Author Topic: RAF Hendon, married Quarters, 1937?  (Read 1324 times)

Offline bugbear

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RAF Hendon, married Quarters, 1937?
« on: Wednesday 22 June 16 10:38 BST (UK) »
I have a family, showing in the Electoral Register 1937 at:

Hendon, West Hendon Ward; Booth Road, Married Quarters 5, R.A.F.

The 25 entries for the RAF come after a decreasing sequence of house numbers for Booth Road, ending in 2. After the RAF entries, we hit Braemar Gardens.

This shows quite nicely on Google Maps

It also shows on the 1947 OS held at the NLS (attached)

But if Booth Road and Braemar Gardens both have a fairly clear existence, and intersection, where were the 25 RAF married quarters? There doesn't appear (on the 1947) to be any properties NEAR the Braemar/Booth intersection that aren't ON Braemar or Booth.

Unless (of course) the cluster is in fact Aeroville;
Google Satellite

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-507601-aeroville-greater-london-authority
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw011926

It's slightly out of sequence geographically, but logically a very good fit.

So - does anyone know if Aeroville was used by the RAF as married quarters, just prior to WW2?

 BugBear
BICE Middlesex
WOMACK Norfolk/Suffolk

Offline Bookbox

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Re: RAF Hendon, married Quarters, 1937?
« Reply #1 on: Friday 24 June 16 19:23 BST (UK) »
But if Booth Road and Braemar Gardens both have a fairly clear existence, and intersection, where were the 25 RAF married quarters? There doesn't appear (on the 1947) to be any properties NEAR the Braemar/Booth intersection that aren't ON Braemar or Booth.

There was some WW2 bombing in exactly the spot you're enquiring about ...

http://bombsight.org/bombs/29949/

... so for housing in 1937, a map of 1947 may not show much.

Aeroville was originally built to house employees of the aircraft-building industry, not the RAF. The housing there was requisitioned for RAF accommodation during WW2, but I think not as early 1937. Two places you could email for more information ...

Barnet Local Studies
library.archives (AT) barnet.gov.uk

RAF Museum Archives at Hendon
research (AT) rafmuseum.org

Offline bugbear

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Re: RAF Hendon, married Quarters, 1937?
« Reply #2 on: Friday 24 June 16 22:02 BST (UK) »
But if Booth Road and Braemar Gardens both have a fairly clear existence, and intersection, where were the 25 RAF married quarters? There doesn't appear (on the 1947) to be any properties NEAR the Braemar/Booth intersection that aren't ON Braemar or Booth.

There was some WW2 bombing in exactly the spot you're enquiring about ...

http://bombsight.org/bombs/29949/

... so for housing in 1937, a map of 1947 may not show much.

Aeroville was originally built to house employees of the aircraft-building industry, not the RAF. The housing there was requisitioned for RAF accommodation during WW2, but I think not as early 1937. Two places you could email for more information ...

Barnet Local Studies
library.archives (AT) barnet.gov.uk

RAF Museum Archives at Hendon
research (AT) rafmuseum.org

Excellent info; thank you.

 BugBear

PS Don't I know you from "Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition"   :)
BICE Middlesex
WOMACK Norfolk/Suffolk

Offline Jim1936

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Re: RAF Hendon, married Quarters, 1937?
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 06 December 16 13:57 GMT (UK) »
Hi BugBear
I was born in one of the RAF Married Quarters that you are asking about.
My father had been posted In 1932 to 601 Squadron at RAF Hendon and was later allotted a Married Quarters house at 8 Booth Road where he, my mother and their then two small children lived and where I first saw the light of day in 1936.
It's unlikely that the house numbering system was changed much over the years and as far as I know, the house where I was born was pretty much on the same site as the more modern house at the same address that can be found via Google Maps and Street View.
Reinforcing this, according to family legend I couldn't have been born closer to the (all-grass) airfield itself without getting in the way of landings & takeoffs.
I have a framed original page from "The Authentic Map Directory of London & Suburbs" of 1936 showing the area around London Aerodrome (the original name of the airfield before it became RAF Hendon in, I believe, 1928) that can be seen online here:
http://picclick.co.uk/1936-Large-Scale-Map-London-Mill-122163438485.html   (click image to enlarge)
I also have a copy of the book "RAF Hendon, The Birthplace of Aerial Power" by Andrew Renwick, available from the RAF Museum in Hendon, where on P75 is written: "A period of construction began with the building of a new station headquarters and accommodation for officers and men. The remaining pre-war sheds were demolished and married quarters built alongside a new road, which in 1933 was named Booth Road ...".
On P37 of this book is a sketch of London Aerodrome in 1914 showing just three large sheds opposite what is today the junction of Colindale Avenue, Aerodrome Road and Booth Road. To further pinpoint the location, the 1914 sketch shows but doesn't name these three roads and also (as another marker) Sheaveshill Avenue near the bend in Silk Stream.
Your family members and my parents (obviously no longer around to ask) might have been neighbours in 1937 had my father not already been posted to RAF Eastchurch in Kent in September 1936. However, in case my mother and children remained at Hendon, you could perhaps have a look at the Electoral Register you mentioned to see if there was a Jones family at No. 8 - please do let me know if you find them!
Jim


Offline bugbear

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Re: RAF Hendon, married Quarters, 1937?
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 06 December 16 14:11 GMT (UK) »
Thank VERY much for your info;

I've checked the Electoral Reg - the Jones had gone by 1937, but were around in 1936 (as you know...)

In 1936 Married Quarters, 8 RAF has:
Charles William Edward Nollarth Jones and Kathleen Mary Jones.

  BugBear
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Offline Jim1936

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Re: RAF Hendon, married Quarters, 1937?
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 07 December 16 10:58 GMT (UK) »
Hi BugBear
You hit the nail on the head at first try: those are indeed my parents (except that my Old Man's fourth first name was Nolloth). Thanks for checking for me.
I tried yesterday to post info I'd received from the RAF Museum, but for some reason it failed. I wondered if it might have ended up in a system as some forums have to hold up 'suspect' posts for a moderator to check out, but I can't even send a PM to the mod Dawnsh since I'm too new here.
Before I try to send the stuff again, would you be interested in the Museum info and a video of the 1937 RAF Hendon flying display?
Jim