Reference
X766/1
Title
Album entitled 'Royal Navy Air Works, Cardington Bedford, 1916-1918: Photos of their construction, J. Mawson Rounthwaite'.
Date free text
1916-1918
Production date
From: 1916 To: 1918
Scope and Content
Comprises (in order) as follows:
Copy site plan of Naval Air Works at Cardington for Messrs. Short Brothers (drawn by J T Cackett of Philgrim House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1917), dated (by stamp) 29 Nov 1917, and annotated in pencil, 'On Loan 30.11.1917': shows, inter alia, 'area for houses for employees', 'naval quarters', 'engine testing & timber shed', 'hydrogen plant', 'airship shed' and sidings connected to Midland Railway (Bedford & Hitchin branch) line. Indicates boundary of land owned by Messrs. Short Brothers in red ink.
27 photographs (between waxed sheets), dated 26 October 1916 - 17 July 1917 and taken at regular intervals, recording the construction of the two airship sheds (showing derricks, temporary railway tracks, etc.), the hydrogen plant (with gasometers), and workshops, from various angles (most of the photographs are stamped, on the dorse, 'Resident Engineer's Office, Naval Air Works, Cardington').
Interior photographs of refectory, kitchen, ?vehicle depot (showing cabriolet touring car and van), furnaces (Meldrums Ltd of Timperley), plant (electrical [Electric Construction Co. Ltd.] and mechanical [The Bryan Donkin[?] & ...Ltd., Chesterfield; Lanes System - Humphreys & Glasgow Ltd.], and pipework (5 photographs).
Exterior photographs of worshops (1)
p50 - View of East Square, Shortstown
p51 - View of Central Avenue, Shortstown
p52 - View of Greycote, Shortstown.
Level of description
item