Chadderton played a major role in the Avro success story

The Avro Heritage Museum

September 17 this year will be the 100th anniversary of the A V Roe Company moving to Woodford in Cheshire and building an aerodrome where some of the most iconic aeroplanes ever to fly were made.

Avro’s most famous aeroplanes - the Lancaster and Vulcan - were both assembled there from sections made right here in Chadderton.

But Manchester and the surrounding areas have always had an incredibly rich aviation legacy.

Fairey Aviation made aircraft in their Stockport factory, several other aircraft were made around the region, and many other factories - including the one of Greengate - worked on components or supplied parts with thousands of people in the northwest involved.

Later this year, the Avro Heritage Museum, which is at the site of the former Woodford Aerodrome, is having a large exhibition to commemorate Woodford’s 100 years of aviation.

The exhibition, which will open on September 17, will also celebrate the history of aviation that took place around the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester highlighting the people who helped make Manchester a world leader in aeronautics.

It will detail Manchester’s aviation from the earliest balloon flights of the late 18th century right up to the present day.

It will also include personal accounts from those who worked at the many locations around Greater Manchester.

Many people have already donated personal accounts, anecdotes, documents and artefacts, so if you have, or know of stories from relatives or friends, or have photos, or anything you would like to contribute, please contact the heritage museum at: woodford100years@gmail.com

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