Aircraft Components - People

Photographs of the people who used to work at Aircraft Components

Sir George Dowty with his first employees at Aircraft Components

Standing L-R: Freddie O’Brien (Draughtsman, who worked on the drawing board next to George Dowty at Glosters in 1930), Ken Cockle (Turner), Joe Bowstead (Fitter), A Averill (Apprentice), Tom Baker (Turner), Arch Tombs (Fitter), Tom Moore (Inspector).

Seated L-R: P Thornhill (Stress), Mrs Edith Dowty, George Dowty, Jack Dexter (Foreman)

With the exception of Moore, Thornhill and Tombs, all these men were still with Dowty 30-years later!

Martin Robins writes, that there were 40 Dowty Pioneers….

To qualify as a Dowty Pioneer one had to have been employed by the original company – Aircraft Components – at either the Grosvenor Place works or the Bath Street offices in Cheltenham.

When in 1935 the business relocated to Arle Court, a special dinner was held in the canteen, then a wooden hut, all directors attended this event. Each Pioneer was then given a silver cigarette case – if you did not smoke you received a gold wrist watch.

Sir George wrote yearly to each Pioneer on their birthday and included a cheque.

Somewhere those cigarette cases and wrist watches can still be found!.”