The Commemorative Plaques Project

Two of the aims of The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust are:

To commemorate sites of Spitfire production and the people who became Spitfire Makers in Southampton, Hampshire and other locations by producing memorial plaques and/or education boards to inform the public about these sites.
To preserve the WW2 Spitfire Makers heritage for future generations by raising awareness of the locations of the dispersed facilities that produced Spitfires from 1936 onwards.

Click here to see the full list of our aims.

In order to fulfill these aims we have worked hard on identifying the locations of all Supermarine facilities. We are now in a position to go ahead with the design, manufacture and erection of cast aluminium plaques at the sites we have identified.

Some of the plaques have already received funding from public donations, individual or group pledges. We are asking all who contribute to allow any surplus funds to be reallocated to the next plaque in the list, thus ensuring that no funds go unused.

Starting with a pilot project of locations in Shirley, here are the sites that we are currently working on. Click here to view the sites that we would like to consider next.

The Plaques

Shirley Rechabite (now Parish) Hall

Click here for map.

The hall in St. James Road, Shirley was requisitioned by Auto Metalcraft. Jettison fuel tanks and air filters made under contract with Auto Metalcraft. Canteen to rear. Shirley Parish Hall next door to 142 St. James Road, Southampton, SO15 5QF.

The plaque was unveiled on 6th March 2022 by Don Smith who, as a 14 year old apprentice, worked on preparing the hall for its new role in Spitfire production. Don was assisted by Val Stoten whose father, Frederick Stillwell was the production foreman.

Click here for video

Generously sponsored by the Shirley Local History Group and The Friends of St James’ Park.

Thanks to Leander Architectural and Shirley Men’s Sheds

Photo by The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust

View the history of the original site here

Hollybrook Stores

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7(?) empty wooden huts. Finished parts stores. Demolished and new units built 1980’s(?). Units 1-5 Hollybrook Road, Southampton, SO16 6RB.

The 3rd Spitfire Makers plaque on the building originally known as The Hollybrook Stores in Hollybrook Road, Shirley, Southampton, was unveiled on Sunday 18th September 2022

The plaque was unveiled by Alderman Linda Norris, who sponsored the plaque, and Glenys May whose father, Claude W Cox, was a Spitfire Maker who survived the September 1940 bombings.

Click here to read more about the unveiling and view the photos.

Generously sponsored by Alderman Linda Norris

Thanks to Leander Architectural and Shirley Men’s Sheds

Photo by The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust

View the history of the original site here

Seward’s Garage

Click here for map

Car sales, Toolmakers, fuselage components, fuselage erection, and installations. Bottom floor used by Follands from possibly 1946 into the 1950’s. Kellys 1961: 230 Winchester Road, Folland Aircraft; 234 Seward, Roland F, motor engineer & sales 72431, 4 lines; 1961, 230/232 Southern Gas Board. Site now occupied by Shell Garage and The Range, 230-234 Winchester Road, Southampton, SO16 6TL

The plaque was unveiled on Sunday 26th June 2022 by Edna Penney, whose husband Ray worked in Seward’s Garage on Winchester Road (where The Range is now), and Bob Petch who worked in the building when it was taken over by Southern Gas from the early 60s.

Click here to read more about the unveiling and view the photos.

Generously sponsored by Bob Petch.

Thanks to Leander Architectural and Shirley Men’s Sheds

Photo by The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust

View the history of the original site here

Auto Metalcraft Ltd

Click here for map

“Sheet metal workers and cellulose finishers (specialists in reconstruction of motor vehicles after accidental damage & aircraft accessories manufacturers).” Subcontractor. (Appendix III). 30 gallon jettison fuel tanks and tropical air cleaners. Emsworth Trading Estate, Emsworth Road, Southampton. SO15 3LX

The plaque was unveiled on Saturday 4th March 2023 by Vera Saxby, aged 98, who was working for Autometalcraft when the building was requisitioned. Vera was assisted by Johnny Carrington, part of the Spitfire Makers team, and also a member of the Maskers Theatre Company who now occupy part of the site.

The unveiling was followed by a talk on the wartime history of the site and the part that it played in the secret production of the Spitfire. The talk was given by Alan Matlock, Chair of the Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust

Click here for BBC News coverage of the event.

The plaque was sponsored by The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust

Thanks to Leander Architectural and Shirley Men’s Sheds.

Photo by The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust

Click here for photos of the event

View the history of the original site here

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The Hants & Dorset Bus Garage

Click here for map

Requisitioned by the town council to store sandbags and trailer pumps. Then requisitioned by Supermarine. Wings, complete wing assembly. Site now occupied by Pure Gym Shirley/ Halfords, Shirley Retail Park, Winchester Rd, Southampton. SO16 6TP

The plaque was unveiled on Sunday 6th June 2023 together with a plaque commemorating the Sunlight Laundry, another secret “shadow factory”, which was located next door to the Bus Depot.

It is located at the entrance to the Pure Gym on Winchester Road, Shirley, Southampton, which now stands on the site of the original Bus Garage.

The plaque was appropriately funded by the Southampton & District Heritage Transport Trust (S&DTHT) and was unveiled by David Hutchings, chair of the S&DTHT and, the patron of Spitfire Makers, Sqn Ldr Mandy Singleton (RAF retired), who was until recently the Senior Engineering Officer of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

After the unveiling, a beautifully restored, vintage Guy ‘Arab’ double decker bus brought along by members of the S&DTHT took passengers to a reception at the Upper Shirley High School with refreshments kindly donated by the M&S Food Hall.

To view photos click here

Generously sponsored by the Southampton & District Heritage Transport Trust

Thanks to Leander Architectural , Shirley Men’s Sheds and Marks & Spencer Food Hall

Generously sponsored by the Southampton & District Transport Heritage Trust

View the history of the original site here

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The Sunlight Laundry and Dyeworks

Click here for map.

Details, Fitting shop and sub-assemblies. (Allom Lighting was at 231-33, Winchester Road in 1964, 235-37 was Winchester Rd Service Station; 239, Hants & Dorset body repair depot.) M&S Foodhall, Unit 2/Pets at Home, Unit 3, Shirley Retail Park, Winchester Rd, Southampton. SO16 6TP

The Spitfire Makers blue plaque was unveiled on Sunday 6th June 2023, to commemorate the Sunlight Laundry which produced parts for the wings and fuselages, and can be seen close to the entrance to the Marks &Spencer Food Hall on Winchester Road, Shirley, Southampton.

A second plaque was unveiled on the day to commemorate the Hants and Dorset Bus Garage which was turned over to making Spitfire wings. See details below.

The Sunlight Laundry plaque outside M&S was sponsored by the students and staff of the Upper Shirley High School whose premises back onto what was the Laundry site. Research from the Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust project has been incorporated into the Year 9 history syllabus at the school.

The unveiling was performed by some of the student fundraisers from Upper Shirley High and Judy Theobald, who spoke movingly about how her mother, Jane Sherriff, started as an office worker in the Laundry but became one of the first two women ‘progress chasers’ for Supermarine, checking production quotas were being met in several of the ‘shadow factories’ across Southampton.

Chris Sykes, head teacher of Upper Shirley High, praised the efforts of the students and their parents who had raised nearly £700 to fund the plaque and paid tribute to his Head of History, Stuart Farley, for the work he has done with the Spitfire Makers team to highlight the local history of national significance which is right on the school’s doorstep.

After the unveilings a beautifully restored Guy ‘Arab’ double decker bus kindly provided by the Southampton & District Heritage Transport Trust (S&DTHT) took passengers to a reception at the school with refreshments kindly donated by the M&S Food Hall.

