Museum Curator Tracks Down Lost Historic Local Artefact
RAF Museum curator Andy Simpson recently followed a trail from Colindale to Stanbridge and unearthed a rare wooden carving once owned by Claude Grahame-White.
The carving which is in the shape of the Grahame-White logo, was built around 1916 and used as the central motif of the large electrical panel currently on display in the Watch Office at the Museum in Colindale.
After WWI the site was handed over to the War Office and became an RAF station (RAF Hendon). At some point in the site’s history, the carving was mysteriously removed.
Recently Mr Simpson uncovered documents from the Defence Land Sales and discovered that the item was actually removed when the RAF were vacating the site, in order to protect it from vandalism. Along with other items it was being kept at RAF Stanbridge
Following on from this Mr Simpson met representatives from RAF Stanbridge who were only too happy to return the carving along with other items so that it could be displayed in its rightful place.
The carving is currently at the Museum’s site in Cosford undergoing restoration work by our National Award winning apprentice Laura Pringle and will be on display at the Museum in Colindale next year.
Mr Simpson: “The discovery of the wooden carving is important as it represents the history of the local community. More than that it also completes the display of the electrical panel in the Watch-Office. We’re glad to have it back in its rightful place!”
