Unveiling plaque #9!

The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust aims to commemorate the people and places where parts of Spitfire were made, following the bombing of the Woolson Supermarine factory. Of the more than 40 places in and around Southampton which have been identified, eight of these places have so far been honoured with a plaque, and we have been to all those places, and photographed the plaques (see here and here).

I'd been in touch with the Trust, and, given my interest in all things Spitfire, I was invited to be present at the unveiling of plaque #9, which happened this afternoon at the Iceland storeroom in Newman Street in Shirley. Sun Engineering Ltd made 'machined details' in that building (possibly parts of fuel pumps??) for Spitfire aircraft in 1940.

Following a brief explanation of the who and how and why by the Trust's Chairman, Alan Matlock, ...

... the plaque was officially unveiled!

The storeroom was opened up for us by the Iceland representative, to give a bit of a feel for the space that was used back then for making those 'machined details'. 

So here's my official photo of the building and the plaque:

We then retreated to the pub nearby for refreshments, which included a specially-prepared cake, cut by a descendent of the owner of Sun Engineering.

Very glad we could be present at this unveiling; and I've got this sneaky feeling it won't be the last time ... watch this space!