Historic Croydon Airport - a key part of aviation history

Historic Croydon Airport - a place steeped in history, pivotal in the design of the modern airport and an essential part of the development of the whole air travel experience that we very much take for granted nowadays.

When I visited this site on one of the monthly Open Days (see below for booking details), I was captured by it. I undertook to put this together to share its story as wide as possible. Croydon should be proud of this place, and if you are in the area I would highly recommend a visit, you will not be disappointed!

Jump To:
00:00 Start
00:13 Opening from Ian Walker
01:17 Location
02:10 Aircraft at the Front
02:47 The Gate Lodge
04:23 The Architecture
08:00 Rear of the Terminal Building
08:42 Control Tower
12:33 World War II Bomb Damage
14:12 Booking Hall
15:13 Inside the Control Tower
17:42 Closing Summary

Thank you for watching, I really appreciate it.

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[A_kiwis_view]

I was a nine year old when I left England with my brothers and parents, September 1947 headed for New Zealand. We took off from Croydon in the early hours of the morning bound for Shannon in a Lockheed Constellation, then on to Newfoundland and New York. In those days the air travel was a series of short hops and it took nearly a week to get to Auckland. I was so enthralled by flying that led to me becoming a pilot and flying my own aircraft. Now 86 I still make flying model aircraft and pass the skills on to students at the local school.

[annewilkins]

Fantastic, interesting history of Croydon Airport. I visited the museum a few years ago and it was really interesting. I lived nearby in Wallington for 19 years and passed the site many times. My Father, together with his Father, were on the top of the viewing platform, to witness Amy Johnstone returning from her solo flight.

[Citrisity]

A massive thankyou for helping keep the history of Croydon Airport alive.

[johnorchard]

The greatest shame about the decline of the airport buildings was the old airport hotel. When I used to go there in the early 1970s the main bar was a wonderful original bar serving the airport's hotel. The decor of the bar was in its original state, with a 1920s art deco mural around all the walls and the art deco styling of the doors, the windows, the bar itself, which complemented the art deco style of the hotel building and that of the main terminal building next door. All along the Purley Way (which was built because of the airport, not merely as a by-pass) down to Five Ways all of the walling and most of the older buildings (including the old petrol station at Five Ways) was all built in a similar style - much of it still remained when I was there last.

But how the owners of the hotel were allowed to ransack what was an original historic feature I shall never understand. It was not the only such thing to occur within Croydon, but in my mind it ranks as one of the worst cases of historic vandalism. There were other commercial and art deco buildings in the general area, many are now gone - including the old George Payne factory.

This video reminded me of a conversation that I had back in the 1970s. In the bar, mentioned above, one of the old regulars was an old man who liked to tell his stories. However, they were not fiction. He told us of how he came to be trained as a pilot, this was in the period at Croydon Airport before the First World War, around 1912. He told us that he first had to earn the right. In his case he was given the job of working along the main take-off and landing areas (it was grass, no tarmac runway) and he needed to pick up detritus. He said that it was a hazard of flying in that bits simply dropped off the aircraft, these became a real problem for other aircraft who might be damaged from flying metal parts kicked up by passing over them.

[brianingarfill]

Thank you for the very informative history of Croydon airport. I drive by periodically on my way to Costco and have wondered about the building, many thanks.

[Cobraguy]

Thank you for a fascinating and informative video on Croydon Airport. In the 1950s I trained as a still photographer with the De Havilland aircraft company based at Hatfield Herts and later I transferred to the Hawker Siddeley film unit. I flew many times in the De Havilland Heron and Dove doing air to air photography and filming. I must pay a visit to see the historic building after seeing this video.

[timdench]

Superb video. Thank you for this and for the work you do to preserve this important and historic building.

[rosshilton]

Incredible! Thank you for keeping this important piece of history alive!

[edwardtimberlake]

Great to see. It brings back many memories. I learnt to fly there with The Experimental Flying Group in the latter half of the 1950s. I also made my first flight aboard, to Rotterdam aboard a Morton's Air Services DH Dove. By the time Croydon closed, I was about to start my National Service in the RAF. Even in those later years it was a very busy place mainly light aircraft but a few heavy stuff from time time, and very many aircraft from overseas using it, an air spotters dream.

[scopex]

I lived in Croydon shortly before joining the RAF in 1976 as an aircraft engineer. I am apalled that a larger part of this important airport hasnt been kept or even in use as a working airfield? Im a big supporter of our heritage and this sort of thing digusts me. I was a trustee at Brooklands until i witness how much of it they have DESTROYED to build a damn industrial ME. This was the birthplace of Aviation and motor racing in the UK. The banking could have been restored and historic races taken place. Instead they let MERCEDES demolish and takover most of the old runway (so it can never be used again) My late father worked there building Vickers aircraft. He said the Germans ALWAYS wanted to get their hands on or destroy achieved BOTH🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬. Great video about the airport. In the States - their historic sites have EXTREME PROTECTION orders on them and they respect them - not like us in UK? WE just bury them under concrete or another unwanted council estate.

[briantinker]

Thanks for this, driven past so many times, will call in one of these days. My Dad watched the dog fights over Croydon that day, so glad there is a big memorial there.

[mikkoistanbul]

I lived on the hill to the south-west of the airport in the 50s. (Woodcote Park.) From my bedroom window I could see the roof of aircraft landing and taking off. There was a daily DC3 at about 05:30 which took newspapers to Jersey. When it took off towards our house I listened to the drone of the engines until they passed over the house. Then I relaxed and went back to sleep. At weekends there was a flying club at the airport and all day a stream of Tiger Moths flying over. The very last flight from the Croydon Airport, if I remember correctly, was a private aircraft belonging to Lord Derby. There had been a technical problem which delayed it.

[tangoah]

This was fascinating and informative and really really enjoyable. Thank you

[semsemeini]

I used to see De Havilland Herons at Gatwick in 1968 of Channel Islands Airways. I would have loved flying on one of these.

[tomcarr]

Excellent description with very good animations. Broadcast quality. Building at risk is important as historic townscape and not just for its history and first uses. An object lesson in variety and sequence/flow. A treat and a real You Tube find.

[rogerbrown]

I was a 9 years old when my Mother worked at the Airport in 1956.Canteen assistant, we only lived a few blocks away in Bates Crescent, certainly changed since then, we left in 1958 for Australia.

[elizabethannegrey]

By forwarding to two likely interested people a chain has developed among aviators and hobby enthusiasts. I am SO thrilled that this historic place is now receiving more attention. Congratulations to all involved.

[Robutube]

The VR sections were particularly additive to this excellent overview. An overlay of the airport in its pomp over the current topography would be nice to see in the future too. Thankd for putting this together.

[mike]

I was an occasional visitor to 615GS in the early/mid 70s, although I mostly operated as a staff cadet with 618GS at West Malling, even tho I lived just across the valley from Kenley in Warlingham. Thank you for your informative tour.

[Dunstire]

Very interesting clip.My first proper job back in the early 80s was with a company called Jackson Brothers.We used to make tuning capacitors for, amonst others, the MOD and Marconi and i have no doubt that some of our products were in the equipment used at Croydon Airport.The other interesting thing is that the building myself and a colleage called Jim worked in, was refered to as 'The Bungalow' by Jackson's staff but was actually the old field hospital for the airport and had a brick cross, which presumably was once painted red, built into the front of the roof.I have seen a picture of it during its operational time with the nurses present but couldn't find it to post here unfortunately.The building is long gone now as is the road it once stood on, Kingsway.It's a shame and really should have been listed rather than being built over