Brooklands Anniversaries Invitation
The Brooklands Museum is planning
to mount an event in the Autumn to celebrate the 70th anniversary of
the Battle of Britain and the 75th anniversary of the Hurricane’s first
flight. The Museum would like to invite any former Hawker employees
from the 1935 to 1940 era to attend. If you are one or know one please
contact Julian Temple on 01932 857381.
Ham Factory Ownership History Resolved
David Hassard has unravelled the true ownership history of the factory as follows…
It was built for the Ministry of Munitions as
National Aircraft Factory No 2, not No 1, and was rented, not bought,
by Sopwith Aviation. At the Sopwith Directors' meeting held on 23 July
1919, “Mr Cary reported that the Ministry refused to continue the
renting of the Ham factory and had decided to sell it.” The highest
price Sopwith would be prepared to consider was thirty per cent of the
cost, or £60 - £70,000. The Ministry would not accept this and put the
building up to tender. A Leyland offer of £225,000 was accepted by the
Ministry late in 1919 and that Company used the factory until 1948.
The Hawker Directors' minutes of 1 January 1948
records that "The Chairman told the meeting that he had now received
from the Managing Director of Leyland Motors Limited an offer of sale
of that Company's Ham property….for the sum of £585,000.” This offer
was accepted by Hawker. The rest, as they say, is history.
Updated on 122Aug2010