June 2026

  1. YOUR NAME on a Spitfire Makers blue plaque!
  2. Weir Precision Sponsorship Appeal
  3. Hello again Spitfire Makers supporters,

Posted on Facebook by Alan Matlock – 4th June 2026

YOUR NAME on a Spitfire Makers blue plaque!

After months without success, we’ve finally obtained consent to place another of our blue plaques. This time it’s for the Supermarine subcontractor WEIR PRECISION Ltd., a machine tool company who were making “Machined details” for the Spitfire at their factory in South Mill Road, off Regents Park Road, Southampton.

The factory closed and was demolished more than 30 years ago, and the housing of Avro Close was built on the land. Applications to the City Council to have the plaque installed on, or next to, the Avro Close street sign were unproductive. However, a nearby brick pillar has proven to be part of the original boundary wall of the works, and we have been given the go-ahead by the owner.

Previous plaques have been funded by heritage organisations, charitable foundations, companies, families (often those with a personal connection to the site), or individuals with a heart for the heritage of our city’s story.

By absorbing some of the other costs, we are able to still hold the price of the plaques at £750.

So, if YOU would like to be part of the Spitfire Makers project by sponsoring this plaque (or any of the other dozen or so we are still working on), please get in touch… Email: spitfiremakers@btinternet.com

Thanks.

Part of the Weir Precision premises. Photo from Walter Kemish, former apprentice during WWII and then manager when it was taken over to become Vero Precision Ltd. ~ Walter with his photo, interviewed in 2023. ~ The entrance to Avro Close now. ~ The brick pillar that marked the end of the Weir Precision boundary wall is nearby on South Mill Road. We now have permission to install the blue plaque here. ~ Employee’s ID cards, shared by family members.

Posted on FB by Alan Matlock – 15th June 2026

Weir Precision Sponsorship Appeal

Following our sponsorship appeal for the Weir Precision Spitfire Makers plaque, we have had a cheque through the post from one former employee, and today another has been presented to us.

Walter (Walt) Kemish, who had his 101st birthday in April, recalled even more tales of being an apprentice at Weir Precision during the war years before he presented us with a very generous contribution to the funding of the plaque.

Pictured are Walt and his daughter Janet, with Spitfire Makers Chair, Alan Matlock

As a tribute to Walt, we will include his name on the plaque, and we would be happy to recognise the contribution of any other Weir/later Vero workers who would like to commemorate what was done by them to help the war effort.

Details of how to do this can be found on our website here:

https://spitfiremakers.org.uk/donate-towards-a-plaque/

Thanks in anticipation.

Hello again Spitfire Makers supporters,

Two updates…

First of all there are only 14 tickets left for the Celebration of The Spitfire event at The Plaza theatre in Romsey, on Sunday 5th July. Go to the box office here to be sure of a seat…

https://www.ticketsource.com/…/celebration-of…/e-vrxmoa

Secondly, we’ve been delighted to receive not one, (the aforementioned Walter Kemish) but two generous donations towards the cost of the blue plaque to commemorate Weir Precision/Vero.

We’re still a little way short of our £750 target so if you’d also like to join them in recognising and honouring the work done by those who worked for this Spitfire parts-making company, please do get in touch. We’ll set a deadline of Friday 3rd July for further donations.

You can find how to send donations, of whatever amount, on our website and we’d appreciate a message via our contact page to let us know that something is on its way😊 Details for both follow…

https://spitfiremakers.org.uk/donate-towards-a-plaque/

https://spitfiremakers.org.uk/home/contact/

Thanks in anticipation,

Alan Matlock,

Chair,

On behalf of the Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust.