blimey, take me a while to work through that lot.

Firstly yep a source has linked Nigel to the wings at Coventry, he was also fairly positive that they were from G-AEPD, digging into this a/c I pulled up the CAA sheet and it also backs up the info I was given that G-AEPD was in fact never meant to be the Minor prototype but the next generation Buzzard! If you look on the pic of the CAA record its obvious the plans were changed with this registration being used by the Pou type design then the Minor with both constructors numbers being switched and the ‘Tandem wing’ replaced with mono.

the image below shows the ‘modified’ CAA record… 😮

Roger many thanks for the personal account; I doubt I could have ever dug such detailed info, could the farm have been just north of Anstruther? one contact has hinted at it may have been stored at the now defunct Dunino airfield/farm?… Dave has given me a contact for Nigel and I will chase him to see how things stand at the minute.

Hi T-21 and merry Christmas to you too, I had briefly chatted with Dave about Dart and its location and I did wonder if this was any connection.

Sandy Sproule has kindly contacted me with information and pictures about his dad, one scan talks quite a lot about the Scott Aircraft set up. I will over the next few days read through it all and try and post up some of the info as I think there is quite a lot of interest in general about these company’s’ being linked together.

Buster, please do. I have set a basic website (http://www.bartonleclay.org) with a direct email of [email]archive@bartonleclay.org[/email] to start to get all the information in some order any memories your father has would be very appreciated.

soo G-ORDY, one dead end is proving to be the Marendaz aircraft! I will PM you if that’s ok as I need to establish a who’s who as I am not that aviation ‘savvy’!!

Hello Dave, yes I remember you saying that Dart were at 29a too…. Dunstable has good history society so may drop them an email to see what information they can add, it would nice to nail down exactly where 240 Luton Road was in 1934/1936 and if any known solicitor was there.

OK other lines of enquiry…
I’m tracing down staff of Luton Aircraft Ltd and a few names have been given to me:

Marcus Campbell Goodall, there is a reference to this person being with company in 1936/7 and then moving on to Pye Radio and Marconi in the mid 40’s… last reference I find for him is Assoc Prof at Michigan University in 1984 this name ring any bells?

More on an aviation theme i have been given the name of Nigel Ponsford who we think may be (or have been) connected with the Midland Aircraft Museum, I am keen to get in contact with him.

I am currently looking into the prototype Luton Minor (G-AEPD), all the records so far confirm that it was sold to AJ Cook of Anstruther, I can find nothing on AJ Cook? Also looking at a map of the area round Anstruther and a search for airfields nothing comes up so is it likely that this was a home address on the CAA record and not airfield?

Also connected with G-AEPD I have been told that at some time AJ Cook may have kept the aircraft at Dumbarton before it was destroyed (by a car!)…. again no references to an airfield at Dumbarton, was there any other military/civil site that could explain why it was kept here???

Thanks to all those that have given me information to help track down some of the history of Luton Aircraft and in particular to the time here at Barton.. many thanks especially to both Steve’s and Dave!

well this has just gone made and I seem to have opened a continually growing can of worms..

Luton Aircraft Ltd was registered as limited liability company on the 1st Jan 1935 with a registered office at 240 Luton Road, Dunstable, Beds… what’s interesting this is the same address/date as the Dunstable Sailplane Company also ‘owned’ by CH Latimer-Needham, thats not interesting enough well how about its also the registered office of Grice and Young, and Zander & Weyl at the same time?

Latimer-Needham had met up with Bill Manuel whilst at Dunstable Downs and formed a somewhat odd alliance, 1935 the new Dunstable Sailplane Company takes over Manuels’ designs (crested wren 1931, willow wren 1932 and Blue Wren 1934 notably) and the design for the Kestrel is drafted at the new A5 Hockliffe workshop, in real terms it was a refined Blue Wren and cost £130

Sales were nonexistent of the Kestrel with just one being built (BGA221) at the works and one from plans sold costing £6. 6s. The Kestrel built from plans by W.E.Godson had a short life after crashing on 11/7/39 at Camphill killing Godson. The Kestrel was though more successful with several sets of plans being sold abroad to Australia, one of the builds by Ric New is still in existence in Cunderlin Australia. Records show at least 3 were built in Australia and they are widely credited with establishing the gliders in Australia.