Click here to view photos of the event

Generously sponsored by the Staff and Students of Upper Shirley High School, Southampton

Thanks to Leander Architectural , Shirley Men’s Sheds and Marks & Spencer Food Hall

View the history of the original site here

Lowther’s Garage

Lowther’s Garage. Filling station, car sales and repairs. Machine shop and tool room. Car sales and repairs and filling station. Indoor market. Next to Kwik Fit, 14 Park St, Southampton. SO16 4RJ

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ONE PLAQUE, TWO UNVEILINGS!

On Sunday 3rd December, and Monday 4th December, the latest Spitfire Makers plaque, number 7 so far, was unveiled, not once…but twice!

The plaque commemorates the Supermarine machine shop and tool room that was set up in what was Lowther’s Garage in Park Street, Shirley. The site is now occupied by an apartment building and the managing agents, The Hyde Group, generously sponsored the plaque which was placed on the building.

Click here for map

The unveiling was initially planned with the Hyde Group for Monday 4th December but we received a special request from the family of Mervyn Jupe to visit the site on Sunday 3rd December to show Mervyn where his father Charlie Jupe worked for Supermarine during WWII. How could we resist!

So, on Sunday (December 3rd), Ian Paull, the son of the requisitioned garage owner, John Glencoe Paull, was there to help carry out the unveiling. Pulling the ribbons with him was Mervyn Jupe, son of Charles George Jupe, a Supermarine machinist who was transferred to Lowther’s after the bombing of the Woolston and Itchen Works.

Residents from the building in Park Street also attended and one commented that it felt good to now be living in a building with a blue plaque on it!

On Monday Mr Sam Collins, area manager for The Hyde Group, helped Spitfire Makers Chair, Alan Matlock, with the action replay of the unveiling along with members of the Southampton U3A Local History Group.

Mr Collins said, “The Hyde Group are pleased to support the Spitfire Makers in getting this amazing story of how Spitfire production continued to be more widely known.”

Having previously had sponsorship from individuals and local heritage groups, The Hyde Group are the first business organisation to fund a plaque.

Click here to view photos

Generously sponsored by The Hyde Group

Thanks to Leander Architectural , Shirley Men’s Sheds

View the history of the original site here

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The Supermarine Flight Shed

Wide Lane, Southampton – Opposite Hendy Land Rover Showroom.

Click here for map

Originally Southampton Municipal Airport (Eastleigh). Hangar for passenger aeroplanes. Supermarine Factory and Flight Shed. Details & final assembly and flight testing.

To view the history of the site click here

The unveiling took place on Saturday 24th February 2024.

Around 40 enthusiasts came to see the unveiling carried out by Margaret and Peter Grubb who had sponsored the plaque, and John Ferrerolli, who worked in the Flight Shed as a Supermarine apprentice. Peter worked in the Flight Shed more recently when it had become a Tool Room for Ford.

Other Supermarine and Ford workers came to honour the heritage of both the companies who worked in the Flight Shed and also in attendance were the family of Spitfire Maker Bernard Byrne, who was there during WWII and the post war years.

The local MP for Romsey and Southampton North, Caroline Nokes, also attended and posted to her X account from the unveiling: “So lovely to be on Wide Lane in the sunshine for the unveiling of The Spitfire Makers plaque at one of the entrances to the Supermarine Flight Shed – as Churchill said, “the front line runs through the factories.”

After the unveiling the Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust hosted the guests at the nearby Fleming Arms where a specially commissioned cake was cut by John Ferrerolli and the chair of the Trust, Alan Matlock.

A nationally significant building, where all production models of the Spitfire were ground- and air-tested from 1937 until the late 40s, the Flight Shed was demolished and replaced by a modern industrial unit in 2022. The plaque stands on the right hand pillar of the old entrance gates which in 1939 also served as the way in to the Cunliffe Owen Aircraft Company. Their factory was taken over by Briggs Motor Bodies and ultimately Ford who built their Transit vans there.

The photos – click here – are a collection of images from local sources, including the Daily Echo, and from guests present at the unveiling. The metal plate marked “SCWW SV 1941” is actually set in the pavement just in front of the plaque showing that the Southampton Corporation Water Works ‘Sluice Valve’ was fitted there during the height of WWII.

