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Chocks Away Old Chap 18:50 - Mar 2 with 2443 viewsBoston

I recently discovered that the Sopwith Camel was built on the street I grew up on, East Lane, Wembley. What is now a housing estate, was the GEC when I was a kid and back in WW1 the manufacturing centre for Biggles and his mates.
Anyone else live on a road where history was made?

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 19:27 - Mar 2 with 2369 viewstoboboly

Think it was actually Kingston

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Aviation_Company

Sexy Asian dwarves wanted.

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 19:36 - Mar 2 with 2350 viewshantssi

I went for an interview for an apprenticeship there as a 16 year old, never got it!
GEC used to organise a really good summer 6 a side league on their sports ground behind the factory on East Lane.
Cost a few quid per team to enter but they organised leagues and cups, sorted out the fixtures and refs, all you had to do was turn up.
As Boston says, now a housing estate.
[Post edited 2 Mar 2021 19:36]
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 20:06 - Mar 2 with 2310 viewsBoston

Chocks Away Old Chap on 19:27 - Mar 2 by toboboly

Think it was actually Kingston

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Aviation_Company


Ta, suppose East Lane was the site of a sub contractor then. Read the snippet on a historical site concerning Preston Rd and surrounding area.

Edit. Hooper & Co, moved to East Lane Wembley to build the Sopwith Camel and parts for other planes.
[Post edited 2 Mar 2021 20:16]

Poll: Thank God The Seaons Over.

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 20:08 - Mar 2 with 2308 viewsBoston

Chocks Away Old Chap on 19:36 - Mar 2 by hantssi

I went for an interview for an apprenticeship there as a 16 year old, never got it!
GEC used to organise a really good summer 6 a side league on their sports ground behind the factory on East Lane.
Cost a few quid per team to enter but they organised leagues and cups, sorted out the fixtures and refs, all you had to do was turn up.
As Boston says, now a housing estate.
[Post edited 2 Mar 2021 19:36]


The GEC kids parties, open and free for all local snot noses, was the balls.

I'd occasionally have a drink in the sports ground bar.

Poll: Thank God The Seaons Over.

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 20:44 - Mar 2 with 2257 viewsCiderwithRsie

Chocks Away Old Chap on 20:06 - Mar 2 by Boston

Ta, suppose East Lane was the site of a sub contractor then. Read the snippet on a historical site concerning Preston Rd and surrounding area.

Edit. Hooper & Co, moved to East Lane Wembley to build the Sopwith Camel and parts for other planes.
[Post edited 2 Mar 2021 20:16]


According to Wikipedia near as dammit five and a half thousand were built, so I'd be surprised if there wasn't quite a bit of sub-contracting or licensed building.

If you're interested in that stuff "Sagittarius Rising" by Cecil Lewis is an amazing book by a WW1 pilot (he was in an elite squadron put together to fight von Richthofen's Flying Circus.) Really puts over what it was like to fly in planes where to turn it you pulled a lever with a wire attached and the wire pulled a flap, it was all done literally by feel with hardly any instruments and never mind no electronics, no mechanisms apart from the engine. (He didn't actually like the Camel, said it was if anything too responsive and you are constantly having to correct your last move, he liked the SE5.)

Went on to win an Oscar for screenplay of Pygmalion and to be one of the founding fathers of the BBC; went back to the RAF as an instructor in WW2 and died aged 99 having piloted a Tiger Moth in his 90s. What a bloke!
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 21:25 - Mar 2 with 2207 viewshantssi

Chocks Away Old Chap on 19:36 - Mar 2 by hantssi

I went for an interview for an apprenticeship there as a 16 year old, never got it!
GEC used to organise a really good summer 6 a side league on their sports ground behind the factory on East Lane.
Cost a few quid per team to enter but they organised leagues and cups, sorted out the fixtures and refs, all you had to do was turn up.
As Boston says, now a housing estate.
[Post edited 2 Mar 2021 19:36]


Should have said interview with GEC not Sopwith, I’m not THAT old!!
[Post edited 2 Mar 2021 21:27]
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 09:46 - Mar 3 with 2019 viewsMetallica_Hoop

Roots Bloody Roots


Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 10:00 - Mar 3 with 1998 viewsDannyPaddox

Meanwhile nearby ...




[Post edited 3 Mar 2021 10:10]
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 10:47 - Mar 3 with 1954 viewsJuzzie

Not sure if any road I've lived in has been famous although they filmed the outside of the house from "Performance" around the corner from me. I knew the people that lived there and sat in that very conservatory which has sadly long since been removed as it was made from lead.



Go down to the end of the street and turn left, that's where I grew up.


Anyways, my main reason for posting is that I was born in Princess Louise Hospital, Pangbourne Avenue (just off Ladbroke Grove) which is slap bang on the site of one of our former grounds. Does that count? :)


[Post edited 3 Mar 2021 10:49]
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 11:03 - Mar 3 with 1918 viewsHarrowRoadR

Sunhill Police Station the early years before they moved to South London,
Dalgarno Gardens. Was Talbot's?/CBS records.
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 11:30 - Mar 3 with 1895 viewsMick_S

The Balcombe Street seige, Marylebone. My Mum's block of flats and family home when she was a youngster.



Thankfully, long gone to Middlesex before this happened.
[Post edited 3 Mar 2021 11:31]

Did I ever mention that I was in Minder?

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 13:42 - Mar 3 with 1807 viewsSonofNorfolt

Chocks Away Old Chap on 11:30 - Mar 3 by Mick_S

The Balcombe Street seige, Marylebone. My Mum's block of flats and family home when she was a youngster.



Thankfully, long gone to Middlesex before this happened.
[Post edited 3 Mar 2021 11:31]


Cypriot Republican Army
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 14:10 - Mar 3 with 1787 viewsericgen34

I lived 10 years in Clifford Gardens, which is on the site of the National Athletic Grounds, one of the former homes of our beloved club :-)
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 14:43 - Mar 3 with 1755 viewsCliveWilsonSaid

Chocks Away Old Chap on 14:10 - Mar 3 by ericgen34

I lived 10 years in Clifford Gardens, which is on the site of the National Athletic Grounds, one of the former homes of our beloved club :-)


That's right. Also wasn't Clifford Gardens hit by that tornado a while back? Used to have a mate live on Leigh Gardens one road up at the time.

I was born in Perivale. Nuff said!

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:01 - Mar 3 with 1730 viewsericgen34

Chocks Away Old Chap on 14:43 - Mar 3 by CliveWilsonSaid

That's right. Also wasn't Clifford Gardens hit by that tornado a while back? Used to have a mate live on Leigh Gardens one road up at the time.

I was born in Perivale. Nuff said!


I think it was in Leigh Gardens that tornado. I had left then, but had some family in Wrentham avenue then who told me about it
[Post edited 3 Mar 2021 15:02]
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:13 - Mar 3 with 1708 viewsBoston

Chocks Away Old Chap on 11:30 - Mar 3 by Mick_S

The Balcombe Street seige, Marylebone. My Mum's block of flats and family home when she was a youngster.



Thankfully, long gone to Middlesex before this happened.
[Post edited 3 Mar 2021 11:31]


Your mum ever mention Marlene Dietrich’s visits to Balcombe St?

Poll: Thank God The Seaons Over.

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:20 - Mar 3 with 1696 viewsCroydonCaptJack

I am pretty sure that the Rounsdhaw estate a couple of miles from me was the site of Englands first Airport. Croydon Airport. I believe it grew from a couple of airfields set up to defend against those very Zepplins.
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:25 - Mar 3 with 1689 viewsBoston

Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:20 - Mar 3 by CroydonCaptJack

I am pretty sure that the Rounsdhaw estate a couple of miles from me was the site of Englands first Airport. Croydon Airport. I believe it grew from a couple of airfields set up to defend against those very Zepplins.


That post went down like a led balloon.

Poll: Thank God The Seaons Over.

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:29 - Mar 3 with 1677 viewsMetallica_Hoop

Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:25 - Mar 3 by Boston

That post went down like a led balloon.


That's what Keith Moon said to Jimmy Page, so he changed the name to 'Led Zeppelin'.

Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:40 - Mar 3 with 1661 viewsCliveWilsonSaid

Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:01 - Mar 3 by ericgen34

I think it was in Leigh Gardens that tornado. I had left then, but had some family in Wrentham avenue then who told me about it
[Post edited 3 Mar 2021 15:02]


I seem to remember it was a house on the corner with Chamberlayne Rd that got hit worst. Might have been Leigh Gardens come to think of it. How unlucky was that!

Poll: Expectations for this season?

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Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:57 - Mar 3 with 1638 viewsMickS

Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:40 - Mar 3 by CliveWilsonSaid

I seem to remember it was a house on the corner with Chamberlayne Rd that got hit worst. Might have been Leigh Gardens come to think of it. How unlucky was that!


Kempe Road?
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Chocks Away Old Chap on 16:06 - Mar 3 with 1624 viewsCliveWilsonSaid

Chocks Away Old Chap on 15:57 - Mar 3 by MickS

Kempe Road?


No I just looked it up. Whitmore Gardens next road up from Leigh Gardens.

Poll: Expectations for this season?

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