecting it’s Roman and Renaissance treasures (Venice anyone?) and Greece the same with the highlights of Greek civilisation. Both of those are of vast significance to the world. From personal experience the USA has a great reverence for the past, but builds around re-creation as much as preservation.

Every other country in the world’s aviation enthusiasts would like to see as much national funding and non-private funds spent on aviation as the UK gets, whether you measure by land mass or per capita – yes, including the USA.

As to going back and living in the past – yeah, right. You’d last a week.

So whats new, “great britain” in modern history has always been a country that places little value on its heritage, being the first to destroy or sell out in favour of £,

good examples. Concord, Rolls Royce, London Bridge, Lotus, Jaguar ripping up historic airfields, pubs etc.. the list goes on.

I am very much one of these people who live ‘in the past’, that everything that went before was better. I love history, indeed I wish I had lived 40 years ago as opposed to now (and not just from an aviation point of view). I joined a forum recently about my home town, Liverpool, and all the time there are discussions about gorgeous buildings that just aren’t there any more. It’s a tragedy, not just, more often than not, because of the beauty of some of the buildings that Liverpool (and probably every other city) but the history, the connection to them. That can’t be beaten.
It’s a tragedy that the Propeller is coming down, make no mistake, more than anything because of it’s history, but the situation at RAF Northolt is of far more importance. How what is going to happen is even being contemplated is beyond me. If it was another country, it wouldn’t even be considered. In 10 years time, the regret will be unbelievable. Liverpool filled in the Cavern to build a railway, and straight away regretted it. I am in the building trade and I KNOW FOR A FACT, this is going ahead. We have been asked to quote one element of the works for it!! A LOT more noise needs to be made about this because, believe me, this will be gone by the summer, and just a petition won’t stop it, trust me….. 🙁

So whats new, “great britain” in modern history has always been a country that places little value on its heritage, being the first to destroy or sell out in favour of £,

good examples. Concord, Rolls Royce, London Bridge, Lotus, Jaguar ripping up historic airfields, pubs etc.. the list goes on. Some of it is “progress” but where aviation is concerned the masses couldn’t really give a hoot

shame….

fair enough, i didn’t realise you’d tried before.

i think its easy to get personal about something historic locally, and perhaps not see the larger picture.
to you its of great historical importance, to others it may just be a pub some pilots used.

Part of the trouble is that The Propeller is just one of a series of pubs in the Croydon area to have been pulled down in recent years, two were pulled down so supermarkets could be built on sites both sites lay empty 2 years on.
I am sure Croydon is not the only town this is happening in, The local paper has done stories on this and in general people are saddened but powerless.

I have mentioned it here several times and tried to get a campaign going but to be trueful there seemed to be no great urge from others to save it, I was very fond of this pub and at least 3 others that have been destroyed in the croydon area in recent years, It seems no amount of campaigning would have saved them.
In the case of The Propeller i tried but alone i could not do much.

fair enough, i didn’t realise you’d tried before.

i think its easy to get personal about something historic locally, and perhaps not see the larger picture.
to you its of great historical importance, to others it may just be a pub some pilots used.

Back in the early 1970’s the pub sign was a large three-bladed propeller (painted dull red). There was a spinner fitted on both sides of the hub. Looked like it may have been ex-Merlin. Anyone know what happened to it?

i have to admit to thinking if it was that important, why wait until its being knocked down to mention it. if its been empty or derelict for a couple of years then there was ample time to get a campaign going.
at the end of the day, you can’t save every bit of heritage.

I have mentioned it here several times and tried to get a campaign going but to be trueful there seemed to be no great urge from others to save it, I was very fond of this pub and at least 3 others that have been destroyed in the croydon area in recent years, It seems no amount of campaigning would have saved them.
In the case of The Propeller i tried but alone i could not do much.

Thank you for the heads up XL – petition signed

TT

This was reported on here years ago, I remember it well. However, I would think this is of more importance…

i have to admit to thinking if it was that important, why wait until its being knocked down to mention it. if its been empty or derelict for a couple of years then there was ample time to get a campaign going.
at the end of the day, you can’t save every bit of heritage.

Desperately sad news.

What about trying to save that sign on the pole?