Posted on Facebook by Alan Matlock – 18th March 2026
SPITFIRE 90 – Thursday 5th March 2026, Event 3
When, in the autumn of 2025, Landau Marine moved into the former City College, Marine Skills buildings on the banks of the Itchen in Woolston, they weren’t aware of the location’s Supermarine heritage. Six months and a major refurbishment of the site later, they held an Open Day to launch their new premises and to highlight the legacy of what they had taken over.
During the afternoon, around 150 invited guests were shown around the renovated property. They listened to live 1940s entertainment from Lady Scarlett Spitfire and a series of four short talks on the history of the site, by Dave Key of The Supermariners website and Alan Matlock, Chair of the Spitfire Makers.
David Irwin of the Historic Aero Engines Team brought his Merlin engine and fired it up several times during the course of the afternoon. Scarves and long hair were blown in the slipstream!
Mark Cole is a modern-day Spitfire Maker in Southampton, and he brought examples of his genuine Spitfire parts, all produced in his workshop just upstream from Woolston.
Several guests from the earlier events made the trip across the river to join us, and it was a delight to have family members of Spitfire Makers stand where their forbears had conceived and created the legendary aircraft.
The afternoon culminated in the flypast of not one, but two Spitfires, honouring the many who had worked in the factory, to enable the Few to win the Battle of Britain.
It is worth noting that during the first weeks and months of the Battle of Britain, the only Spitfires that had been delivered to the RAF were the ones made on this site, in Southampton.
Late in 2025, when they were in the process of acquiring their new premises, Landau were alerted to the significance of it by the Spitfire Makers plaque at the Hazel Road entrance. They contacted us to find out more and now, to ensure that no one remains uninformed they have renamed the place, Supermarine Quay and included a large image of a Spitfire as their new logo.
More than that, they have incorporated numerous references to the company that made the Spitfire in the design of the building. Rooms and workshops have been named after Supermarine workers.
Going through the Landau front door you enter the Roy Staples Reception. His family contacted us some time ago to tell us about Roy’s work for Supermarine, and wondering if we could suggest somewhere for his toolbox to be put on display. It now has pride of place in the reception area that bears his name.
The RJ Mitchell Office and the Noel Pemberton Billing Conference Room are two more of the labelled rooms. Only a few weeks ago we were put in touch with Jason Pemberton Billing, the grandson of Noel, the founder of the company with Hubert Scott-Paine, and he came to the Open Day, bringing two of his grandfather’s inventions – see the photos below. Landau have honoured Spitfire Makers, from the boardroom to the shop floor, with named rooms; our honorary presidents are remembered with the Don Smith and Margaret White Offices, and the kitchen is named after Betty Stephens who worked in the Supermarine Canteen.
Perhaps best of all for the Spitfire Makers project team, the Grade II-listed slipway is to be known as The Ted Angel Slipway. Every day, through his years as an apprentice and full-time Supermarine fitter, Ted, the grandfather of team member Sarah, used to take his paper bag of sandwiches and sit on the slipway to eat his lunch. We have heard of other workers who did the same, and we wish Landau every success with their application to repair the Ted Angel Slipway and bring it back into daily use.
In 1913, Noel Pemberton Billing and Hubert Scott-Paine bought a boat building yard in what was then Elm Road, Woolston, to make ‘boats that fly’; Landau Marine’s boat repair business is now taking history full circle.
We look forward to ongoing collaboration with Landau who are as keen as we are to tell the many stories of what has taken place there over the years.
Images by Landau Marine, The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust, The Supermariners, and unknown sources
Comments on this post from……..
Susan C
In the description with this presentation it says:
‘It is worth noting that during the first weeks and months of the Battle of Britain, the only Spitfires that had been delivered to the RAF were the ones made on this site, in Southampton’.
Therefore Dad, who worked at Vickers Supermarine Woolston from approx. 1938 until is was destroyed by enemy bombing on 24th and 26th Sept 1940, would have helped to build the Spitfires which took part in the Battle of Britain.
Mum told us that during the BofB she didn’t see Dad for days. When the workers were tired they just slept on benches at the side of the factory floor.
Some people didn’t believe this ‘story’ but all the ‘stories’ that Mum told us I have proved to be true!
Jax R
So amazing how Landau has embraced the history of the site, think it’s lovely they’ve named areas after some of the workers 
Andy M
It was a great day , glad we sponsored the blue plaque outside .
Reply from Spitfire Makers
Andy M, Your sponsoring of the Spitfire Makers plaque at the entrance led to the link with Landau
Richard J W
What a wonderful post! Thanks for sharing 
The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust 