The Editor received the following e-mail from Ray White...
I came across your website whilst searching for information and
photos of the Hawker Aircraft factory at Canbury Park Road. I am doing
some family research and my late father worked for Hawkers before and
after the second world war.
As a boy he lived in Teddington and started
at Hawkers as a 'shop boy' in 1932 at the age of 15 at Canbury Park
Road. He became a skilled fitter/airframe assembler. He left to join
the army in 1943 as a despatch rider in the Royal Corps of Signals. He
was discharged in December 1946 and worked elsewhere for a while before
returning to Hawkers in September 1947. At this time he was living in
Tolworth. He remained with Hawkers until August 1957 when our family
emigrated to Australia.
I remember my father saying he worked on the
Hawker Hind, Hurricane, Sea Fury, Seahawk, Hunter and on the prototype
P.1127. On your site I was reading the 'memoirs' of Doug Halloway and
he mentioned an Eric Brooks. I remember my father talking about working
with an Eric and I wonder if it was the same man.
Ray asks if anyone remembers his father, Joseph White, and has
any photographs of the Canbury Park Road factory and its workers. If
you can help in any way please e-mail him at rpwe@ozemail.com.au, copy
to the Editor, or, if you don't have e-mail, contact the Editor who
will e-mail any information you may have.
