Help & Advice Please For 'Memorabilia'

Pleased to have been of possible service, fana.

Re post 3:
My sentiments exactly! The Museum would certainly be interested in the logbooks, especially as we could digitize them – they would be returned on completion. Do you live local to Brooklands?? PM me if you wish to “chat” about it..
Andy fana

Hi Katrina – PM just sent – humble apologies for the delay
Keith

Would your Father not have hoped that one day all his most treasured belongings went to his Daughter? it’s just a thought because it’s the first thing that I had in mind, after saying that this place is second to none for the advice you seek.
Phil.

Or grandchildren…

………. I think I will start by sorting everything into sections of different companies that he flew for …….

Katrina, I agree with a lot of what has been said and being careful and sure of what you want to do with your father’s collection. I think the status of any Museum you might talk to is vitally important and echo the requirement for the organisation to be accredited (a Government recognition).

Re your sorting into sections I would suggest/appeal that your father’s log books are kept together and if they can be digitized so much the better.

Roger Smith.

… my son was very close to him and I do feel stuck in the middle about this:confused:

Katrina; I was in a similar position. A close friend of mine who died 10 yrs ago, who was a former RAF Spitfire pilot, then BEA and BA Captain, retiring in 1977, before flying with several airlines before fully retiring in 1981. His daughter asked for my opinion about his flying related personal effects. In view of his very young grand children, my advice was to defer any decision until they were old enough. Keep everything in two medium sized suitcases in a dry loft and forget about them for years. There is never any rush to decide on such personal items. In the meantime I have digitised his logbooks for my interest and additional safety.

If you or anyone else in your family have the equipment and a little know-how, digitizing the collection in photos and scans and setting it on a webpage makes a very nice memorial to an aviation career and aviation enthusiasts all over the world can enjoy it.

Hi Katrina, my thoughts are with you on this one, I am in the fortunate position of still having my father but as he is now in his late 70’s and although in good health the inevitable is not too far away. He spent over 55 years in the aviation business, only three years RAF and the rest in civil and this is where part of my dilemma will arise. Military aviation has the pull, no point denying it but when it comes to the civil stuff, and there are some fantastic supporters restoring and maintaining civil aviation history, for some reason war wins over the actual form of aviation that has opened up the world to so many in it.
So what will I do with my inheritance? Of course I will keep some but the reality is I wouldn’t be able to keep it all and when I say there is a lot I mean LOADS. He has everything from 1950’s unused headed company note paper to an accurate reproduction of his 1960s company vehicle. At least one copy of every timetable, baggage tags, notes, movement books, load sheets, models and models and models, the list is endless. I would love it to be collectively saved for future research by a recognised museum, if it was military I sure it would be easy, because it’s “civil” I am not so sure.
The Duxford guys do a great job with their civil aircraft but I for one think there should be a national Civil aviation collection/museum/centre but would it get the support, I am not so sure. I love duxford and what happens there but it always seems odd that at the Imperial WAR Museum we have some of the best preserved “civvies”, but then if they weren’t there would they have even survived to be preserved? and please can someone tell my why such a unique aircraft as the Ambassador is outside after all that fantastic work, it’s rarer than most of the inside aircraft yet because the Aviation Society I assume have to accept what’s available she has to suffer outside!!!!!
Sorry, ranting a bit but I too will have this day to face and would like to see our “civil aviation” history given a bit more prominence when it comes to national preservation and the archives of the men and women who helped open up the world to us all in post war aviation so it can be preserved for future research and celebration.

I do wonder if the likes of the BA heritage centre would’ve not simply wish to copy them and add them to the collection as a computor media, thus enabling others to study them. I do echo the sentiments above.

I’d echo some of the comments above and say be very careful. It’s not that there are too many dishonest people out there but it will mean less to them than it will to you or your family, Katrina, and once/if something is lost or just goes missing then it is irreplaceable.

After recording what you have, would it be a worthwhile suggestion to consider yourself or someone you know writing your father’s biography/memoirs? Although he sounds like an exceptional man it is a fact that most people, excepting politicians and celebs, rarely have their working lives recorded in the detail pilots do and the information and the stories contained therein should be preserved for your family and future generations.

Personally, if it doesn’t take up too much room, I would keep it and then perhaps, as suggested above, consider transposing it into a more concise and readable form interwoven with your own and other’s (his fellow flight crew’s) experiences?

Good Luck.

Anon.

Hi Bruggen & Rocketeer – you see this is my dilemma! I am exrtremley proud of what my Father accomplished and as I had the privileged of sitting in the jump seat as a child on numerous occasions. I know how much he was loved as a Captain, he always considered his crew first and wasn’t interested in anyone knowing his status. When he retired from BA in approx 1976 (went on to fly with Cyprus airways after), the staff who gathered at his party in Heathrow asked him if there’s anything he always wanted to do – he said ‘set fire to the notice board!’ He was a real character like so many, with a fab sense of humor – some stories I maybe shouldn’t repeat but all from the days when flying had a personality in itself. So my dilemma is that I don’t want to part with anything and only if somethings are of real interest / research for others would Mum & I consider parting with it. However I pictures of all the planes he flew (not all with him fling them) & I will keep some things. But as Tangmere 1940 & Tony T mentioned I would make sure I keep a note of everything & have it returned if anything should happen to the museum.
However as you have mentioned (Rocketeer) that you have your Grandad’s stuff my son was very close to him and I do feel stuck in the middle about this:confused:

Agree with comments. This is a family heirloom and should stay in the family (I have my Grandad’s stuff). If for any reason, that is not possible, an accredited museum would be best place. Many private individuals would like the items and they do have an intrinsic value. However, would be nice if they could be seen by all in a museum.

Would your Father not have hoped that one day all his most treasured belongings went to his Daughter? it’s just a thought because it’s the first thing that I had in mind, after saying that this place is second to none for the advice you seek.
Phil.

As said if loaning to a museum, make sure you itemise every item and get it signed they are on loan and in writing, I would personally take photo’s of each item too, so there is not ambiguity in the future if the said museum was to close its doors or merge, or you wished for them back.

I would add BA does also have a heritage Dept.

http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/about-ba/history-and-heritage/heritage-collection

PM sent from me too.

Wow you guys are quick! Thanks so much for all that info it’s extremely helpful. I think I will start by sorting everything into sections of different companies that he flew for and certainly follow up all your suggestions.
:very_drunk: cheers!

The Museum of Flight at East Fortune would be a good choice for items related to flight in Scotland.

Hello Katrina,
Given your dad’s BA background perhaps the airline’s heritage collection might be interested.
http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/about-ba/history-and-heritage
I hope it finds a safe home.
Ed

If he flew the Highlands and Islands routes, then Newark might be worth an ask, as they have one of the old Herons. DH Museum have another of the Herons, but I don’t think its quite their sort of thing.

I am sure there will be plenty of people along to advise where you might place these items that are special to you and special to your father.

The only thing I would say is be careful about the status, aims and objectives of any museum or collection you donate the items to. Make sure it is not a private collection and a museum regulated in some way and perhaps a Registered Charity. I say this from experience of both sides of that fence! Also, be aware that some museums may not put the items on display but merely retain them in an archive for research purposes. You also need to be clear what will happen to the collections when/if the museum ever folds or is wound up.

I am not saying they would be able to accept them, but a museum like Brooklands might be a good start perhaps?