Although I can find no solid records Latimer-Needham was experimenting with a Flying Flea in 1935 (possibly G-ADSE) and this had given him the idea of retailing the kits, something that Manual was not interested in causing a rift.

July 1935 both company’s move to Barton and the design for a powered glider is worked on, the LA1 Luton Buzzard starts construction from the middle of 3 new hangers totaling 1300 sq/ft at the aerodrome. Its interesting to note I do have a reference that John Sproule was working at the site at this time, it’s not confirmed yet but I know he knew Manual.

More to post up later …

I can now add a bit more to this thanks to a few kind people.

Been looking more into CH latimer-Needham and his links mainly and….

Dunstable Sailplane Company started life as a joint venture by CH latimer-Needham and WL Manuel in January 1935 to develop the glider designs that WL Manuel had been previously building, these the ‘Crested Wren’ and ‘Willow Wren’ were built at Hawkinge in Kent during 1931 and 1932.

The team set to work and produced the ‘Dunstable Kestrel’ from their new base at Hockliffe in Bedfordshire which is just 20kms to the NE of RAF Halton where CH latimer-Needham had been an Education Officer and designed the Halton Minus and Mayfly.

The Kestrel which sold for £130 is thought to be a more astatically pleasing and strengthened version of the ‘Blue Wren’ and had a short life with only one being built at the works, its fate unknown as its new owner was at ‘an early stage of training!’…. this said more Kestrels were built as the company sold plans at £6. 6s for a period.

One was built in England by W. E. Godson (who managed to kill himself at the 1939 nationals in it!) and a further 3 in Australia by R. New in West Australia, R. Balsillie at Horsham, and another by Pery Pratt at Geelong. The Kestrel built by Rick New is still in existence at Cunderdin, Australia. All three of these were key to the development of gliding in Australia and are both well documented and remembered….

I even found this footage of one.!!!!
Dunstable Kestrel on Movitone in Australia

At the same time as the Kestrel was being developed CH latimer-Needham had become ‘acquainted’ with a Pou-Du-Ciel and made the suggestion to Manuel that the company should be building these… as a staunch glider enthusiast Manuel was not impressed, so a compromise was made and they worked on a design that had interest to both parties.

Arthur Ord-Hume describes the design in ‘ Flight on frail wings’ very well…..” the result was a strange but not unattractive low wing monoplane with a pod fuselage and tail boom. The wing and the entire tail assembly, complete with all-flying one piece horizontal stabilizer, was pure Kestrel….”

Construction of the new a/c was moved to a new hanger located just 12 kms to the east here at Barton in the winter of 1935, the build taking several months culminating in registration on the 12th December of G-ADYX and the ‘Buzzard’ referring to the ornithological parentage of the design.

WL Manuel at this time has made the decision not to continue with powered flight so the partnership dissolves and Latimer-Needham along the Buzzard design start life at Barton Aerodrome as Luton Aircraft Limited.

thanks James… trip to BLARS planned for later this week 😉

thought I would have a hunt through any public government info I could find and found these maps which came from planning applications from the adjacent farm (which owned the airfield site originally, and is being followed up)

the blue circled areas:
top one, Luton Aircraft Hangers to the left and airfield control tower to the right (circa 1938 build)
bottom one, Bedford School of Flying (remains?)

Now I do have issues with these maps, please note the yellow circled areas the later map (credited as October 2000 by the county council!) is NOT showing the current concrete plant which is on the earlier 1995 map (which replaced the buildings in the bottom blue circle!).

Ignoring the dates!… the larger map clearly shows the Bedford School of Flying buildings on the corner and the clubhouse that was adjacent to the apron heading south west into the airfield.

The timeline for Barton Aerodrome (so far!!!) based on the history of DMK Marendaz only. Dates are based on various sources which I will list with the final draft… some entries may seem to not be linked but i am following leads that support their inclusion at this time!

