Gatwick Airport Parking
Car Parks
Airport Map
Parking at Other Airports
Airport Hotels
Airport Lounges
Gatwick Airport Information
|
Cheap Gatwick Airport Parking>Airport Information>History History of Gatwick AirportThe name ‘Gatwick’ and the land where the airport stands can be traced back to 1241 when Richard de Warwick signed land over to John de Gatwick. This land was later sold a few times but retained the Gatwick name.
In 1891 the land became a horse race track bearing the name Gatwick Race Horse Company. This race course had its own railway station making it a popular and accessible place for entertainment. The race course was used to host the world’s most famous race of the time. The Grand National ran there in 1916, 1917, and 1918.
Ronald Walters opened a small flying club at Gatwick in the early 1930s. It became popular with jockeys and horse racing fans as it enabled them to arrive at the race course by plane. Two new landowners had Gatwick for about one year each. One of them was a manufacturer of a two seater plane.
Then, in 1934, Air Ministry was formed. It received a licence for a public airport and was available to be used by commercial aircraft.
The first commercial airline to use Gatwick on a regular basis was Allied British Airways Ltd, formed by a merger of Spartan Airways, Hillman’s Airways, and United Airways. At the same time, rail passengers were arriving from London at the newly constructed rail station at Gatwick. They were on the Victoria to Brighton line which was now making stops at Gatwick.
The Beehive, the world’s first circular air terminal, was opened in 1936. This terminal had subway walkways enabling passengers to go from the train to the plane without getting wet in rainy weather. In the same year flights from Gatwick were available to the European cities of Paris, Copenhagen, Hamburg and the Isle of Wight.
The Air Ministry used Gatwick during the years of the war. They added land used by the racetrack to the Gatwick Airport. This land remained a part of Gatwick after the war was over.
The British government approved the idea of using Gatwick as an alternative to Heathrow. Thus the airport was closed for reconstruction for about three years. In 1958, Her Majesty The Queen officially opened Gatwick Airport after the completion of about 7.8 million pounds of redevelopment. Gatwick was now the first airport to offer rail, auto and air transportation all in a single unit.
As the airport grew, frequent construction projects became necessary. In 1962 the work began to double the terminal size and to construct two more piers.
The first visit by a Pope to the UK occurred in 1982. He landed at Gatwick Airport.
In 1983 it was found that a second terminal was needed. Work began on constructing the North Terminal, which was the largest construction project in South London in the 1980s. Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened this North Terminal in 1988.
When Gatwick Airport stocks appeared on the stock exchange, 1.35 million people rushed to buy shares in the airport which had been showing such great growth in the last few years.
In 1994 the International Departure Lounges of both the North Terminal and phase I of the South Terminal were opened, making for better conditions for international travellers. Both of these lounges were remodelled to provide more seating and more shops and restaurants over the next seven years.
The future for this land which has kept its ancient name for centuries is sure to be bright. Gatwick International Airport is second only to Heathrow in Britain. In some ways it is superior to Heathrow.
|
|