The plaque was kindly sponsored by Margaret and Peter Grubb

Thanks to Leander Architectural and Shirley Men’s Sheds.

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Sun Engineering Ltd

Newman Street, Shirley, Southampton. (Behind the Iceland Supermarket)

Click here for map

Plaque number 9 in place!

The Sun Engineering Company, started in the 1920s, became “Mangle Roller Specialists” in the 30s, made “machined details” for Spitfires in WWII and was commemorated with the unveiling of a Spitfire Makers blue plaque on Sunday 21st April 2024.

We were honoured to have the plaque unveiled by David Rule, grandson of Harry Rule, the founder and manager of the company; Robert J True, the great grandson of James Hall Marsh who built the premises and Glynis O’Connor who had generously sponsored the manufacture of the plaque.

More than 30 invited friends, family members and residents of Newman Street, gathered in the sunshine to hear Spitfire Makers chair, Alan Matlock, outline the history of the company and the events that led Sun Engineering to be one of more than 300 companies nation-wide who had contracts to make parts for the Spitfire.

Alan thanked Brian Hooper, of Shirley Men’s Shed, who once again set the plaque in place and Tom Bond, manager of the Shirley branch of Iceland, who helped organise permission for the plaque to be put on the building which is now their storeroom. After the unveiling Tom opened up the storeroom and guests were able to have the rare experience of standing inside a secret Spitfire workshop!

Afterwards, in what is fast-becoming a Spitfire Makers tradition, there was a gathering for refreshments, this time just around the corner at the award-winning Park Inn, (CAMRA Southern Hampshire Pub of the Year) where landlady Keri kindly provided complimentary sandwiches to go with our special Sun Engineering Company celebration cake!

See photos below.

The period photos (shared by David Rule) show the pre-war exterior and interior of the building and the owner, Harry Rule in the late 30s. Taken just outside the front of the works is a photo of Harry’s son Arthur and three of “the boys” who worked for them. The roofline and back of the shops on Shirley High Street is in the background.

The plaque was kindly sponsored by Glynis O’Connor

Thanks to Leander Architectural , Shirley Men’s Sheds, Tom, the manager of Iceland Supermarket, Shirley, Southampton and Keri at The Park Inn, Carlisle Road, Shirley, Southampton.

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Hendy’s Garage, Vincent’s Walk, Southampton

click here for map.

The latest Spitfire Makers plaque was unveiled at the entrance to the Student Roost building in Vincents Walk, Southampton on Sunday 26th May 2024.

This was the site of the Hendy Garage that was requisitioned by Supermarine after the bombing of their main factories in Woolston. Production of fuselages continued there throughout WWII.

Two family members of former Spitfire Makers were present to carry out the unveiling along with Chief Executive, Mr Paul Hendy and his wife, Rebecca, a trustee of the Hendy Foundation which sponsored the plaque.

One of these original Spitfire Makers, Reg Saffin, a skilled sheet metal worker, had actually worked in the Hendy Garage. We heard how he had only survived the bombing of the factory by going back to collect his coat which was hanging on the front of the aircraft he had been working on. By this time, the shelters he was heading for had been hit and many of his colleagues killed.

Alan Matlock gave a short talk on the history of the Hendy Garage and the part that it played in the history of Spitfire Production.

Following the unveiling refreshments, including a commemorative cake, were served at Mettricks cafe in Guildhall Square, Southampton.

(Due to unexpected circumstances the actual plaque could not be fixed and a full-sized mock-up was made as a temporary replacement. We expect the real one to be put in place shortly!)

The plaque was kindly sponsored by the Hendy Foundation

Thanks to Leander Architectural , Shirley Men’s Sheds, the manager and staff of the Student Roost, Vincent’s Walk and the staff of Mettricks, Guildhall Square, Southampton.

The real plaque is now in place!

The Hendy Garage, requisitioned by Supermarine, stood in Vincent’s Walk, where the Student Roost building is now.

