I am Michael Hayes ( the Owner and Archivist of the ' Knightstone Tearooms / R.A.F. Harrowbeer Archives, Educational and Heritage Centre ' ).
My wife ( Lucy ) and i moved down to Yelverton, Devon in April 1997 to start a new life completely different from the one we had in Redhill, Surrey. It was a gamble as to how things may work out, but with the support of the local people and new friends things started to flourish. Once we found out that we were to be living on an old World War Two R.A.F. Station Airfield we wanted to know more about it - who worked there, what did they do, why did they do it and what Squadron were they with, etc. It was an interest that became a hobby, then a passion and now some say an obsession. During our research we have met some wonderful people - old pilots who flew from here, ground staff who serviced the aircraft and W.A.A.F's who did the clerical work, civilians who helped to build the airfield, etc. All this has been recorded and is available for members of the general public to view on ' open days ' or by appointment.
Up until 2005 most of the R.A.F. Harrowbeer research work was centred around going to the National Archives / Public Records Office at Kew in London where we obtained copies of the Station and various Squadron 0peration Record Books ( diaries ).
We also turned our double garage into a small museum dedicated to the R.A.F. and all those personnel who served at Harrowbeer.
In August 2007 over the Bank Holiday weekend we had an ' Archive Open Weekend ' lasting three days. Local Military Vehicles were invited to exhibit and on the Bank Holiday Monday several vehicles turned up on their way home from the Mount Edgecombe Military Weekend, in Cornwall. One of these was Mr. Alex Small of Honiton, Devon. We got talking about various things and he invited us over to his workshop to have a look at various items of militaria, he was thinking of selling. We took him up on his offer and purchased an ' incendiary rake and shovel ' along with twenty different ' tin helmets ', etc. This visit then led to a second visit with a friend, Neville, who was shown sections of an Austin Ten Utility spread over a large area and in different sheds. On our way home to Plymouth we talked about the Austin Ten Utility and the possibility of renovating it to a roadworthy condition. He was keen but hadn't the time to spare to carry out such a project. At this time i hadn't the slightest inclination to take on such a task. I am not an engineer or a motor mechanic and neither was our son ( Francis ) who was running the Tearooms at the time.
Over breakfast the following day the subject of the Austin Ten Utility was mentioned and somehow i was talked into ' that would make a great semi-retirement project ' for you. The next step having been convinced ' go on you can do it ' was to contact Mr. Alex Small and discuss costs and collection.
On December 11th 2007 our son Francis and i hired a long wheel based transit and set off for Honiton. As can be seen from the photographs everything was individual parts, panels, trays and boxes. The purchase was a job lot and consisted of six doors, six front seats, eight front wings, three bulkheads, two cabs, two bonnets, numerous side panels, flitch plates, wheels, tyres, etc, also one chassis No.221834. There were three engine blocks plus a re-conditioned engine in a wooden crate. It took the best part of a day to load everything, drive back to Yelverton, unload and return the transit van back to the hire depot.
Note :- One chassis against the left side of the van. two bonnets leaning against it - one is an Austin Ten the other is an Austin Eight. Next right are six front seats with three pairs of door against the right side
Not enough room in the transit van so the balance and delicate items packed into the Ford Focus.
Two front cowlings plus boxes of dials and instruments.
I became a member of the ' Tilly Register ' and read the copies of Tilly Text ( their quarterly newsletter ) several times. It seems the average time for a restoration was two years by people who knew what they were doing.
I had owned the Tilly for twenty nine months before starting work on it/ I had manuals and parts books but where do you start ( frustration - what had i done ). How long was this project going to take me ? Where does one start ? Can it actually be done ?
Everybody who saw the parts said ' what were you thinking of, you'll never get that back together, let alone drive it '. I read in a letter that i had bought a ' basket case ', that really depressed me, i thought how rude. I would often look at the scrap metal and think, you can do it and prove them all wrong, it can't be that difficult.
I talked to a couple of members of the ' Military Vehicle Trust ' about my intentions and one of them said ( in May 2010 ) come on i'm taking a few days off work and we are going to get the Tilly started.
This was it. D - Day had arrived, there was no turning back.
RAF Harrowbeer Archives, Education & Heritage Ctr
Knightstone, Crapstone Road, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6BT GB
Archivist - Michael Hayes 01822 853679
All images copyright of :- PHL Archives, R.A.F. Harrowbeer Archives, Graham Buchan Innes or HIG
© 2020 RAF Harrowbeer Archive - All Rights Reserved.
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