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Southend Airport
Southend Airport maps
Historic maps of Southend Airport and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Southend Airport maps
Southend Airport photos
We have no photos of Southend Airport, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Prittlewell| Rochford| Southend-On-Sea| Leigh-On-Sea| Ashingdon| Hockley| Little Wakering| Thorpe Bay| Canewdon| Hadleigh| Rayleigh| Shoeburyness| Thundersley| Paglesham| Great Wakering| Hullbridge| Benfleet| Wallasea Island| Canvey Island| South Benfleet| Burnham-On-Crouch| Battlesbridge
Southend Airport area books
Displaying 1 of 18 books about Southend Airport and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Southend Airport
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Southend Airport.
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Lancaster or Wellington Bombers?
Coincidentally Colin (Hayes) I lived near by you in St. George's Avenue! And around the same time I used to regularly cycle over to Southend Airport with a friend. Here we used to plane spot - do you remember the 'sea' of Auster planes parked up in the middle of the field? Also like you we used to sneak in under the fence at the far side of the field and crawl Indian style along to the cacooned Wellington or Lancaster bombers. We had a great time pretending to fly the planes - all without being spotted from the conning tower. Over the course of time we became very friendly with the staff there and they used to allow us onto the apron of the airdrome - even at night! How things have changed. On one occasion we witnessed a fleet of hearses collecting coffins from (I think) Bristol Freighters. All I can think is that this was the time of the Manchester United Munich air disaster (in 1959... Read more
Back in The 50's
In the late 50's I moved to Rochford Road, just a few hundred yards from the airport. My dad, had learned to fly in Canada during the war and was now back working as a booking clerk for British Rail at Prittlewell. As a youth, there was nothing to do but explore 'the prarie' or wander over the 'greasy spoon' cafe at the airport. Most of us lads would take up plane spotting out of boredom. In those days the visitors were DC3, Arganaughts, Hermese, Ambassador, Bristol 130, Ansons plus the usual Tiger Moths, Chipmunks, Doves, Herons etc. Over' the dump' on the far side of the airport were Lancastrians, Indian Bristols and later hundreds of Prentices. We used to avoid the security guy on his bike, and play among the old wrecks. It was great fun! I remember in 1960 when the Hermese crashed onto the railway line. Later, there was the ATL Accountant (a one off DC3 replacement), Harvard smoke writers (D-FDOK) converted Prentices and Carvairs. I... Read more
Flying From EGMC
I did my basic flying (ppl) at s.l.a.c with Ted Clack and Stan Diggings in 1969 then returnedto instruct at southend aero club in 1970 the Great Freddy Laker was at A.T.E.L then and Jack Jones Chanel Airways I often wonder what became of other great characters of that era Laddi Marmol Mike Abbot Clive Wren the ATC chaps Paul Cavanagh Dave Dunlop Dave Thompson "Welky" Winch and Mike Tuson to name but a few oh happy days flying was much more fun then less restricted and cheaper (what Wasn't)Oh happy days
When it Was an Aerodrome !
Ok, so it may have been a little later than 1955, but we used to live in Southbourne Grove, and used to thrash our bicycles across the fields (over the arterial road) and make our way to the back of the airport where the old engines were laid out in rows. If we were lucky, we could creep about amongst them without being caught!
Probably my earliest memory was seeing the Tiger Moths flying around, some doing aerobatics(!) I remember being taken, as a very little boy, to see one that had come down upside down in the field at the end of the road where the shops were - Bridgewater Drive? I forget the names of the roads, it was a lifetime ago.
I wish that I had been old enough to fly in one of those beautiful aeroplanes! Now all we can do is book a joy ride in one for a treat.
Essex memories
Visit
The early Rochford church next to Rochford Hall was our highlight. Continue to guard your priceless community.
When I Was A Girl
When I was about five years old my parents used to take us kids on a Sunday walk. Always remember it was to Stambridge mills. Back then the roads leading to the mill were not more then a country track. On the way to the mills dad would dig up horseradish to take home to mince up in mums mincer. I can smell the aroma of the place now. Corn fields wild flowers. When we got to the mills the smell of grinding corn hit you. Wonderful. We would walk through the mill and onto a place called Broom hills. After a good ramble around the place dad would take us to the Cherry Tree pub. Him and mum would go inside us kids were outside with our lemonade and crisps. Wonderful memories.
The Mill
When I was about 5 or 6 my dad worked at the mill, and we lived in one of the mill cottages in Mill Lane. I used to play around the mill and one day found strange washers in the old pond across from the blacksmith - later I discovered them to be Chinese coins - with square holes in them, they had been used as ballast for the grain barges.
I have many fond memories of this mill and the area - we moved later when I was about 7.