Back in May this year, the original Spitfire Makers Trust plaque was found to have been miscast and a replica was mocked up so the unveiling ceremony could go ahead as planned. (See above)

We returned the plaque to the Leander Fabrications foundry who reworked it with different fixings and it was finally installed today, thanks to Brian and Carl, from Shirley Men’s Shed.

We are grateful to the Hendy Foundation, which also sponsored the Spitfire Makers plaque commemorating the former Cunliffe Owen factory in Wide Lane, for helping us to bring another lesser-known part of Southampton’s history to light.

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The Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Factory

Click here for map

The eleventh Spitfire Makers plaque was unveiled on Saturday June 22nd 2024, to commemorate the Cunliffe Owen Aircraft Factory, Southampton.

The plaque records the company’s contribution to Spitfire production and honours those whose worked, and died, in the factory. 52 workers were killed in a daylight bombing attack on September 11th, 1940, just two weeks before the Supermarine factories in Woolston were attacked.

Before the unveiling, Spitfire Makers’ chair, Alan Matlock, spoke about the factory’s history and its connections to the Spitfire. Among the items on show was a framed copy of the painting of the factory which used to hang in the manager’s office.

The unveiling was carried out by Helen Corben, daughter of Fred Burnett who died in the bombing. Helen was just 7 years old when he died and was very pleased to be asked: “I’m just amazed that anyone still remembers this after 84 years,” she said.

Mike Weatherston, one of the Hendy Foundation trustees who had sponsored the plaque, was also there to help with the unveiling.

Invited guests included other family members of former factory workers and even one who had worked there himself in the final years before it closed down.

The plaque joins the one for the Spitfire Flight Shed unveiled earlier this year in Wide Lane. They can both now be seen on the old entrance gate pillars of what eventually became the Ford Works.

A gathering at a nearby café afterwards gave guests the opportunity to share further stories and to have a slice of the specially made Cunliffe Owen cake!

The plaque was kindly sponsored by the Hendy Foundation

Thanks to Leander Architectural , Shirley Men’s Sheds, the manager and staff of the Hendy Jaguar/LandRover showroom, Wide Lane, Southampton, and the staff of the YMCA Cafe, Stoneham Lane, Southampton.

(Photos Sarah Penfold, Infinity Photography)

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The University of Southampton Eustice Building – Highfield Campus

Click here for map

Spitfire Makers plaque no 12 was unveiled on the 7th January 2025 at the University of Southampton.

Generously funded by the University the plaque commemorates the association between Supermarine and what was then University College, Southampton.

The unveiling was carried out by University Vice-Chancellor, Mark Smith, and Biology Department lecturer, Lex Kraaijeveld, who had been instrumental in promoting the plaque.

Among the guests at the unveiling was Shirley resident Christopher Tong, whose father Cyril Donovan Tong was one of the design office team. When Cyril returned to the office after the bombing attack on 26th September 1940, he found it had been holed by a bomb that had come through the roof and then his desk before exiting the side wall of the building and landing in the mud of the River Itchen below!

A short piece about the event was put out on the local BBC lunchtime news and a longer, different version was screened in the evening on BBC South Today. The coverage generated a lot of interest in the project and has led to further information being provided to us.

An article was also added to the BBC news website. Click here to view on BBC.com

The plaque was kindly sponsored by the University of Southampton

Thanks to Lex Kraaijeveld, the University of Southampton, Leander Architectural and Shirley Men’s Sheds,

All images courtesy of the Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust, The University of Southampton and the family of Cyril Tong.

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Romsey Precision Engineering Ltd, Latimer Street / Portersbridge Street, Romsey, Hampshire

Click here for map

The 13th Spitfire Makers blue plaque was unveiled in Romsey on Sunday 9th March 2025.

There were around 50 invited guests (and a sleek black cat !) who stood on the sunny patio of the Nightingale pub to hear how Romsey Precision Engineering Ltd came to be making bolts for the iconic Spitfire on the corner of Latimer and Portersbridge Street.

