RAF Hooton Park

RAF Hooton Park, on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, was a Royal Air Force station originally built for the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 as a training aerodrome for pilots in World War I. During the early/mid 1930s, it was one of the two airfields (with Liverpool Speke) handling scheduled services for the Merseyside region. Hooton Park was home to No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron and, post World War II, to No. 611 (West Lancashire) and No. 663 (AOP) Squadron.

On 28th September 1933, Lowry and Jan Gabrial landed at the aerodrome with Tom Forman, a friend of Lowry's from Cambridge, who had hired a plane to fly from Heston Aerodrome via Castle Bromwich Aerodrome en route to North Wales. (Jan Gabrial Inside The Volcano Pg. 26).

Lowry refers to Air Force Officers at Woodside Ferry in his short story 'Goya The Obscure' who could have been on their way to RAF Hooton Park. 

Castle Bromwich Aerodrome

Castle Bromwich Aerodrome was an early airfield, situated to the north of Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands of England. The site now falls within the City of Birmingham. A large piece of Warwickshire grassland (Castle Bromwich playing fields) became the privately-owned Castle Bromwich aerodrome, when  The Midland Aero Club established itself, and a hangar was built for the aeroplanes. It became a stopping place during early air races. At the start of World War I the War Office requisitioned the airfield for use by the Royal Flying Corps and flying schools in 1914, when proper roads and buildings were established. In 1915 No. 5 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron was formed, later becoming the No 5 Training Squadron. Nine other Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadrons resided at the airfield during and just after World War I. After the war, Imperial Airways started a service from London. In the inter war years, the aerodrome had a dual military and civilian function.

On 28th September 1933, Lowry and Jan Gabrial landed at the aerodrome with Tom Forman, a friend of Lowry's from Cambridge, who had hired a plane to fly to RAF Hooton Park on the Wirral en route to North Wales. They flew from Heston Aerodrome with the intention of landing at RAF Hooton Park but had to land at Castle Bromwich Aerodrome because of poor weather.(Jan Gabrial Inside The Volcano Pg. 26). In an earlier account Jan Gabrial told Gordon Bowker that they stayed overnight in Birmingham before continuing the flight the next day. (Gordon Bowker Malcolm Lowry Remembered Pg. 94)

Heston Aerodrome

Heston Aerodrome was a 1930s airfield located to the west of London, UK situated on the border of the Heston and Cranford areas of Hounslow. Heston Air Park was conceived by fellow pilots and aircraft co-owners Nigel Norman and Alan Muntz in 1928, and it was constructed by their new company, Airwork Ltd. It was officially opened on 5 July 1929, to coincide with hosting the two day King's Cup air race. By then, the Airwork Flying School had become well established, many privately-owned aircraft had moved in, and the Household Brigade Flying Club, also known as the Guards flying club, had moved from Brooklands. Frequent public events helped promote Heston as a major centre of private flying, air displays, public demonstrations of new aircraft types, 'garden parties', air races, and as the starting point for long-distance flight record attempts.

Lowry, Jan Gabrial and Elizabeth Cheyne flew from the airfield with Tom Forman, a friend of Lowry's from Cambridge, who had hired a plane to fly to Hooton Aerodrome on the Wirral en route to North Wales. On 26th September 1933, they had to cancel their trip to Wales because of poor weather flying instead to Woodley Airfield amongst other airfields. (Jan Gabrial Inside The Volcano Pg 24). Lowry and Jan Gabrial with Tom Forman made a short flight on the 27th September from Heston to an unidentified airfield after once again cancelling their trip to Wales. The three flew from Heston on 28th September 1933 en route to RAF Hooton Park but had to land at Castle Bromwich Aerodrome because of poor weather.

Woodley Airfield

On Tuesday September 26th 1933, Lowry, Jan Gabrial and Elizabeth Cheyne flew from Heston Aerodrome to an airfield near Reading in a plane flown by Tom Forman, a friend of Lowry's from his Cambridge University days; "But because today was glorious, we flew instead to Reading, stopping at several airports for cocktails and for brandy." and "Though the plane was very tiny, flying is a marvelous sensation, especially the takeoffs and since we were all quite tight I have no clear memories of our return." (Jan Gabrial Inside The Volcano Pg. 24)

The airfield which Lowry flew to was most likely Woodley near Reading which had once called Reading Aerodrome. Charles Powis opened the airfield in 1928 on a 100-acre (0.40 km2) field belonging to Sandford Farm. In 1932, F.G. Miles came to Woodley and joined forces with the firm Philips & Powis in the production of the Miles Hawk aeroplane, leading to the foundation of Miles Aircraft Ltd which continued producing aircraft in Woodley until after World War II.

Chartres – Champhol Aerodrome

Chartres – Champhol Aerodrome is an airport serving Chartres and Champhol, in the Eure-et-Loir department in north-central France. The airport is located 2.5 km east-northeast of Chartres and it is southeast of Champhol. It supports general aviation with no commercial airline service scheduled. Built in 1909, Chartres was one of the first French towns to construct an aerodrome, then a flight school that would train more than 3,000 pilots during World War I. Certain pilots would eventually become famous, such as Farman, Latham and Hélène Boucher.

Lowry refers to the aerodrome in 'Hotel Room in Chartres'; "and the droning nights which by the planes from the neighbouring airport were turned into a world of moving green and golden stars." Psalms 20