Did You Work on Concorde?

Did you work on Concorde? The Pride of Goucestershire “Were you there on 9th April 1969?” asks Richard Chatham (left). “2019 will be the 50th anniversary of Concorde’s first flight - though work started well before that . on scraps of paper and slide rules! I know from talking to some of those early ‘Supersonic Pioneers’ that there was a very strong Masonic presence at Filton; indeed, across the whole design and manufacture crew. I am anxious to record as many names and lodges as possible. Were you one of those, or was your father, brother, or any relation involved? It would be very special to be able to collate a list of all those Freemasons and the nature of their input and maintain a record for posterity.” ‘Concorde Nut’ Richard is the Director of Ceremonies at Richard Whittington Lodge, where he is affectionately known as ‘RCDC’. It can truly be said that Concorde is a part of his life. In deed on BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’ he admitted to being something of a ‘Concorde Nut’. “Here is a very small taster of my collection,” he told squaretalk, pointing to a room containing a plethora of paraphernalia, dominated by an 8 feet long exact replica which he liberated from Heathrow. Page 1 RCDC continues his tale . “Forty-eight years ago, on that April morning, the onlookers, photographers and BAC staff crowded along the runway at Filton and held their ears as the air reverberated again to the roar of those four Olympus engines. Not for the first time had this cacophony been heard, but today would be special and would be recorded in the history of flight forever. “Brian Trubshaw looked out of the tiny window on his left and signalled below to Bill Hill, who uncoupled the umbilical cord that connected 002 to the ground equipment. The throttles were pushed tentatively forward and Brian, co-pilot John Cochrane and engineer Brian Watts, prepared for the trip of a lifetime. This time, no practice fast taxi, Brian let her go like a thoroughbred having its head in a race, holding the reins lightly in his hands. Some 37 feet behind the flight deck the nose-wheel lifted. Much of the vibration ceased and suddenly . suddenly . all the years of ideas, dreams, designs and finally construction came to fruition as Concorde 002 left the runway behind and climbed majestically, if a little noisily, over the sheds of the Bristol Aircraft Company, which since 1960 had been known as the British Aircraft Corporation. Two love-birds “Ten days later, a driver lost control of his two-ton van and drove headlong into our car. Lesley and I were admitted to Gloucester hospital in critical condition. “Three months later, on 16th July 1969, the night before we were married, Lesley was still in hospital. She would remain there another three months. We were sitting outside Ward 8, discussing our big day, Page 2 when unexpectedly, low in the sky, two other love birds appeared. 001 and 002, in close formation, circled the hospital and in those seconds our lives instantly took on a new zest to overcome the past and move forward. That flypast – as Brian later called it when we met him – was emblematical of a new start in life! Right: Richard on board with presenter Fiona Bruce and antiques expert Hilary Kay. Left: Richard and Lesley on their 2003 flight with Les Brodie and crew. Page 3 Icon of Flight Contact: “So what is this all about? Concorde has a very special place in the heart If you can help Richard with his task, write to him at: of Gloucestershire. Much of the design work, development and construction was based around Gloucestershire. From my own Richard Chatham experience I know that many of the teams in Filton, Bishops Cleeve, and The Grange, Staverton and many one and two-man sub-contractors, were based here Tredington, in Gloucestershire. Tewkesbury Glos GL20 7BP “I would like to build a database . a record of as many Freemasons as I can . who were involved in any way with the design, development Or email him at [email protected]. and building of this magnificent Icon of Flight; this symbol of the expertise, craftsmanship and vision which took her to the skies. Please mark subject as ‘Concorde Brother’. “Please could you help me by sending your details: name, lodge number and how you were involved.” Page 4 .

Load more