As you walk around Heston Hyde Hotel you will notice the aeronautical theme throughout the building. Heston Hyde Hotel is built on the site of the former Heston Aerodrome, a 1930s airfield near Heathrow Airport, which was operational between 1929 and 1947.
In September 1931 the aerodrome was renamed Heston Airport, following provision of customs facilities and ongoing improvements for passenger handling. Night flying facilities were installed and further developed and in 1932 it was designated as a commercial diversionary airport, often required when Croydon Airport was fog bound. It is claimed that that the central building (as pictured above) was the first purpose-built airport control tower, on which all modern control towers are based.
In April 1933, Spartan Air Lines started a twice-daily service to Cowes in the Isle of Wight. During 1934, the service operated from Croydon Airport, but reverted to Heston for the 1935 season.
In September 1938, the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, flew from Heston to Germany three times in two weeks for talks with Adolf Hitler and returned to Heston from the Munich Conference with the paper referred to in his later “Peace for our time speech”.
Chamberlain landed at Heston Aerodrome on 30th September 1938 and spoke to the crowds there:
“The settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler, and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine. Some of you, perhaps, have already heard what it contains but I would just like to read it to you: ' ... We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again“.
Later that day he stood outside 10 Downing Street and again read from the document and concluded:
“My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.”
In September 1931 the aerodrome was renamed Heston Airport, following provision of customs facilities and ongoing improvements for passenger handling. Night flying facilities were installed and further developed and in 1932 it was designated as a commercial diversionary airport, often required when Croydon Airport was fog bound. It is claimed that that the central building (as pictured above) was the first purpose-built airport control tower, on which all modern control towers are based.
In April 1933, Spartan Air Lines started a twice-daily service to Cowes in the Isle of Wight. During 1934, the service operated from Croydon Airport, but reverted to Heston for the 1935 season.
In September 1938, the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, flew from Heston to Germany three times in two weeks for talks with Adolf Hitler and returned to Heston from the Munich Conference with the paper referred to in his later “Peace for our time speech”.
Chamberlain landed at Heston Aerodrome on 30th September 1938 and spoke to the crowds there:
“The settlement of the Czechoslovakian problem, which has now been achieved is, in my view, only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace. This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler, and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine. Some of you, perhaps, have already heard what it contains but I would just like to read it to you: ' ... We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again“.
Later that day he stood outside 10 Downing Street and again read from the document and concluded:
“My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.”
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OUR HISTORY
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