1897-
17th January: Donald Marcus Kelway Marendaz- born Upper Court Farm, Margam, Neath, Glamorgan, Wales

1907-
Sir Charles Rose (former MP for Newmarket) obtained the site of the Old War Office in Pall Mall for the Royal Automobile Club.

1910-

1911-
GWK starts production. (Arthur Grice, J Talfourd Wood and C.M. Keiller) Beckenham, Kent

1912-
GWK moves to Datchet, Buckinghamshire

1914-
GWK move production to Cornwallis Works in Maidenhead

1915-

1916-
DMK Marendaz joins the Royal Flying Corps in 1916

1918-
DMK (Donald Marcus Kelway) Marendaz (Royal Flying Corps) serving as a pilot in France until invalided out with the rank of lieutenant
DMK Marendaz marries Dorothy Robinet Evans, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke, Wales.
DMK Marendaz joins Alvis, but was sacked and shortly afterwards moved to start Marseel with a Mr Seelhart, a company making gearboxes for the Emscote car. Emscote didn’t take all the gearboxes they made so the surpluses were used with Coventry-Simplex engines to make complete cars.

1920-

1922-
GWK temporary liquidation

1923-
Emscote changed its name to Marseal and Seelhart leaves company.

1925-
Marseal ceases production from Coventry with a total production of 1200 cars (estimated)

1926-
DMK Marendaz Ltd (Marendaz Special cars) start production in Brixton Road, London SW9, England

1928-
Desoutter Aircraft Company Ltd. Croydon formed.

1930-
29th August: (‘flight’) THE London Gliding Club is without a gliding ground, having received notice to give up the site secured near Tring, on the borders of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire
7th November : On November 7th 1930 damages of £1850 were awarded to a Mrs Yvonne Harvey Brown against Mr(not Captain) Marendaz and DMK Marendaz Ltd of Brixton in connection with the death of her husband on the Kingston by-pass on November 30th 1929 due to “negligent driving”. Mr Brown’s car was apparently hit by another while crossing the Kingston by-pass at Woodstock Lane, Thames Ditton.

1931-
GWK cease production at Cornwallis Works, Streamline Cars Ltd take over the factory.

1932-
Marendaz Special cars finish production in Brixton Road, London SW9, England and move to Maidenhead, Berkshire, England until 1936 estimated production run of 30-50 cars.
Marendaz Special Cars Ltd is formed and moves to ‘Cornwallis Works’ Maidenhead where GWK and Burney cars had been built previously using Marendaz parts.
Desoutter Aircraft Company Ltd ceases trading after its main customer (National Flying Services, Hanworth) goes into liquidation.

7th April: There was also a case due to be heard on April 7th 1932: Clark v DMK Marendaz Ltd (no subsequent report)

1933-
6th June: Newsum Sons & Co v Marendaz Special Cars Ltd was due to be heard before an Official Referee

1934-

1935-
Desoutter became a partner with Morris Jackaman in Airports, Ltd to develop Gatwick and Gravesend aerodromes
26th March: Newsum Sons & Co v Marendaz Special Cars Ltd – due to be heard before an Official Referee (no subsequent reports)
10th April: Fitzpatrick v Marendaz Special Cars Ltd was held in the Court of Appeal
22nd May: Newsum Sons & Co v Marendaz Special Cars Ltd – due to be heard before an Official Referee (no subsequent reports)

1936-
Streamline Cars stop production at Cornwallis Works
Marendaz Aircraft Ltd formed
6th April: A Goldstein (Glass Merchants) Ltd v Marendaz Special Cars Ltd
22nd April: A Goldstein (Glass Merchants) Ltd v Marendaz Special Cars Ltd
23rd April: A Goldstein (Glass Merchants) Ltd v Marendaz Special Cars Ltd
19th May: Oxted Magistrates Marendaz was fined £50 and lost his driving licence for two years for a speeding offence at Whyteleafe. At the time he was described as living at Brayfield House, Bray. The original court report describes him as a motor manufacturer,
6th July: Marendaz Special Cars Ltd was compulsorily wound up
24th July: On appeal Oxted Magistrates with Marendaz case was cut to £10 and 12 months (plus £5 costs) described as “racing motorist”.
27th August: (‘flight’) CAPTAIN C H. LATIMER-NEEDHAM, the designer of the Luton Buzzard, recently described in Flight, and other light aircraft, is relinquishing his position as Education Officer, R.A.F., at the end of the month, and will take over the post of managing director and chief designer of Luton Aircraft, Ltd. The company is shortly moving to a new and larger factory now being built near Uxbridge. The aerodrome at Barton will be retained as a testing ground only.

