AVRO Company Factory. Hamble

In 1916, A V Roe, who already built aircraft in Manchester, purchased land in Hamble for the establishment of an aircraft factory, and what became known as the South airfield. This area was bounded by Hamble Lane, Southampton Water, the gully presently alongside Hamble Motors, and the railway line running into what was the Admiralty Acceptance Depot, now part of the BP complex. The factory building at the south-east end of the site had a distinctive square tower, with a model airship on top which was used as a wind sock. The site slopes steeply down to Southampton Water, as can be seen by looking along Ensign Way, and the factory was located where Jayhards are today. Land was also purchased in 1916 for the building of 24 houses for employees, in what is now Verdon Avenue. Production and test flying started late in 1917, building the successful AVRO 504, and continued until early 1919. Main production was then moved to Manchester and, on a very much reduced staff, Hamble became an experimental aircraft department. The airfield was becoming unsuitable for some aircraft so, in 1926, land was purchased to the north of Verdon Avenue, extending to the Portsmouth ‑ Southampton railway line. This site became known as the North airfield. To use this facility aircraft were either taxied or towed from the factory, crossing Hamble Lane by the present BP entrance, and following the railway line to the airfield. Large aircraft in Hamble Lane provided an awesome sight, particularly when one became 'stuck'. This practice continued until about 1950, after the Berlin Airlift, when aircraft were no longer dealt with in the old AVRO factory.

In 1929 Avro sold their aviation interests at Hamble to J.D.Siddeley of Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. 1st October 1934 ‑ The whole AVRO estate in Hamble, including 24 houses in Verdon Avenue, was transferred to Air Service Training. By 1932 the factory was mainly on a 'care and maintenance' system, and had become the responsibility of Air Service Training Ltd (AST.) It accommodated AST's amphibians and floatplanes, which used the slipway onto Southampton Water. The site was also used for test flying Cierva autogyros, and assembly of some AVRO aircraft such as Tutors for AST's use. Floatplanes, built in Manchester for the RAF at Calshot, also used the facility. Towards the end of 1933, all flying ceased from the South airfield. Some of the land was purchased by Shell Mex and BP, who also bought more after the war. In 1934 two large extensions to the factory were built for the production of a new airliner, the Armstrong Whitworth Ensign, a four engined aircraft with a wingspan of 123 feet. The first flew on January 24th 1938, and production continued until 28th October 1941, when 14 had been built. Some of these returned to Hamble in the 1940's to be fitted with more powerful engines.

On 20th March 1940 the prototype twin‑engined bomber, the A.W Albemarle built in the old AVRO factory, flew for the first time from the North airfield. During the war years Spitfires were repaired at the factory, whilst several other types were modified including Hampdens, Lancasters, Flying Fortress Mitchells, Mustangs, Mosquitoes and Yorks. In January 1943, a Flying Fortress taxiing under it's own power, became stuck in the mud after crossing Hamble Lane, blocking the road. It was an embarrassing situation, because the aircraft had just been fitted with secret submarine‑detecting equipment, which looked like small telegraph poles beneath the wings. During the early 1950's, more workshops and stores were added behind the original factory, whilst a new toolroom and machine shop were added at the front, to cater for the production of assemblies for Meteor and, later, Javelin aircraft. Most aircraft work ceased in 1959, and the factory became part of the Petter organisation. The slipway was used by Aquila Airways between 1949 and 1958, for the overhaul of their flying boats. The small hangar built for them was still in existence in April 2000.

The North airfield was opened in 1926. Early users apart from AVRO, were Fairey Aviation, Simmonds Aircraft (who built aircraft at the Rolling Mills, Weston,) Vickers/Supermarine of Woolston, and the Resident Hampshire Aeroplane Club. The existing facilities built for the Admiralty Acceptance Depot, were used as workshops etc, the entrance to the site being approximately where Aquila Way is today. In January 1931, the Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Reserve School moved to Hamble from Whitley, near Coventry, and became Air Service Training Ltd. A hangar was built at the eastern end of Verdon Avenue, the entrance being

Tony Sedgwick 1999 in Sydney Avenue. This building became 'B' Hangar, circa 1939. The school opened on 14th April 1931, the first aircraft fleet consisting of an AVRO 504, three DH 9J's, two AWA Siskins, three AWA Atlas Trainers, and two AVRO Tutors. [Tony Sedgwick 1999]

Factory was demolished in 2004. Fairhust was apparently offered a directorship of A V Roe