Airport History - Liverpool Airport Car Parking from SkyParkSecure
History of Liverpool Airport
Q. What do an attic window, a musical genius, and the Royal Mail have in common?
A. They are all in the History of Liverpool John Lennon Airport!
The beginning…
Speke Airport (later renamed Liverpool John Lennon Airport) is one of the UK’s oldest airports.
But before Speke, an aerodrome at Hooton Park was used for army training in World War One. The aerodrome was built in 1917, and the first unit stationed there was a Royal Flying Corps pilot training unit who remained there until 1919. During the 1920s the aerodrome was reopened for civilian passengers.
In 1927 the new owner of Hooton Park, George Dawson, decided to turn the park into a major airport for the North of England. Planning for the new airport began in 1928.
The 1930s…
Hooton Park’s first scheduled flight took off in 1930 and the Liverpool and District Aero Club was designated the official airport for Liverpool. Commercial services ran there until July 1933, when the aerodrome at Speke achieved airport status.
In the early 1930s, Speke airport had operated from a converted farmhouse (illustrated here, courtesy of www.bwpics.co.uk/gallery/airport.html) which acted both as terminal building and—with the assistance of an improvised superstructure added to an attic window—as control tower.
The aeroplane in the picture above is a De Haviland DH86A from British Continental Airways of Croydon.
Liverpool Airport was officially opened on the 1st of July in 1933 by the Right Hon. Marquess of Londonderry, K.G. Secretary of State for Air.
The Air Display at the opening of Liverpool Airport was called the greatest Air Pageant ever held outside Hendon. One hundred thousand spectators visited Liverpool Airport on its opening day, and 246 aircraft were featured in the air display.
The Secretary of State for Air arrived in a Hawker-Hart machine from the R.A.F. Station at Sealand, escorted by No. 29 (Fighter) Squadron of the Royal Air Force flying Bristol Bulldog Machines.
Included in the programme was a ‘Fly Past’ by Civilian Machines and a demonstration of aerobatics in an Avro Tutor training machine flown by Flight Lieutenant G. H. Stainforth. In the 1930s the Avro Tutor was the standard training machine for the Royal Air Force and cruised at 100 miles an hour.
Afterward there was a display by a Ceirva Autogiro. Then a landing competition was held where the pilot who got nearest to a mark with propellers stopped won. There was also an exciting Liverpool to Blackpool to Liverpool air race, and a parachute jumping competition.
Courtesy of www.abtn.co.uk/archive/2003-07-07/
One of the first operators to use Speke was Blackpool and West Coast Air Services. Based at Blackpool, this company was founded by John Higgins, an instructor with the Liverpool Aero Club. His company started flying out of Liverpool Airport in 1933.
The first scheduled service from Liverpool Airport was a Liverpool to Blackpool flight, which cost 18/- (90p.) return.
Early operators from Liverpool Airport included Aer Lingus and Hillman’s Airways, and Midland and Scottish Air Ferries with Avro 10 and Avro 642 machines. Railway Air Services also operated D.H. Dragons, and K.L.M. Royal Dutch Airline operated Fokker F18’s. United Airways, Crilley Airways, and British Airways began operations at Liverpool Airport as well.
An Hillman’s Airways baggage label from 1934. Courtesy of www.timetableimages.com
Major construction work began in the late 1930s as Liverpool’s passenger traffic boomed, particularly flights across the Irish Sea.
Workers levelled and drained the airfield. This was done so well at Liverpool Airport that the ground remained safe for flying throughout the very wet winter of 1935 - 1936 when almost all other aerodromes in England had major disruptions, cancellations and closings. Hangar No. 1 was completed in 1937 and Hangar No. 2 was finished during World War Two.
On the 8th of January in 1936, No. 611 ( West Lancs) Squadron moved to Speke. At this time, military activity exceeded civilian passenger traffic at Liverpool airport.
Hangar No. 1 and the Control Tower were completed in 1937, and the Terminal Building opened in 1939.
In 1939, another unit, the No. 37 Squadron, appeared at Liverpool Airport equipped with Wellingtons. The Squadron’s stay was short-lived but during the five months of operations they carried out intensive training before leaving for the Middle East.
During World War Two, more metal hangars and accommodation were added.
The 1940s and 1950s…
Liverpool Airport played a significant role in the war effort. In 1940, Liverpool’s seaport brought forth an inevitable flood of aircraft into Speke. The aircraft were dismantled and shipped abroad to such destinations as Rhodesia, South Africa and various points along the West African Coast.
The m ilitary aircraft construction company Rootes & Lockhead worked from Liverpool Airport. The runway was resurfaced from grass to a hard surface runway in order to cater for the larger and heavier military aircraft.
A 1950 poster from Aer Lingus, one of the airlines flying out of Liverpool Airport in happier times after World War 2. Courtesy of www.timetableimages.com
In 1958 Hooton Park closed as an aerodrome. It reopened four years later as General Motors mammoth Ellesmere Port Vauxhall Car Assembly Plant.
The 1960s…
After World War Two the Ministry of Aviation remained in control of Liverpool Airport until the Local Authority took over in 1961. In the same year, construction began on a longer runway on land adjacent to the original Liverpool Airport, now called the Southern Airfield.
Liverpool Corporation expanded Liverpool Airport by l engthening the runway, enlarging the apron, building new taxiways and making improvements to the Terminal Building.
The new runway was built on Corporation land between Hale Road and the River Mersey and was formally opened on the 7 th of May 1966 by the Duke of Edinburgh. Today it is one of the few Category 2 runways in Europe. Category 2 runways allow aircraft to land in conditions of poor visibility.
Plans were made for a new terminal to be built on the Speke side of the new runway. Since the new terminal would not be completed for another few years, the Authority decided to convert part of one of the large hangars into an international terminal. This terminal now handles all international traffic throughout the year. Domestic traffic continues to use the old terminal building, which was further improved when the old customs area was changed to a check-in for British Midlands and undercover baggage claim.
The 1970s…
During the Spring of 1972, further work was carried out at Liverpool Airport on the apron to join two of the aircraft stands together. This formed a large parking area for a Boeing 747 or stretched version of the D.C.8.
Control of the airport transferred to Merseyside County Council from The Liverpool Corporation in the mid 1970s. Ten years later, control was passed to the five Merseyside councils following the dismantling of Merseyside County Council. In 1979 Royal Mail started night hub operations and opened a sorting office at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
The 1980s…
A modern passenger terminal opened at Liverpool Airport in 1986. It is adjacent to the runway on the Southern Airfield site. The old terminal has recently been renovated and expanded to become the Marriott Liverpool South Hotel, whilst the original hangars have been converted into a David Lloyd Tennis and Leisure centre.
In 1990 Liverpool Airport became the UK's first local-authority-owned airport to move from public to private sector with British Aerospace. In 1997 Peel Holdings Plc, a North West company, bought a 76% share. The remaining shares of Liverpool Airport were held by the five Merseyside Local Authorities.
During the mid 1990s £4 million was invested in improving and expanding the Liverpool Airport terminal with spacious landside and airside passenger lounges and a larger arrivals hall.
…and the 21 st century
On 9 May 2001 Peel Airports ( Liverpool) Limited acquired the remaining 24% shareholding.
In 2001 airport bosses agreed to rename Liverpool Airport as Liverpool John Lennon Airport to honour the late genius.
The new logo included the famous self portrait drawing by John Lennon and a quote from Imagine, “above us only sky”. Yoko Ono visited the newly named airport in March 2002 to unveil a 7 foot bronze statue of John Lennon by well known local sculptor Tom Murphy. The statue looks over the main passenger walkway overlooking the check-in hall and is clearly visible to all Liverpool Airport passengers.
The airport became the first in the UK to be named after an individual.
Designers and construction workers carried out major improvements to give the airport a new look. A new Terminal Building, Control Tower and other ancillary projects were completed in 2002. The new terminal can handle up to 3 million annual passengers.
In 2002 Liverpool John Lennon Airport saw 2.8 million passengers pass through, and 3.2 million in 2003. This includes 13 domestic and European regular destinations and 21 summer holiday charter flights to Mediterranean resorts. Liverpool John Lennon Airport also saw over 30,000 tonnes of freight in 2002, mostly due to the Royal Mail’s night hub operations.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport won the Fred Camenisch Award in 2002 for its outstanding contribution towards tourism on Merseyside. The award was presented in recognition of the Airport’s role in bringing a growing number of visitors to the North West, particularly from Europe. Liverpool John Lennon Airport was also presented with an airport marketing award at ‘Routes 2002', The World Route Development Forum in Athens.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is quickly moving up in the league table of U.K. airports and is today one of the fastest growing in Europe. It is not only as a gateway to the North West but also one of the most important airports in the United Kingdom.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s 75 th anniversary will coincide with Liverpool’s reign as European Capital of Culture in 2008.
Before you go to Liverpool John Lennon Airport be sure to book your airport parking (http://www.skyparksecure.com).
