de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School Association

The de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School

The de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School was formed at Stag Lane, Edgware in 1928 by the then Captain (later Sir) Geoffrey de Havilland and Mr Frank Hearle. The initial emphasis was on the training of ground engineers. By 1930 the school was well established. About 100 engineers had passed through and were beginning to spread around the world, as too was the Moth series of light aircraft.

The School headquarters moved to Hatfield in 1934, soon after the establishment of the new airfield there, but some aspects of training continued at Stag Lane. The curriculum expanded rapidly to cover the full range of aircraft design, manufacture and operation. The instructors were all practising engineers in the Company, thus students were actively in touch with current problems and techniques. The T.K. series of light aircraft was designed and built between 1932 and 1939, some being flown by Company pilots in events such as the King's Cup Races.

During 1940 the School had to move from Hatfield when its premises were destroyed by fire after a German bombing raid. After a spell in nearby Welwyn Garden City, it moved in 1941 to Salisbury Hall, where the prototype Mosquitos were designed and built, now the home of The de Havilland Aircraft Museum. In 1947-48 the School was progressively transferred to Astwick Manor, on the north-eastern border of Hatfield airfield. The Company was absorbed into Hawker Siddeley Aviation in 1963 and in 1965 the School was renamed the Hawker Siddeley Aviation (Hatfield) Apprentice Training School.

In addition to Stag Lane and Hatfield, there were also Schools at Portsmouth, Christchurch, Chester, Leavesden and Lostock. Articles have been contributed about all these places except Leavesden - see sidebar.

There is a DHAeTS Display in the ‘Foremans Office’ at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum, which is next to Salisbury Hall near London Colney.

Today there is a thriving Association of former DHAeTS students from all the Schools, with over 400 members world-wide. It is run by a standing small committee led by Roger de Mercado as Chairman and Secretary. Roger Coasby is our Treasurer and members are Ken Watkins, Garth Rogers, Ken Pye, Russ Nathan, Philip Birtles and Alan Lee. Our President is Ian Newton.

In 2022 members of the disbanded Hatfield Aviation Association, which previously had absorbed the Hatfield 40 Year and 20 year Club members, were invited to join DHAeTSA and some have done so. A number were already members of DHAeTSA having served apprenticeships.

Newsletters are issued three times a year. The majority are sent by email as pdf, but printed copies are supplied by post to those unable to receive email. The most recent were No. 86, Summer 2023, No. 87, Autumn 2023 and No. 88, Spring 2024.  Any member who has missed a copy should contact us (click on the tab above). We also compile an occasional issue of “Pylon”, (see article Pylon Magazine) to which members contribute articles about their experiences ranging from student years to later careers or about particularly interesting projects with which they were involved (some relating to previously unreported events!).

The objective of this website is to promote world-wide awareness of the Association, to provide up to date information and to serve as an on-line repository of historical material relating to the de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School.

Anyone who entered the School up to and including the 1965 intake is eligible and invited cordially to join - click on "Contact us" for membership information. To ensure the continuance of the heritage of the School we also welcome enquiries about membership from apprentices who were indentured after this date, to HSA or to BAe.

