Former RAF Aerodrome Norton Woodseats

[peterw]

Going back a bit earlier than the second world war, the site you’re talking about used to be an aerodrome during the 1920s and 30s. I remember going there with my parents to see an air display at a time when to see one aircraft in the sky was a novelty to be talked about for a week. I also recall that the main road leading to it — now a modern highway — was nothing more than a wide dirt drack. The areroplane I saw were stunt aircraft, with females doing handstands on the wings. Very exciting!

[Albatross]

There was some sort of military site round the back of what used to be Rowlinson school at meadowhead when I was a kid. It would be just about where the all weather courts are at the top end.

I think that at some time there was an airfield of some sort that ran across where Jordanthorpe School field was,or so we were told by a teacher there. Just below the boys school but I think that may have been before the war.

[David Bowler]

There seems to be some confusion here, there were two RAF Aerodromes at Norton, one at Herdings near Gleadless which during the war was a Barrage Ballon maintenance site and after the war became a Radio/Radar maintenance unit, no planes ever landed there because there were'nt any runways, just narrow roadways which were later used for driver training, the other one was on Dyche Lane at Meadowhead, this one was an Aircraft repair facility and could take light to medium sized aircraft, it was also a base for a sort of flying circus with stunt planes, such as they were in those days, this is now replaced by Rowlinson School and there is very little evidence left.

[artisan]

I remember all those old buildings from when I was at school. For some reason it was always refered to as 'The Admiralty' , perhaps the navy used in WW2

[Albatross]

I remember all those old buildings from when I was at school. For some reason it was always refered to as 'The Admiralty' , perhaps the navy used in WW2

Thanks for that Artisan I had been trying to think what it was known as.

[Bellasdad]

I had a newspaper cutting from the 1950's that showed a helicoper landing in a swirl of snow at RAF Norton, for some kind of trial work. Does anyone remember seeing this?

[Bellasdad]

Forgot to mention that there is an aerial photo of RAF Norton being built, and a map showing the site in the 1960's, on line:

 

http://www.gleadless.net/pages/aerial/dscf1570.htm

 

http://www.gleadless.net/pages/maps/raf1967.htm

[jiginc]

It was also a Radio training school for a short time My brothers partner's dad worked their. It moved to Finningley when the base closed.

 

 

I believe the land was purchased by the Trent Regional Health Authority and was to have been a new hospital the Southern General Hospital but the Hallamshire was built instead.

 

When Western Park Hospital was being built equipment was ordered, but the building was not ready, so it was stored for a short time at Norton in the building with it's windows bricked up next to the road.

[martss]

The buildings have since been used for storage, the main thing used to be sweets, Kinder Eggs and Flumps! In the 80's I can remember kids sneaking into the wharehouses, avoiding the Group 4 security and nicking boxes of sweets, then sitting in Herdings Park to eat them.

 

I believe one of the buildings used to house a kitchen unit manufacturer.

[ANTHONY]

I did read somewhere,that during WWII Bomber Command crewmen who cracked under strain (Combat fatigue not being recognised then) had their paybooks stamped LMF (LACKING MORAL FIBRE) and sent to a prison 'in Sheffield'. The book may have been one by Martin Middlebrook and I assumed the prison was at RAF Norton.