Former Dowty workers remember huge firm's glory years at reunion

As reported on by Gloucestershire Live (Photos J W Redfern & Dowty Heritage)

The special event was held at the engineering company’s former headquarters at Arle Court in Cheltenham on 26th October 2022.

Former Dowty workers remembered the huge firm’s glory years at a reunion. The special event was held at the engineering company’s former headquarters at Arle Court in Cheltenham.

Dozens of people associated with the former Dowty Group, which used to employ thousands of people in north Gloucestershire, rolled back the years. They enjoyed chatting about old times, going on guided tours of the old HQ and looking through work-related photo albums.

Particularly in its heyday in the 1970s, Dowty was one of the leading engineering companies in the country – making a wide range of products such as mining and electrical equipment, fuel systems, propellers, landing gear and hydraulics.

It was founded by Sir George Dowty in 1935 and continued until it broke up in the early 1990s. While most of the former group is no more, Dowty is still trading and makes propellers at Gloucester Business Park.

Sir George’s son, also called George, was at the reunion on Wednesday (October 26 2022) and conducted guided tours of the stunning 19th century manor house at Arle Court.

Some of the workers were returning to a venue that they worked at and remembered well but Mr Dowty delighted them by showing them around the family’s living quarters as well.

Dowty Reunion Day – follow up

A hard book of photographs taken at the Dowty Reunion on the 26th October is being prepared.

There are stunning pictures of a 1959 Cadillac parked outside the front entrance to Arle Court- Sir George Dowty was a life long fan of big American cars.

Other pictures show the rooms where senior Dowty personnel worked for nearly 50 years and of all those who attended on the day.

A remarkable tribute to one of the nation’s finest engineering concerns.

Email martinrobins@btinternet.com for details on how to obtain the book

One attendee at the Dowty Reunion was the distinguished author of the definitive history of H H Martyn and the Gloster Aircraft Company one John Whitaker.

John entitled his book, The Best; reflecting the outstanding nature of the two businesses.

At the Dowty Reunion John gave a fulsome tribute to Sir George Dowty drawing on his extensive knowledge of the man which stretched back to the Second World War.

Copies of this fascinating tribute can be obtained by emailing Martin Robins: martinrobins@btinternet.com