History of Fairey Surveys Ltd
This photograph was in the album of Southern Rhodesia photographs from John Keay, passed on by Lawrence Scott. It seems more appropriate here!
Click on the photograph to enlarge. If anyone wants a higher resolution version, use the ‘Contact’ form for the request and a copy can be sent by email.
This photo album was passed on by Lawrence Scott for inclusion here. The photographs date mostly from 1950/51, and are of operations in Southern Rhodesia, except for the first few, which presumably were taken en route to Rhodesia in Fairey’s Dakota G-AKNM.
Most of the photographs have notes on the back, so they have been included as is, rather than having captions which might be incorrect interpretations.
Click on the links to open, then you should be able to enlarge the images enough to read the writing on the backs of the photos. Putting the pictures in as ‘jpg’ photographs didn’t work – it wasn’t possible to enlarge them enough to read the notes. If anyone wants the digital pictures, please get in touch using the ‘Contact’ page, and they can be sent by email.
Rhodesia album envelope photos
This last photograph is included as it was inside the album, but has also been put into the ‘Social Life’ section.
Attached is a photograph from Colin Price of the Clyde Surveys Managing Director signing what is presumably an important document or contract, with Miles Henry on his left. Can anyone identify the occasion and date?
From Colin Price we have a set of photos posed for an advertisement (anyone recognise it?), a picture from a Kodak shoot (complete with guns) circa 1988, and a shot of the Clyde MD signing an important contract or sale document. Colin also sent in some beautiful oblique photos of Windsor Castle. Click on the thumbnail photograph to see the full version.
Message received from Elain Amos dated 3rd March 2013:
Greetings from Lelystad – here for 2 months to do low level photo of parts of NW Netherlands. In the aviation museum at the airport found a photo of their (orange) DC3 which was originally G-AMCA. It’s not here, currently starring in a musical of the \’Solider of Orange\’ at the ex Valkenburg Air Force Base
Here it is pictured at Lelystad.
Roger Laffoley sent in these photographs of Dakota G-ALWC in Clyde livery, with a note of its history from service with the RAF up to 1982 with Clyde Surveys. The photographs show what looks like a miniature extra propellor on the fuselage – does anyone know what it is?
Click on the individual images to see the full size pictures.
John Tompkins sent this photograph of Roy cutting his 90th birthday cake at White Waltham Cricket Club two years ago – Jane Denham next to him. Please send in any photos or anecdotes, so we can add them here.
It is with great sadness that we have to report that Roy Macdonald died on 14th February 2013.
Maureen Groves, Roy’s daughter, emailed John Tompkins with the information, and a request that the information be distributed to all his friends from Fairey Surveys. The family hope that some of them will be able to make the journey to Bangor to join them in celebrating his long and happy life. John is sending a card to Flora on behalf of all friends from FSL.
There is a video about Roy on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com). Search for ‘Roy Macdonald – the first 90 years’. It was uploaded on 6th August 2010, so we presume that Roy was 92 when he died last Friday.
Attached are details of the service to celebrate his life, for those who would like to attend.
Roy Macdonald – Announcement Card
We would be really happy to upload any pictures, information or anecdotes about Roy onto the website for everyone to share. Please use the ‘Contact’ form on the website to let us know what you would like to pass on, and we’ll get in touch to let you know where to send it.
This is a bit of advertising from Ken Fostekew, about the Museum of Berkshire Aviation in Woodley, which has a whole display case (pictured) dedicated to Fairey Surveys. The museum is amazing, and has a couple of reconstructed Fairey Aircraft amongst many others. It is run by volunteers, and has lectures regularly from guest speakers.
The address is: Mohawk Way (off the Bader Way), Woodley, Nr. Reading, Berkshire, RG5 4UE, and the website is: www.museumofberkshireaviation.co.uk
There’s also a YouTube video showing the museum and many of its displays.
The old office of Fairey Surveys, Reform Road, Maidenhead, rebadged with the Clyde Surveys sign.
