Woolston Aviation


In September 1913 Noel Pemberton-Billing opened an aircraft factory on the east bank of the River Itchen at Woolston, Just to the north of the Floating bridge slipway in Hazel road. The Holmes Foundry was located immediately to the South of the Floating bridge in Wharf road.
The business changed it's name to Supermarine Aviation Works in 1916.Supermarine initially concentrated on converting ex-military flying boats for civilian use,and also operated passenger services from 1919.

In 1928 the Supermarine company became part of the Vickers group,and throughout the 20s and 30s built several well known flying boat types,including the Southampton ,Seagull,and, probably the best known,the Walrus.

It was during the 30s that R.J.Mitchell,who had joined the company in 1916,designed the aircraft that was to become possibly the best known aircraft of all time,the Spitfire.This was of course,a landplane ,and it's appearance in 1935 marked the beginning of a move by Supermarine away from marine aircraft.Although the company continued to build Walruses until late 1940,the emphasis was very much on the Spitfire.

The bombing of the Woolston factory and also the new factory just up the river at Itchen in September 1940, put an end to full scale aircraft production.  Production was moved out to "dispersed " sites all over the southern counties and Woolston was never again to be involved in production of complete aircraft.

For a few years after WW2, the Woolston factory carried out modifications and conversions on WW2 flying boats, but by the end of the 40s even that activity had finished and the factory was closed. As did the Holmes Foundry.