Page last updated 26 Mar 2024

Published: 29 October 2022
Author: The Editor

Comments

11 Dec 22 18:42   Brian Evans from Chester
I was part of the 1964 intake of Apprentices. Who has the intake picture? What a memorable training experience, second to none. Harvey Davies being the Manager can anyone recall all the apprentices that are still around. I feel a reunion should be called.
22 Jun 22 16:25   DAVID BRADY from cambridge
My wife was secretary there to Sq'd Leader Brown 1956. Does she have any photos of him or his office? Those of us who started around then all remember him.
08 Oct 21 12:32   Rod blackwell from Llandudno
Apprentice de Havilland 1960 intake. Any body out there !!!
11 Feb 21 21:08   Brian Bellis from Flintshire North Wales
Hi to you all. Good job I am not on De-Havs 1960 to 1965 Chester bonus system as my computer skills would bankrupt me. I see above I wrote in 2014 unfortunately no replies. First a big thanks to those organizing this but I find-could be me-its hard to follow all these sites. I repeat my email as it may not be up front. brian_bellis@hotmail.com . I say this as Martin Dudley replied in 2009 so how do I find his contact?? I had contact in Canada from my year Chris Gill draughts man, ---?- Shean @Air Canada, Sam Edgeley; Rolls Royce engines. In Flintshire ;Rod Blackwell self employed soft furnishing; Mike Mathews; Barry Buxton; Dave Conn unfortunately passed. I worked in Germany, Handley Page Radlett, Canadair Montrea,l Canada-Atlantic Aviation Montreal, Vickers shipbuilding Montreal. Rolls-Royce engines Montreal, Sales at Manpower Montreal; Overseas consultant Mining engineering supplying contract workers all over Canada. Here Senior officer at County Council. Cannot believe all that. Martyn Dudley and others please contact me. Good luck everyone.
Reply: Hello Brian. Sadly, Martyn Dudley passed away a few years ago.
07 Oct 20 01:32   Brian H. Jones from San Gabriel, California.
I am establishing this contact following a lead article in the October 2020 edition of the 'Aeroplane' which described in great detail the de Havilland Aeronautical Training School. I had the great good fortune to be an Engineering Apprentice at Chester from 1955-1959. I was the recipient of the August 23rd Award inn 1957. Attending the DHATS was one of the most formative events in my life and I will always be grateful for the opportunity it provided. After obtaining a PhD from the Univ. of Liverpool, I emigrated to the USA where I eventually started an engineering company. I hope I can re-connect with some of my fellow apprentices from those wonderful times.
27 Jul 20 17:38   Neil Morrison from Canada
Started my apprenticeship at Astwick in 1966. Finished in 1971. Worked at Hawker Siddeley in Toronto,Canada for 4 years, 1975/79, then just moved on. Good to hear from you. Might you be interested in joining? Never mind about the 1965 date. If you would like to know more, just use Contact Us.
07 May 19 11:27   Vic Evans from Whitstable Kent
Apprentice year 1953/4
18 Feb 19 22:38   Brian Bellis from Holywell North Wales
Chester Apprentice 1960/1965. Hi to you all, the only name I recognize is Martyn Dudley. Reply if you read this Martyn or any others, I know the whereabouts of several from our era. Hope a contact is made, er times running out guys.
08 Feb 18 22:01   Roy Spencer from Worthing
DH Chester Apprentice 1961-66. Retired from aviation in 2009. Harvey Davies was in charge. I commuted each day from Llanasa North Wales, on a motorcycle or in the back of a Bedford Dormobile , both freezing cold in winter.
26 Jun 17 01:12   Arthur Jones from Prestatyn North Wales
After all these years I found your site after a visit to the DH museum. I found the a name of an old school friend John Hobbs who joined the Technical School a year after I joined. Harvey Davies was the man in charge when I Joined T.S.school in Chester. What memories it brought back.
02 May 17 12:53   Lawrence Morris from Welwyn Garden City
I attended the Astwick school in 1960/1961, continued my 5 year apprenticeship, finished in the fitting shop working mostly on the control systems for the Trident. Moved to the Inspection dept 1966 fitting/sub assy etc No openings in D.O. at that time so left to work for sub contract co. BSP in Borehamwood Returned on contract to work on the Airbus wing laying out the loft lines. Early in the 1970s worked in drawing office of a Structural Engineers in St Albans. Started CAD dept and after 40 years retired as associate director for CAD
01 Dec 16 14:00   Martin Yardley from Herts
I was 9 months at Astwick Manor joining in September 1957. I too remember Angel but also Martin Luck, Chick Tuhey, and Godley. We used to cycle down the road to Propellers to have our lunch.
