Croydon airport

Croydon Airport, apron and terminal about 1929

And how it essentially made Croydon the centre of the universe.

Part of the Aerofilms collection found on the Britain from Above site.

Part of the Aerofilms collection found on the Britain from Above site.

Croydon was London's first international airport. The terminal building, 1928 - 1959, was one of the first purpose-built terminal buildings in the world. The air traffic control tower is the first in the world. Caroline's Miscellany and Diamond Geezer have visited the museum. And Londonist, bless them, have posted 11 Amazing Facts About Croydon Airport.

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The structure, a wooden hut, was built on the orders of the UK Air Ministry, which stipulated that it should be 'erected 15 feet above ground level' and with 'large windows to be placed on all four walls'.

Commercial flying in Britain began after the First World War, but Croydon Aerodome had been in use since December 1915 when it was established as part of London’s air defences; aircraft from Croydon attacked Zeppelins in 1916. The aerodrome was west of Plough Lane and the site was used from 1920 when Croydon replaced Hounslow […]

Not the Science Museum, not Hull.

The control tower still stands, although the airfield itself has long disappeared under development. The tower and terminal building are occasionally opened to the public and inside it is exactly how it was when the airport closed... more

In 1920 Croydon Aerodrome in London was the international airport for all international flights. According to wikipedia "The new aerodrome opened on 29 March 1920. Plough Lane remained a public road crossing the site, and road traffic was halted when necessary, first by a man with a red flag and later by a gate.

Postmen loading airmail bags on to 'Horatius' at Croydon Airport. Find this on our online catalogue

Passenger being weighed at Croydon airport, England, 1934

Imperial Airways aircraft 'Horatius' at London Croydon Airport.

Lambert & Butler's Cigarettes "Empire Air Routes" (series of 50 issued in 1936) #2 "Heracles" at Croydon Airport

“HP-42 in Sharjah”

Indian royalty's tryst with luxury over the years -

When the capital banned skyscrapers in the 1960s, Croydon stepped in with concrete towers and flyovers that made it a byword for urban devastation. Fifty years later, this most unloved suburb may finally be ready to love itself

Download this stock image: Argosy Over Croydon - G39MMH from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors.