Everyone has heard of the Spitfire - one of the most successful aircraft ever produced and one of greatest iconic pieces of design. But how many of us knew they were designed in the magnificent setting of an oak panelled ballroom in an 18th century mansion?!
Join David Key as he shares fascinating stories about the Hursley Park near Winchester and the very important part it played in the Second World War when it was taken over by the ministry of aircraft production, and became the home for the design team from Vickers Supermarine, the Spitfire manufacturers. A fascinating tale of extraordinary logistics, unvetted cooks, panelling from Winchester College and a butler walking in on secret meetings.
The Supermarine staff at Hursley Park in 1943
David Key
David Key has a long-standing passion for local history in Hampshire and has been the voluntary site historian at Hursley Park for several years. In this role, he’s carried out wide-ranging research on Hursley Park’s incarnations as a grand country estate, wartime hospital, design facility for Vickers Supermarine and most recently as a development laboratory for technology company IBM.
Further Information and Additional Links
If you enjoyed this podcast and would like to find out more about the very important work of the Supermarines or the rich history of Hursley Park, follow @Supermariner and @hursleypark on Facebook.
This is the final episode of Season 4! We will be back with Season 5 during the Winchester Open Days Festival on the 10th of September.
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