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 moved to Hatfield in 1934, soon after the establishment of the new airfield there. 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 Heritage Centre, incorporating the Mosquito 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.
There were also Schools at Portsmouth, Christchurch, Chester and Lostock. Articles have been contributed about all these places - see sidebar.
Today there is a thriving Association of former DHAeTS students from all the Schools, with nearly 600 members world-wide. Newsletters are issued two or three times a year. We also compile an occasional issue of “Pylon”, 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.
Comments
- 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 Nighingale and David Williams are there two. 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
Comment on this article
Enter your comment below. Please make sure you enter your name and a valid email address. Your name, but not your email address, will be published on the website.
