Fairlawn Avenue is the very first new street at Brabazon. But, as the first new residents begin to move in, a question that comes up regularly is, where do the street names at this new urban quarter come from?
In the first blog of a new series, we take a walk down Fairlawn Avenue, and discover how the name links back to the very earliest days of Filton Airfield…
In 1911, just two years after the Wright Brothers first demonstrated flight in Europe, Sir George White set up the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton. But taking to the skies was at the cutting edge of technology. And Sir George White needed the brightest and best staff if his company was to be a success.
Sir George knew that to entice the skilled staff he wanted for his new business, he needed to offer them a great place not only to work, but also a place to call home. And so, at the same time as building the first factory and flying ground at Filton for The Bristol Aeroplane Company, he also built several new homes as he began to attract talented local people to his new business.
That first terrace of new homes next to his factory was known as… Fairlawn Avenue.
This approach to business bore fruit – The Bristol Aeroplane Company proved to be a revolutionary firm, helping to usher in the modern era of aviation. The company became renowned for its innovative aircraft designs, like The Boxkite, The Badminton and, in time, the Brabazon airliner and Concorde.
The original Fairlawn Avenue was demolished decades ago. But as we begin to transform the historic former Airfield into a thriving new neighbourhood for Bristol, it was only fitting to name our first street Fairlawn Avenue.
Now a new generation is set to make its mark – come join the modern-day pioneers shaping the future at Brabazon: the most exciting new city district in the South West.