de Havilland Administration Building
By Serena Williams
An Art Deco Gem
The administration and design block, constructed for de Havilland’s Aircraft Company opened in 1934 and is now a listed building. It was designed by James M Monro & Son of Glasgow.
Did you work in this building?
This page was added on 12/01/2010.
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Hello I am one of the canteen staff who worked there from 1960 –1965. I was in the cafeteria. We were a lovely lot of girls and ladies. Very happy my maiden name at the time was Sheila Shears. Also my mother worked there too. She was the one selling sweets cigs.
From 1963 to 1965, I used to eat lunch in the staff canteen at the left hand end of the admin block.
Whilst James N Monro & Son had an office at 307 West George Street, Glasgow, it was probably the Watford office at 32 Clarendon Road, that dealt with the de Havilland works. The company also had an office at 11 Old Queen Street, London. The Airfield Research Group have a fair bit of correspondence, photographs, slides, original plans and negatives in connection with the Dynamics Site, Manor Road. We have just written a research note on the history of the wind tunnels and are about to compile another on the test bed site based on our archives.
de Havilland history never fails to be all-absorbing. I’m trying to source a copy of a film suggested to me by Stuart McKay, DH Moth club, called ‘From Wooden wonder to whispering jet’ (DH Mosquito to 146 ?) which includes footage of the Hatfield and Stag Lane, Edgware factories and maybe Geoffrey de H with my Great Uncle Frank. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.
My grandfather Albert Hatfield worked here, he was a parts inspector. I was born in 29 Holme road and my grandfather would take me to open days and show me around d H. He gave me my love of aircraft which I have to this day. I watched famous events from my bedroom window including the maiden flight of the Comet. He died in 1959
Ken Pegden 02/05/2015
My Father (Ed or Ted Partleton (Dec) along with my mother (Kit)worked there during and after the second world war. I can recall my father telling me that he use to supervise the women sewing the cloth for the covering of the wings for the Tigermoth. He also acted there as a Fire Warden during the war. The Family Migrated to Australia in 1950. Where Ted worked for Commenwealth Aircraft in Melbourne until he retired.