My Move To Cranford From Croydon 1948

A Memory of Cranford.

My father was a Aircraft Engineer for K.L.M. He started as an apprentice at Croydon Airport in 1934. After the second world war, Croydon was getting too small for the larger aircraft coming along, so K.L.M. moved to the then new London Airport and we moved with them. In 1948 we moved into 31 Byron Avenue, my step mother and my half sister, my half brother Neil was born there in 1950. I went to Cranford Scool at the end of Barkley Avenue, I was 9 years of age. I have fond memories of that house and Cranford, I was a member of the Scouts and our scout hut was just off the Bath Road next to the British Leagion. I use to go to work with my father, that was when Heathrow was open to all, you could walk around the aircraft on the North Apron.
At the age of 11 I had to go to a higher school and attended Heston Secondry Moden, I would cycle to school with me school mate Terry Gardner who lived across the road to me, we would play in the river Crane, which is now Grane Bank - Parkway was not built then. Byron Avenue was a lovely avenue with Crab Apple trees down each side, no cars parked in the raod, no one had a car in those days, only the more well off.
We were not very well off but mum would make short bread as a treat once a month and we would have a tin of fruit and a tin of cream once a month when dad got paid. Great memories, then on 2nd March 1954 my father had a accident at work, he fell from the wing of an aricraft on the north apron whilst de-icing it and landed on his head, it was a very bad winter that year. He was taken to Hillingdon Hospital and died without regaining consciousness on 5th March 1954, he is buried at Heston Church.
After my father's death my step mother had 3 of us to look after so I went back to live with my natural mother in Croydon. My step mother and my brother and sister went to live in New Zealand with her brother (it was 45 years before I met up with them all again). I have very fond memories of Cranford, I am now 73 years of age and live in Bracknell, Berkshire with my disabled wife, I am her full time carer. I worked at Heathrow with the Airport Fire Service until my retirement in 1988 when I became a Publican until my wife was found to have MS, I have 3 grandchilren and 2 great grandchildren.
You can read more about my life should you be interested on"howardsrest.blogspot.com"
Thank you,
John Howard

---

---