History of Fairey Surveys Ltd
There have been some reported issues with the FSL/Clyde/Engineering Surveys pension. If you have one of the pensions, and have any concerns, could you look at the notes attached – passed from Peter Timbrell to John Tompkins.
If you are coming to the Fairey Surveys re-union on 10th July at White Waltham Cricket Club, would you consider bringing with you copies of your pension paperwork, and any letters you have received, so that those affected can compare notes and discuss options available.
It is with great sadness that we have to announce that Alex Copeland passed away on 16th April 2015. He had lived for over 30 years in Adelaide, South Australia, running the ground geophysical survey company Search Exploration Services with his partner Gerry Bown. His funeral and the gathering afterwards were held in Carrickalunga, about 100 km south of Adelaide. It is here that Alex and Gerry have their beloved beachside ‘shack’, and where the Union Jack flies every day except Anzac Day and Australia Day.
Alex started at Fairey Surveys as a draughtsman, but over the years became involved with airborne and ground geophysics, working all over the world. He was always cheerful, always helpful and very hardworking. Alex lived life to the full, and made lasting friends wherever he was – things were definitely not boring when he was around.
One of Alex’s old friends, Kim Frankcombe, was at the funeral and the wake, and has sent the obituary, and a copy of the memorial service booklet, which are attached, and some personal notes from the day:-
“The funeral and wake went well with a lot of old familiar faces there, both from my geophysics and rugby past. The church held 80 and both Alex and Gerry had wanted a quiet affair but it was standing room only. The public event at the British Hotel later that night had even more people.
With a large rugby crowd there was plenty of support for the two hymns, the Welsh and English rugby teams’ hymns. Apparently they were a late change as Alex had originally wanted “Always look on the bright side of life” which would also have been very appropriate.
In Nick Sheard’s Eulogy he told the story of bailing Alex out of the Cobar police station after he was caught drink driving after he and Nick had spent three hours with an Eski of beer watching a mechanic weld up his old Hilux. He decided to give the arresting officer the benefit of his thoughts which resulted in him being held for the night. He claims to have spent the night dragging a tin mug across the bars of his cell to let them know he was still there.
There was also plenty of support for Alex being a scary driver from all those who he’d taken for a ride in his E-Type which is now in SA with Gerry.”
Memorial booklet: AC_Memorial Click on the title to open the file (if it displays sideways, download and open with Adobe Reader, then click on View, Rotate)
Obituary: AlexCopeland_Obit Click on the title to open the file
Many of Alex’s friends and old colleagues will have their own stories about him (and possibly his cars!) – please send them in on the Comments page, or by email to admin@faireysurveys.co.uk
The funeral service for Ron Neal was held on 21st April 2015. It was attended by his widow Sylvia, family, friends and neighbours, and a number of old colleagues from Fairey Surveys, including Geoff Milsom, Bob Berris and Ken and Jean Fostekew. It is hoped that it can be arranged for Ron’s ashes to scattered on White Waltham airfield a bit later in the summer.
Ken Fostekew has given us this brief obituary:
Ron was a 16 year old ATC Cadet attached to the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), along with Don Ellis. Ron had some memorable flights with the ATA and was full of yarns. He flew with Jim Mollison to Hulavington in a Ventura and had to crawl into the tail to release the tailwheel as it had jammed, and for that Jim treated Ron to a slap up lunch in the mess. On another occasion Ron and another cadet went to Scotland with Gerard d’Erlanger in a PBY Catalina flying boat for mooring training. At the end of each session both boys were soaked to the skin, and d’Erlanger gave them each £1 for their supper and a trip to the cinema. Ron also flew with Lettice Curtis and Joan Hughes, pioneering ATA women pilots, in Halifaxes, Lancasters etc.
New has come in from Ken Fostekew that Ron Neal has passed away. Ron was one of Fairey Surveys’ well known and loved pilots. More details will be posted when they arrive.
Ron is fourth from the left in this photograph from Len Sellwood of the crew from a Nigeria survey in 1974
These photographs and newspaper cuttings came from Kieran (Ken) Roche via his brother Gerry Roche. Kieran was the Flight engineer on what was described as the first ‘Fairey Surveys’ flight out of White Waltham in 1947.
Air Survey aircraft (AIRSPEED OXFORD). First ‘Fairey Surveys’ flight out of White Waltham, 1947. Left to right: Brian Attwell (management), Richard Younghusband (pilot), Ken Roche (engineer), Group Captain Lawes (management). Richard Younghusband, has a claim to fame from even earlier. He was apparently flying back from France the day war broke out, and triggered off the first English World War 2 air raid alarm.
Hotel Baron, Aleppo, Syria.
This was our hotel and x marks the spot where we usually sit at night nattering. This was taken during the siesta period, hence the deserted appearance of the street, shops closed etc. Only a few Bedouin at large.
Aleppo, Syria. Air Survey photographers and Ken Roche with medieval citadel in background. From left: Freddie Worton, John Rushton, Ken Roche, ?
Aleppo, Syria. Time off … Left to right: ?, Ken Roche (engineer), Richard Younghusband (pilot).
Newpaper cutting from the Daily Telegraph in 1968, about the building of the Aleppo dam on the Euphrates river.
The Hotel Baron in Aleppo had a long history and many interesting guests on the register. The last sentence of this press cutting is quite poignant. A couple of website links give information on the current state of the Hotel Baron and the Mazloumian family:
http://pvewood.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-hotel-baron-at-war.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11239988/War-in-Syria-takes-toll-on-Aleppos-oldest-hotel-in-pictures.html?frame=3111065
More news of the Hotel Baron from the Times on 14th May 2016. Mr Mazloumian died recently, and the hotel has taken a couple of mortar hits, but it is still standing and occupied by Mr Mazloumain’s widow and three refugee families.
These photographs were sent by Steve Hulland, Mervyn’s son. Mervyn worked for Fairey Air Surveys/Fairey Surveys from about 1955 to 1966, when the family emigrated to South Africa. They came back a few years later, and Mervyn worked on development for deHavilland on the TSR2 in Bristol, and also for Atlas Aircraft Corporation on the Impala.
Most of the photographs are unlabelled, but quite a few appear to have been taken in Kenya. Any help identifying places or people would be appreciated.
This postcard was interesting – no change in aerial photography problems!
This cutting from the Maidenhead Advertiser was sent in by Adrian Workman. He won a Kodak prize in the 1980s, and the presentation was made in the office by the Kodak sales representative. Adrian worked in the Reprographic Department, so photography really was his life then!
Ulrich (Uli) came to Fairey Surveys for survey experience during two summers – June to September of 1967 and July to September of 1968, and lodged with Eddie Holmes during his time here.
He is now Dr Ulrich Münzer of LMU University in Munich, Faculty of Geosciences, with a speciality in subglacial volcanoes in Iceland. Details and even a photograph here: www.isviews.geo.lmu.de
He spends summers in Iceland, so can’t get to the reunions, but has sent in some photographs of his time at Fairey Surveys, and his reference from Lawrence Scott when he left in 1968.
Click on the photographs to enlarge.
Len Sellwood sent these photographs of Burma from when he was surveying there.
Len sent a few notes with the photographs:
“The Burmese village pictured – in the dry season these were rice farmers, in the Monsoon they were fishermen – note the houses are built on stilts. The palms are toddy palms, from which they get palm wine. One of my labourers could spot them miles away and always edged over to them ..”
“At the camp in Myo Chaung one of the soldiers caught a King Cobra and cut off its head as it was going into a hole. Somewhere I photographed it against a levelling staff – it was over 14 ft without the head or hood. Dennis Shearing skinned, salted and wrapped it up. Not sure if he still has it!!”
“Leveling through cane fields was very hot and very dirty.”
“The village (river) of Myo Chaung we were supposed to survey for a Dam site, the evening before a full company of soldiers went out to secure the area (usual practice). In less than an hour a tremendous fire fight erupted lasting some time with rifle, machine gun and mortar fire. We deliberated for a couple of days and were in contact with FSK via HF radio, our decision was to level up the wider part of the river but not to go too deep into the jungle – we also settled on an extra £1 a day danger money. Google Earth now shows a dam along the river.”
“The Reclining Buddha is the largest reclining Buddha in the world, we were told.”
“Burmese New Year (Water Festival) in Rangoon was great fun, as can be seen by the joy on people’s faces, wash away the sins of the old year and start the new one clean!”
Len Sellwood has sent these photographs of the survey in Enugu, Nigeria in 1974, soon after the end of the Biafran civil war.
Click on the individual pictures to enlarge and see the titles.