1937-
Marendaz Special Cars Ltd ceases production at Cornwallis works, with an approx run of 80 vehicles.
30th December: BEDFORD SCHOOL OF FLYING LTD.—Private company, registered December 1. Capital, £1,000 in 10,000 shares of 2s. each. Objects : To teach aerial navigation in all i ts forms ; to establish and maintain a club, etc. The permanent directors are :—Dorothy O. Summers, 26, Tilehurst St., Hitchin, secretary ; Leslie C. Hilditch, ” Scylla,” Pirton Road, Hitchin, flying instructor.
16th December: (‘flight’) DURING the last few months a good deal of useful work has been carried out in the development of the aerodrome at Barton, Bedfordshire, which is the home of International Aircraft. This concern has done the necessary work without assistance of any local authority, and in the three months since August,when the Air Ministry granted a provisional licence, 500 yards of cable have been laid underground, 20 acres have been levelled and sown, 300 trees and 1,500 yards of particularly tough hedge have been cut down and the necessary drainage has been done. The aerodrome now- has its own artesian water supply and the usual marker boards and circle are in place. A clubhouse is in course of construction for the use of the Bedford School of Flying, the chief instructor of which is to be Mr. L. C. Hilditch.

1938-
1st Jan : The Bedford School of Flying starts trading.
13th Jan: (‘flight’) The Bedford School of Flying, which makes Barton Airport its headquarters, started activities on January 1.
24th March: (‘flight’ advert) BEDFORD.—BEDFORD SCHOOL OF FLYING, LTD., Barton Airport, Beds.
Fleet: 2 D.H. Moths (one equipped for blind flying). Rates: Dual, £1 15s. {£1 17s. bd. at week-ends); solo, £1 10s.; special contract rates. Secretary: D. O. Summers. Firing Committee: D. O. Summers, L. C. Hilditch and A. E. Hill. Chief Instructor: L. C. Hilditch.
July: The Civil Air Guard is established to create a reserve of civil pilots of both sexes, which it will achieve by subsidising training in light aeroplane clubs across the country. When the scheme is launched, no fewer that 35,000 applied for registration, of whom 4,000 were already in possession of type ‘A’ pilot’s licences.
9th June: (‘flight’)The first summer dance of the Bedford School of Flying was held on June 2, when 120 members and guests attended. The guest of honour was Miss Amy Johnson. Dawn Patrol to be held on June 12 Mr. A. C. Kelway completed his ” A ” licence tests.
14th July: (‘flight’ advert) MOTHS and Avians. From 25/- per hour or JY1 50/- per day.—Bedford School of Flying, Barton Airport, Beds. ‘Phone: Luton 2396.
28th July: (‘flight’)Bedford School of Flying obtains 21 year lease of ‘Barton Aerodrome’ Messrs. J. Unwin,
W. R. Phillips and A. Dixon, obtained their “A ” licenses, Messrs. F. R. Wilbraham and J. Godfrey made first solos.
4th August: (‘flight’ advert) LUTON.—BEDFORD SCHOOL OF FLYING, LTD., Barton Airport, Beds. (Tel. Luton 2396.)
8th October: (‘flight’) J. L. STANTON, who was recently announced as having joined the Bedford School of Flying as chief ground engineer, states that he is no longer connected with that organisation.
27th October: (‘flight’ advert)GROUND Engineer; A. and C. licences for Gipsy and Cirrus Moths and Avians; opportunity to graduate to B.; also to fly if desired.— Bedford School of Flying, Barton Airport, Beds. ‘Phone: Luton 2896.
29th December: BEDFORD SCHOOL OF FLYING LTD. (Barton Airport, Barton, Beds).—
The nominal capital has been increased by the addition of £1,000 beyond the registered
capital of £1,000.

