Staff Photos - Nigel Thatcher

The photo shows some of Nigel Thatcher's fellow apprentices posing at Southend with the BKS hangar behind them. They are from left to right, Bob Parkin, Terry Barber, Alan (sorry, Nigel has forgotten his surname) and Dick Parnacott.

In 1969 they were to learn that the engineering base at Southend was to close, Terry and Alan moved to Cardiff (Rhoose) airport to continue their training with Cambrian Airways while Bob and Nigel Thatcher joined the RAF. Coincidentally they were all later to meet up when Bob and Nigel were posted to RAF St Athan for technical training.

If anyone would like to get in touch with Nigel please e-mail me BIGGLES and I will forward you e-mail to Nigel.

Richard (Dick) Parnacott wrote in and said "Just to add to the comments of the 5 apprentices posing on the ex RAF plane at Southend, that Alan Davis, Terry Barber and myself moved to LHR BEA in 1969 & took lodgings in Isleworth, while Bob & Nick joined the RAF. Brian Whitlaw moved to his home town of Newcastle where BKS then Northeast also had a base. I am not sure who went to Roose Cardiff Airport. In May 1970 I moved back to Croydon to work at Field Aircraft Services for 26 1/2 years and now as a remote Sales Engineer Support Manager for StandardAero a Canadian Company. Alan Davis joined Fields for a short while in the 1970's and then (I think) moved back to Southend.

I got my nickname the day I started at BKS, we were all lined up in front of the Hangar Forman (John Darnby? and the Chief Engineer Roy Staines) and as I mentioned my Christian name "Richard" I was told from now on its "Dick" and that has stuck with me through my whole working life, I am now 60 in 2010!!

By the way so far I have been corresponding with Nigel, Nick, Bob and my old Boss Ron Rayner (73)!!

John without your web site & dedication this would never have been possible, I cannot thank you enough for making it possible to bring some very fond 40 year old memories to life.

A very big THANK YOU

Dick"

Richard has copies of other photos taken at the same time. In the second one there is a fifth person -Nigel Thatcher

And this is how they spent their lunch times - playing pilots in a Britannia Cockpit

If any one wishes to contact Richard Parnacott please write to me Biggles and I will forward your email.

Hi ,my name is Terry Barber, I have only just stumbled across this website. I am one of the apprentices in the photos. I came to Wales when Southend shut down in 1969 and I’m still here