• Current opened records

  • Grahame-White Co Ltd

Aircraft manufacturers
Location:
  • Hendon, London
History:
  • Grahame-White Aviation Co Ltd was incorporated in 1911 to acquire Claude Grahame-White's aviation interests, including London aerodrome, Hendon. Grahame-White (1879-1959) was one of Britain's earliest pilots, who won fame and fortune flying in flying meetings and pageants and set up a British flying school in France. In 1912 Grahame-White Aviation Co Ltd purchased the assets of Aeronautical Syndicate Ltd from Handley Page Ltd and Aeronautical Syndicate's John North became the company's chief designer. In 1913 the company obtained the agency for manufacture of the Morane Saulnier monoplanes and built Morane Saulnier G and H monoplanes under contract for the military. During the First World War the company also produced the Royal Aircraft Factory BE2, AirCo DH6 and Henry Farman F20, and A V Roe & Co 504. The order for DH6 aircraft led the company into financial difficulties, which were compounded in 1917 when the War Office assumed control of the London aerodrome and some of the firm's buildings. This resulted in a bitter dispute with the government over contractual issues and compensation for the loss of the commercial use of the aerodrome. Ownership of the aerodrome was never restored to the company and it passed to the Air Council in 1926 and the company was not fully compensated until 1929. After the war the company attempted to recommence aircraft production with the Bantam and E7 Aero Limousine, but ceased operations in 1920. That year the company was renamed Grahame-White Co Ltd and diversified into the manufacture of furniture and cyclecars. The company stopped trading in 1924, the Treasury appointed a receiver to recover debts and its assets were sold off at auction in 1926.
Principal and significant aircraft manufactured:
  • Baby (1911); Type VI (1913); Type VII Popular (1913); Type X Charabanc (1913); Type XI (1913); Type XV (1913); Type XIII (1914); Type 18 (c.1916); Type GW19 (1915); GWE9 Ganymede (1918); GWE7 (1919); GWE.6 Bantam (1919).
Records 1:
Records 2:

  • Royal Air Force Museum

    Press cuttings and photograph albums, factory and Hendon aerodrome n.d. [L001-2190-2204, L001-2238-2339]; plan of London Aerodrome, Hendon c.1922 [L107].

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