Royal Opening For The Grahame-White Watch Office - Battle of Britain News
15 March 2011
The refurbished and relocated historic Grahame-White Watch Office building has been given a Royal public opening by HRH The Duke of Gloucester on Tuesday 15th of March, before its opening to the public on Wednesday 16th.
The redundant Watch Office building built in 1915 was once the centre piece of aviation pioneer Claude Grahame-White's aircraft factory in Hendon, home to the British aircraft industry and the birthplace of British aviation. Flying from Hendon ceased in the late 1960’s and use of the building ceased with the closure of RAF Hendon in 1987. Since that time the building had fallen into disrepair.
Now relocated and renovated, the building sits next to the Grahame-White Factory on the main Museum site. The Watch Office will exhibit displays on the life of Claude-Grahame White, the history of the Hendon Aerodrome and the pioneering years of flight in the U.K.
Air Vice-Marshal Peter Dye, Director General, Royal Air Force Museum: “This building and new exhibition provides a fitting tribute to Claude Grahame-White, one of this country’s most important aviation pioneers. We intend to sustain his legacy through an exciting education programme that will provide a community resource as well as allowing visitors to understand the vital role of the local area in the history of British aviation."
The Grahame-White Factory's opening hours will now be extended from 10am to 6pm, with the Factory and Watch Office closing for an hour daily between 12 noon and 2pm.
Over the next 6 months the Grahame-White Watch Office will be populated with various artefacts plus a permanent exhibition on the history of flight in the local area. As this process is completed additional reports will be sent out.
- View the aircraft of the Grahame-White Factory
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