Before 1939, what is now Haberdashers School was known as Aldenham House, the residence of Mr. Vickery Gibbs until his passing. Mr. Gibbs’s gardens gained worldwide fame, employing a team of 70 gardeners. Upon his death, the estate—owned by his brother, Lord Aldenham, then Chairman of Westminster Bank—transformed into a country club, complete with a polo ground. Flying was an elite activity at the time, and many polo players owned personal aircraft, favoring models like the Puss Moth and Leopard Moth.
A simple grass airfield was initially developed to meet these aviators’ needs, along with a small hangar (now Brickfield Plant). During WWII, the airfield expanded with a concrete runway and additional hangars to support the modification of Wellington Bombers. The aircraft were transported from a nearby Watford factory (without wings) and assembled on-site. The Aerodrome also reportedly conducted early trials for the "bouncing bomb."
After the war, the Aldenham Estate retained ownership of the land, though the hangars belonged to the Ministry of Supply. London Aero and Motor Services began operations, establishing a flying club and transporting fruit from Italy using Halifax Bombers. However, after a runway-damaging landing incident, this service moved to Stansted. The club remained, but by 1950, the thin steel roofs of the hangars were deteriorating, leading to London Aero and Motor Services’ eventual liquidation. Lord Aldenham sought a new manager for the Aerodrome, but negotiations fell through.
At that point, I had a Messenger aircraft stationed at Elstree Aerodrome. During the final night’s farewell party, I was encouraged to manage the Aerodrome temporarily. The following morning, I arranged with Lord Aldenham and the Ministry of Supply to oversee operations on a weekly basis. Working Saturdays was still common then, and soon I found managing the Aerodrome feasible. Eventually, I secured a 40-year lease, re-roofed the hangars, and invested in three Austers (priced at £300 each) to sustain the flying club, with rates set at £1.75 per hour for solo flights.
Running the club proved demanding, so I invited my friend Ron Payne, then manager of Wolverhampton Aviation, to take over. His leadership led to the establishment of the London School of Flying. Legal requirements at the time stipulated that flying instruction could only be compensated if both instructor and student belonged to the same club, prompting the creation of the Elstree Flying Club. When licensing laws changed to favor “Members Clubs,” the Elstree Aero Club was formed, which soon offered Customs facilities in October 1968.
Elstree Aerodrome has been fortunate with dedicated staff. Joe Floyd was the first, earning the then-unprecedented wage of £8 per week. “Jock” joined soon after for a short-term stint but stayed for 29 years. In its early years, the Aerodrome also prioritized agriculture, producing a barley crop annually for a decade and experimenting with sugar beet. Later, we leveled this area with rubble to extend the grounds for aviation needs, constructing essential facilities like a sewage plant, fuel installation, Control Tower, and hardstand areas for light aircraft.
Looking forward, I anticipate no major developments, as the Aerodrome’s current operations seem well-aligned with the surrounding airspace capacity.