1939-
26th Jan: (‘flight’) The Bedford School of Flying has just taken delivery of its sixth machine—a Moth
19th October: General Airports Corporation Ltd formed, To carry on the manufacture of motor and aeroplane engines. Directors: S. Shaw and Dorothy 0. Summers. Registered office: The Airport, Barton, Beds
2nd March: (‘flight’ advert) GROUND Engineer for Moths, Avians, Cirrus and Gip%y I (8 G.Es. employed.—State experience and salary to Bedford School of Flying, Ltd., Barton Airport, Beds. ‘Phone: Hexton 262

7th Sept: (‘flight’) BEDFORD.—BEDFORD SCHOOL OF FLYING, Barton Aedrodrome, Beds (and Eaton Bray aerodrome). Secretary: Miss D. O. Summers. Senior Instructor: T. A. Evans-Freke. Assistant Instructors: E. H. Feet, G D Garnett and E. Knight Bruce. Chief Engineer: A. R. Sarup. Entrance Fee: £ is. Subscription: £1 is. Rates(normal): £2 per hour. Rates (C.A.G.): Normal.

29th Sept: (‘flight’)At the Bedford School of Flying very good weather has been experienced and two members flew to Lausanne. Among the C.A.G. members four ” A ” licences have been obtained since September 1 by Messrs. G. W. Dicker, W. L. Stoddon, C. R. Tapper, and J. S. Sproule. The latter is, of course, co-holder of the British two seater glider endurance record.

1940-
DMK Marendaz jailed on security charges but he was released after a few days post links to the British Union of Fascists

1945-

1950-

1954-
DMK Marendaz divorces Dorothy Robinet Evans whist in South Africa

1955-

1958-
July: The Times reports of, “Captain Marendaz” selling his collection of porcelain at Christie’s for £5050

1965-
October: DMK Marendaz appears in court in Johannesburg, charged with “theft, fraud and contravening the company and insolvency acts” in connection with Marendaz Tractors Ltd. No further details ….

1972-
Marendaz returns to England from South Africa

1988-
DMK Marendaz dies at the age of 91. Asterby Hall, Asterby, Lincolnshire, England

if anyone can add or has information on any specific part/name/company please contact me.

as always thanks for the replies that keep coming, I am constantly amazed with members of this forum.

James, is there any established pecking order for the source of information?

I have to say I think the small off topics actually add to the information as the people that this information will eventually end up getting to ( the residents of the village) are probably less clued up about aviation than me! 😮

T-21, many thanks for the quote that gives me a few new things to look into!… can you tell me a bit about Ray Sturtivant?

I will post up a bit of the new information soon but in the mean time I have found a village resident who can remember the airfield in use… I also have been told that the parish council and Church Friends group have agreed to run a 2 week ‘village centenary celebration’ in 2010 ( information is sketchy as is not public info yet!) which would also coincide with the airfields 75th aniversary…. thanks to a forum member here I have also tracked down the only surviving a/c as used by the flying school.

Just a byline… I have always used “…Barton(Beds) aerodrome…” to try and not confuse this site with that of Barton Manchester ( now ‘City’) where coincidentally my other half is from ( lived under a mile from the end of the main runway). Should I be using the term “Barton(Beds)” or “Barton In The Clay”?

thanks T-21 for the replies.

How sure are you on your dates as a few don’t tie up with those I already have ( but I could easily be wrong!), the information about the site still being used as late as 1945 is news to me, many thanks.

I have approached the ATA through various sources for help but as yet they have not made a response at all…. Ironically I thought finding out about the history of the airfield during its ATA use would have been the easiest part :dev2:

I have spent the best part of week going back through the Flight Archive and have best part of 100 .pdfs with various snippets of information, but it mainly concentrates on the pre war use of the site.