The plaque had been funded by Romsey resident Alan Crisp and he and Mike Yockney, whose father Jack had been an apprentice engineer at Romsey Precision during the war, unveiled the plaque.

Guests invited to the Town Hall for tea and cake afterwards were able to view a display of Spitfire Makers research and share more of their memories of old Romsey, rationing and Spitfires.

We were pleased to welcome the Mayor of Romsey, Cllr John Parker, and local MP Caroline Nokes, to the unveiling. Caroline has been a great supporter of our project, attending previous unveilings, and we were delighted to have her with us again.

(Extracts from the talk and the rest of the afternoon were captured by Julian Gee and can be watched again by following this link… Spitfire Makers plaque unveiling Romsey, 9th March 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbiUOGfJqXk .

The plaque was kindly sponsored by Alan Crisp of Romsey, Hampshire.

Once again the Men’s Sheds organisation were our go-to installers so thanks to the Romsey Shed for getting this one in place.

Also thanks go to the Manager of the Nightingale public house for allowing us to use the patio of the pub for our presentation.

(Photos of the day by Robert Stidworthy and Michaela Lawler-Levene. Historical photos courtesy of Chas Burnett, Romsey Revisited.)

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Deepdene House, Midanbury Lane, Southampton

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There was an international gathering for the Deepdene Plaque Unveiling on Saturday 29th March 2025.

The plaque has been placed at the entrance to Deepdene House in Midanbury Lane, Bitterne. Taken over completely after the bombing of the factories in September 1940, the house was a safer location for the workers’ pay packets to be made up. Some of the wages department moved out to Hursley when Southend House became available there, but others remained at Deepdene.

We are grateful for the sponsorship of this plaque, the 14th to be unveiled, which was donated by the Bitterne Local History Society (they now have a link to the plaque on their website’s interactive map – https://bitterne.net/blhs…/spitfire-makers-plaque/) and five former residents who shared a flat in Deepdene in the 1970s, when they were studying at The University of Southampton.

The flatmates flew in from far and wide, including Texas and Vancouver, for a 50-years-on reunion and were joined by members of Bitterne Local History Society, and family members of some of the original workers. The unveiling itself was carried out by Steph Merry, representing the former residents, and Ian Abrahams, secretary of the BLHS.

One of the family members said, “I was greatly moved by knowing that my Mum used to worķ there. I know she would have been proud and had a feeling she was looking over my shoulder when looking in the building.”

Our Chair, Alan Matlock, outlined some of the background to the house, first built in the 1850s becoming the family home of Sir Henry Milner-White JP, a director of Southern Railways. His son, Eric, was Dean of King’s College, Cambridge, where he began the tradition of the Christmas Eve service of Nine Lessons and Carols. Eric was a keen collector of art and ceramics. He gave one of the paintings, La Ronde Enfantine (c.1862), by the French Realist painter Gustave Courbet, to the Fitzwilliam Museum and it has recently been returned to the French family it was stolen from by the Nazis. It shows a group of children in woodland and it may well have reminded Eric of his childhood in the grounds of Deepdene, now a park, which his mother left to “the children of Bitterne”. Eric gave his collection of ceramics to Southampton Art Gallery.

After the unveiling, by arrangement with two of the current tenants, guests were able to look inside the ground floor of the house. The rather grand entrance hall was not so appealing in the harsh winter of 1940. A worker wrote in her diary, “Deepdene was a cold house with no central heating and at first we worked in a large entrance hall with a small smoky fire. I was always cold.”

We would like to thank the Bitterne Men’s Shed team –https://sites.google.com/view/bitterneshedclub/home – for doing a great job with the installation of the plaque and the generous donation to Trust funds that the former students collected at their reunion lunch afterwards

The plaque was kindly sponsored by Steph Merry, Tim Bentall, Angela Brady, Jim Salmon, Geoff Swah, and The Bitterne Local History Group

(Photos courtesy Spitfire Makers team and the Fitzwilliam Museum, creative commons licence.)