We all got split up after that, I was posted to 106 Fuse then through various workshops and finally in the flight hanger working on the Trident DH121. Having finished my 5 year term I ended up in the 121 wing shop. I soon got the transfer I was after to the DO working first in the concessions dept and finally in the 125 DO and the Nimrod cockpit layout.
Completely changed my career in 1965 joining an American Petrochemical Plant Design company in City Road / Holborn ending up as Chief Engineer. Worked Mainly on Ethylene Plant Layouts which took me all over the world. Now retired and I am still living in the area.
01 Dec 16 09:49   Godfrey Moore (Geoff) from Dorset UK
I was engineering apprentice from 1949/54 started at Stag Lane then onwards to Leavesden and there finally to Service Dept What great days they were followed then two years national service at RAF Hendon and finally into family busines motor cycles at Hemel Hempstead to retire in 1997.
05 Feb 16 03:30   Geoffrey Sharp Now Chedzoy from Vancouver Island Canada.
This is all new to me and l decided to put in deH Tech School and above right now l see Mark Hartridge from Aus. I also am a 50 to 55 guy. Don't remember any names but Rolf and Pugh instructors l do. Also l have two pictures of a eng that blew up as l closed door at Hatfield. Fuel pump rpms settings
10 Nov 14 08:51   Brian Bellis from Wales UK
Is this site still open? Reply: yes, it is.
07 Jun 13 22:18   Anthony Gilbert from Brent Knoll, Somerset UK
I was an apprentice at Christchurch from 1953 -1961 moving to BAC Hurn on the BAC 1-11. Emigrated to the USA in 1964 and worked on the 747. Returned to UK in 1968 with RR. Finally via Plessey, to Sperry on Underwater Systems-then BAe Systems Retired since 2002.
26 Feb 13 23:04   John Hobbs from Warrington
Hi; The picture of the 1965 intake is actually the September 1964 intake of students. Harvey Davies in the centre ( The man in charge and still living in Mold). That's me on the left hand side fourth row, first in the row) - no hair now! John Nightingale and David Williams are there too. THANKS JOHN! YOUR INFO WILL BE ADDED TO THE NEXT EDITION.
20 Oct 12 13:44   Dave Irvine (Splash) from Worksop
Served my apprenticeship at Hatfield (1959-64) while studying for a degree (Mech Eng). Then worked as Structural Test engineer until leaving in 1966. Returned in 1970 to join the IT department while also studying for an MSc in Computer Science at the Polytechnic. Left again in 1973.
09 Feb 12 09:45   Miles Robert Wilson from Hatfield 1930-1940
Trying to locate anything on my late fathers working time with De Haviland during that time His name was Maurice James Wilson Born 1913 Died 1969. Any help? Miles
18 Jul 11 21:38   philip gibbs from north wales
d h apprentice stag lane 1955-1960,central laboratories micro lab heat treatment rhaeology mechanical test physics lab creep lab finished defect investigation.
27 Jul 10 20:17   Peter Duffey from Vancouver canada
My uncle Roy Duffey was an instructor at the DH Tech School. I am a retired BA capt, flew Comet 1, Comet 4 and Concorde. I am also doing a video for Bob Hood of the Museum of Flight in Seattle. I would like to know any details you may have about my uncle. ANYONE WISHING TO CONTACT PETER SHOULD LET US KNOW USING THE ENQUIRY FORM ON THE CONTACT US PAGE AND WE WILL PASS ON HIS EMAIL ADDRESS.
19 Feb 10 17:38   Bob Pitney from Hatfield 1956-1961
After my initial spell at Hatfield, I transferred to the Hawker Siddeley advanced project Group at Kingston until 1963, when I left the industry, and spent the rest of my career in Information Systems (having learnt to program the Ferranti Pegasus at Hatfield!).
30 Nov 09 21:58   Roy Ambrose from Arizona U.S.A.
I attended Astwick Manor from 57/58 and continued with the company through 64, then emigrating to South Africa, then to Canada and finally here to the US. Would very much enjoy hearing from others. NOTE Anyone wishing to contact Roy should let us know using the Enquiry Form on the Contact Us page and we will pass on his email address.
14 Oct 09 20:39   Bryan Rhoden from Astwick Manor
I was among the last intake of BOAC apprentices to complete my first year of training at Astwick Manor and have fond memories of a great year from September 1957. DH Apprentices that I knew included Joe Reyes, Chick Tuhey and Angel - where are they now? I retired from British Airways in 1997.
19 Aug 09 06:19   Mark Hartridge from Adelaide South Australia
I was apprentice at Stag Lane 1950-55, finishing in the Test Lab at Leavesden with ambition to have my own Lab! This was realised in 1989, in Adelaide. Now retired, would like to contact any apprentices (Eng Co) of this era.
01 Apr 09 17:47   Martin Dudley from United Kingdom
D H Chester apprentice 1960/1965

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