Posted on 18 December 2023
A new plaque marks how one of our blocks was built on a Spitfire factory
Property Manager Sam Collins, recently took part in the unveiling of a plaque at one of our blocks in Southampton (14-16 Park Street), which was built on an old WW2 undercover Spitfire factory.
Sam worked with the Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust on their project to locate the sites of the spitfire factories around Southampton, and honour their contribution to the war effort. From 1936, production of the famous fighter aircraft was switched to more than 30 sites in and around Southampton.
Our block on Park Street in Southampton was built on the land that used to be Lowther’s Garage. The garage was used as a machine shop and tool room to supply other workshops to make the parts for the celebrated Spitfire aircraft.
The plaque commemorates not only the production site, but the people who became Spitfire makers.
Ian Paull, the son of Lowther's owner, John Glencoe Paull, carried out the unveiling. He was joined by Mervyn Jupe, son of Charles George Jupe, a supermarine machinist who was transferred to Lowther’s after other factories were destroyed. The event was attended by families of factory workers, as well as local residents and colleagues from Hyde.
“We were delighted to support the Spitfire Makers in getting the amazing story, of how Spitfire production continued, more widely known. Thank you to Hyde for funding the production of the plaque. What a great way to mark the historic site on which our homes have been built.”
Find out more about the project www.spitfiremakers.org.uk