Memories of Vickers-Supermarine (and others) at Hursley Park ?

I had a chat with Stella Rutter some time ago and she had some great stories, over and above her recollections on Supermarine, but I’d agree with R6915 it’s a personal memoir that features Supermarine rather than the other way around.

Mike Roussel, who wrote ‘Spitfire’s Forgotten Designer’ came up to Hursley whilst working on his book and during this, and following the launch, it was great to be able to meet some of the remaining Supermariners and the relatives of others.

So hopefully I’ll be able to start recording more of the Hursley Park part in Supermarine’s story.

I was wondering whilst writing this whether anyone is aware of any plans to remember the dispersal of Supermarine in 1940. Would seem to me to be a good chance to let people know the role so many small workshops played in keeping the Spitfire available.

Thanks for all the comments … If anyone is aware of any more I’m still keen to hear them.

Thanks
Dave

I read this recently:
http://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/index.php/transport-industry/aircraft-and-spacecraft/spitfires-forgotten-designer.html
Gives a fair bit of info about Hursley Park and the other locations.

I didn’t mention that when Charlie Brown gave that stunning display (on December 8th 2006) over Hursley several of us looked towards the ‘big house’ and were stunned to see that maybe 200 or so of the staff had also come out into the car park and were watching and filming!

To T-21 and post number 24, I would comment that I also have a copy of the Stella Rutter’s book. Whilst Harry Griffiths and another old friend of mine – Mike Baylis – also helped her with that history it is still much more a personal memoir of those times.

http://www.historyofwar.org/bookpage/rutter_who_goes_where.html This lady worked in the design office at hursley.

Harry Griffith’s book is one of the most useful for trying to piece together the way in which Supermarine used Hursley, particularly in the early days there as he references many of the different locations used, like the stables and rooms in the basement. I also remember the display although sadly I didn’t know the reason behind it, which was a great shame and I can testify to the quality.

Since I first posted I have been fortunate to have had a chance to talk to a few of the surviving Supermariners, a true privilege.

Although this year I am working (by the way when I say ‘working’ the research not my day job, just a passion I have to fit in as and when I can) primarily on the estate during The Great War but I am also starting to look at how to mark the fact that next year is the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Supermarine design and production teams at Hursley following the bombing go the works in Southampton and the dispersal of Spitfire production.

Dave

I’ve only just seen this thread, to my great regret so….in particular looking back at post 5 and the comment about Denis Webb’s book Never A Dull Moment and just a word of caution. Denis was getting on in years when he was able to get his remarkable book published and when it came to checking proofs he didn’t do a very good job and there are a fair number of errors most of which are quite obvious when you pause over them. Having said that very unkindly about Denis who passed away some years ago it is a book I could never do without. And, I do still have contact with the publisher and will ask him if there any copies still available.

I also have a draft chapter intended for the book directly from Denis on his view of the TSR2 cancellation and its effect on the staff of the manufacturer at Brooklands Weybridge when the axe fell on the project. It wasn’t published because it was really outside of the direct focus on Supermarine. To say it is pithy, critical and very poignant does not do it justice either.

And, there is another book to add to the reading list. By Griff (actually Harry Griffiths) Testing Times Memoirs Of A Spitfire Boffin. ISBN 1-85200-045-7. Published 1992 by United Writers Publications, Penznance Cornwall. When Harry died in late 2006 his ‘wake’ was held at Hurskey Park in the IBM Sports Pavillion in front of the house. It was arranged for Charlie Brown to come down in Spitfire Vb BM 597 and perform a solo aerobatic display over the playing fields that afternoon. To say that he put on a stunning show would be an understatement. He didn’t see the tears in our eyes that afternoon – nor did he hear the round of applause. There are one or two clips on U Tube, but they do not do justice to that display. Harry was we believe the last of Mitchell’s men from Woolston days and he also worked at Hursley.

Just for interests sake what happened to all the jigs and tooling for the Spits?

Dave,
Very belatedly I have sent you an email. My apologies for the delay in responding.

Regards
Dave

My father worked at Supermarine Woolston before it was bombed and into the 1960’s we had the “ex Supermarine” liberated drawing office clock proudly displayed and working on our lounge wall!
After the bombing he was transferred to Hursley park in the experimental shop ,he also worked at High Post and Chilbolton I believe. he was always proud of his association with the Spitfire right from its earliest iteration. Many years later I was taught technical drawing by John Isaacs in the tech college at Southampton, I never told him about the clock though!

Hello Dave,

Lovely story, the promise of ‘proper’ tea can work wonders sometimes 😉 Sounds like the lovely lady was referring to Len Gooch:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZbTZqCxyGK4C&pg=PT200&lpg=PT200&dq=len+gooch+supermarine&source=bl&ots=ciI9OlA6IQ&sig=DQs0ylN5ng0kj3nvFP9qCw7hIuw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VI0TUomhO-HH0QWN84HgCw&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=len%20gooch%20supermarine&f=false

Hi Dave
You’ve probably already done this, but have you tried contacting The Spitfire Society?
http://spitfiresociety.org

If this thread is still active – I would like a contact in the UK to discuss following: I “run” the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Allison Branch – Indianapolis – and encountered a visitor to our museum last week = lovely lady with a great Bristol accent – silver hair and quite proper – in short said in her very early days she was principle secretary to Mr L Gouch (sp?) Head of Works for Supermarine during WWII. After some discussion and a promise of a proper tea – she agreed to come in and be interviewed when we get our Merlin exhibit ready.
Would anyone have any good links to Mr L Gouch or his time at Vickers Supermarine? I did find a 1947 Flight magazine article – November – with a photo of a Griffon powered Spit and a crowd of dignitaries to include the gentleman, but nothing further. Like to get a bit of background before starting the interview. Her most clear memory was of the factory being bombed and then having (part of?) the works moved.

Thanks to anyone who replies – [email]Dave.b.newill@rolls-royce.com[/email]

Thanks, there’s one less copy there now 🙂

Blast, hope he has some more, I was unaware of that book. It is the end of war and into the 1950s period that I’m most interested in.

You might also like to try “Spitfire Odyssey” by C. R. Russell (ISBN 0-946184-18-6) and “Spitfire Postscript” (ISBN 0 9524858 0 X) by the same author.

Although he was mainly based at Woolston, Eastleigh, High Post and Keevil he does mention a lot of the other sites in both his books.

They were published in the mid-1980s but can be found on the usual sites.

Great stuff!

There’s a copy at Hailsham going on abebooks for £30 plus postage. Better hurry!

Thanks, there’s one less copy there now 🙂

There’s a copy at Hailsham going on abebooks for £30 plus postage. Better hurry!

If you can manage to find a copy, the following book may be of interest:

Never a Dull Moment at Supermarine by Denis Le Plastrier Webb

Published in 2001 by J&KH Publishing, PO Box 13, Hailsham, E Sussex BN27 3XQ (ISBN 1 900511 73 8), it was a short publication run, and copies are now a little hard to find :(.

Denis Webb worked at Supermarine (and latterly Vickers) from starting his apprenticeship in April 1926, until he retired in 1971.

When the company dispersed, he worked at Hursley Park from December 1940 until 1946, when he was transferred to High Post as Assistant Experimental Manager. 10 years later, he moved back to the experimental hanger at Hursley Park, and the book has quite a bit about Hursley, High Post and Chillbolton.

I’ve always been fascinated by Hursely Park, High Post, and Chilbolton although I have very little info on them.

Don’t forget Worthy Down.

As I start to dig into this I have no doubt these will also begin to “sneak” into what I uncover.

There is someone else who posts here and on the Airfield Information Exchange (http://www.airfieldinformationexchan…nity/forum.php) forum who has info on the site, might be Daveotu?

Thanks, I’ll follow up the lead

Is there much left of original buildings etc?

It depends on what you classify as the “original buildings”.

The initial relocation was directly in Hursley House itself. That is still standing in it’s full glory, although beyond a picture of a Spitfire on the wall you wouldn’t know Supermarine had ever been there.

Also many of the original, pre-Supermarine, buildings used by them (like the Stables) are still standing. Although the Entertainment’s Hall, with it’s renowned dance floor, wasn’t up to the punishment engine testing gave it and had to be demolished.

The main drawing office was located to the east of “The House” and this survived into the eighties at least (I can remember it, although by that time it was referred to as “X Block”).

The Experimental Hangar, to the south of the main buildings near the Southampton Road entrance, was also demolished some time ago. The site is now an overflow car park owing to the chemicals used there having “somewhat contaminated” the soil!

Cheers
Dave

Well done for taking that work on, I’ve always been fascinated by Hursely Park, High Post, and Chilbolton although I have very little info on them.
There is someone else who posts here and on the Airfield Information Exchange (http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/forum.php) forum who has info on the site, might be Daveotu?
Is there much left of original buildings etc?