Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1948-1964 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1.66 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
London Heathrow started life in 1946 as an army surplus small grass airfield. Privately owned, the Great Western Aerodrome was used largely for test flying with commercial flights taking off from nearby Heston and Hanworth Park airfields.
In 1944 it was requisitioned by the Air Ministry to be developed as a major transport base for the Royal Air Force. Before the work was completed, the war ended and with it came the prospect of a huge expansion in civil aviation. London needed a large airport with modern equipment and the partly-built site at Heathrow was ideal. One runway was ready for use and when the Ministry of Civil Aviation took it over in 1946 the tented terminal was quickly put in place and a new chapter began.
By 1947 three runways had been completed and work on another three - subsequently abandoned as unnecessary - was going on. A new, permanent building arose in the central area at the start of the 1950s, replacing the tent. As traffic boomed Heathrow Airport found itself with an ever-increasing demand for passenger facilities. The Queen inaugurated a new building in 1955 (Terminal 2) and the tunnel which provides the main road access to Heathrow's central area was opened. Next came the new Oceanic terminal handling long-haul carriers, a function it still performs as Terminal 3, followed by the opening of Terminal 1 in 1968. Increased congestion in the central area led to the birth of Terminal 4 in 1986 on the south side of the airport
Source: http://www.heathrow-airport-guide.co.uk/history.html.
Repository
Archival history
MCC/CL/HA 1948-1964 Collection 1.66 linear metres MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council
London Heathrow started life in 1946 as an army surplus small grass airfield. Privately owned, the Great Western Aerodrome was used largely for test flying with commercial flights taking off from nearby Heston and Hanworth Park airfields.
In 1944 it was requisitioned by the Air Ministry to be developed as a major transport base for the Royal Air Force. Before the work was completed, the war ended and with it came the prospect of a huge expansion in civil aviation. London needed a large airport with modern equipment and the partly-built site at Heathrow was ideal. One runway was ready for use and when the Ministry of Civil Aviation took it over in 1946 the tented terminal was quickly put in place and a new chapter began.
By 1947 three runways had been completed and work on another three - subsequently abandoned as unnecessary - was going on. A new, permanent building arose in the central area at the start of the 1950s, replacing the tent. As traffic boomed Heathrow Airport found itself with an ever-increasing demand for passenger facilities. The Queen inaugurated a new building in 1955 (Terminal 2) and the tunnel which provides the main road access to Heathrow's central area was opened. Next came the new Oceanic terminal handling long-haul carriers, a function it still performs as Terminal 3, followed by the opening of Terminal 1 in 1968. Increased congestion in the central area led to the birth of Terminal 4 in 1986 on the south side of the airport
Source: http://www.heathrow-airport-guide.co.uk/history.html.
Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.
Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department relating to the London Airport Committee (Heathrow), 1948-1964, including correspondence; financial papers; papers relating to noise from aircraft, transport links and road works; papers relating to insurance, and press notices.
MCC/CL/HA/01: London Airport Committee.
Available for general access.
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For further information on the history of the Middlesex County Council please see Middlesex by Sir Clifford Radcliffe (2 editions, 1939 and 1953), LMA Library reference 97.09 MID; and The County Council of the Administrative County of Middlesex: 76 years of local government, 1 April 1889 to 31 March 1965, by Middlesex County Council (1965), LMA library reference S97.09 MID.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 Europe England UK London Heathrow Heathrow Airport London Airport Committee , Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department , Middlesex County Council MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council Transport infrastructure Airports International airports Transport Vehicles Aircraft Western Europe Civil aircraft Environmental degradation Pollution Noise pollution Architecture Buildings Transport buildings Airport terminals Middlesex Hillingdon
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department relating to the London Airport Committee (Heathrow), 1948-1964, including correspondence; financial papers; papers relating to noise from aircraft, transport links and road works; papers relating to insurance, and press notices.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
MCC/CL/HA/01: London Airport Committee.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English