Today I visited Suttons House with the Hornchurch Aerodrome Historical Society to learn about their plans for an RAF Hornchurch heritage centre in the building.
RAF Hornchurch is now the only former Battle of Britain aerodrome not to have a museum, and the Hornchurch Aerodrome Historical Society wishes to rectify that by establishing a heritage centre on the former St George's Hospital site on Suttons Lane. Suttons House is a 1930s building on the site which was used as a primary care centre by the NHS until last year. Developer, Bellway, has advised the Hornchurch Aerodrome Historical Society that they will likely grant the building to them for the heritage centre, and volunteers are now working out how best to use this opportunity.
I am working with Brendan Finucane QC and Iain Duncan Smith MP, whose father served at RAF Hornchurch, to support the project and ensure that future generations understand the significance of our constituency in the war effort. RAF Hornchurch, originally known as Suttons Farm, closed as a military base in the 1960s and clues to its existence can now be found only through local road names (Airfield Way, Squadrons Approach) and information boards. However, when it was operational, RAF Hornchurch was a critical airbase defending Britain in both World Wars and supporting missions to the continent.