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Croydon Airport

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Croydon Airport (ICAO: EGCR)[a] was the UK's only international airport during the interwar period.[1][2] It opened in 1920, located near Croydon, then part of Surrey. Built in a Neoclassical style,[3] it was developed as Britain's main airport, handling more cargo, mail, and passengers than any other UK airport at the time.[2] Innovations at the site included the world's first air traffic control and the first airport terminal.[2] During World War II the airport was named RAF Croydon as its role changed to that of a fighter airfield during the Battle of Britain; and in 1943 RAF Transport Command was founded at the site, which used the airport to transport thousands of troops into and out of Europe.[2]

Croydon Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
ServesGreater London Urban Area
LocationCroydon
Opened29 March 1920 (1920-03-29)
Closed30 September 1959 (1959-09-30)
Hub forBritish European Airways
Coordinates51°21′23″N 000°07′02″W / 51.35639°N 0.11722°W / 51.35639; -0.11722
Websitewww.historiccroydonairport.org.uk
Map
EGCR is located in Greater London
EGCR
EGCR
Location in Greater London
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
NW/SE 3,900 1,200 Grass
E/W 3,600 1,100 Grass
NE/SW 3,300 1,000 Grass

After the Second World War, its role returned to civil aviation, but the role of London's primary international airport passed to London Heathrow Airport. Croydon Airport closed in 1959. It had been known under eight different names while it was active.[2]

In 1978, the terminal building and Gate Lodge were granted protection as Grade II listed buildings.[4] In May 2017, Historic England raised the status of the terminal building to Grade II*.[2] Owing to disrepair, the Gate Lodge is now classified as Heritage at Risk by Historic England.[5]

History

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Area around Croydon Airport as it was in the 1920s or 1930s

Origin

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In December 1915, Beddington Aerodrome was established – one of a number of small airfields around London that were created for protection against Zeppelin airship raids during the First World War. In January 1916, the first two aircraft, B.E.2Cs, arrived at the aerodrome as part of Home Defence. Waddon Aerodrome opened in 1918 as part of the adjoining National Aircraft Factory No. 1, to serve aircraft test flights. The two airfields were on each side of Plough Lane, Beddington to the west and Waddon to the east.

Beddington Aerodrome became a large Reserve Aircraft and Training aerodrome for the Royal Flying Corps. After the end of the First World War the aerodrome became an important training airfield for the newly formed Royal Air Force. During 1919, Prince Albert (later George VI) gained his "wings" here with No. 29 Training Squadron, the first member of the royal family to learn to fly. His elder brother, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII), also received flying training with No. 29 Training Squadron at Beddington during 1919.[6]

The following units were also here at some point:[7]

  • No. 17 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron
  • No. 17 Reserve Squadron
  • No. 17 Training Squadron
  • No. 19 Reserve Squadron
  • 24th Aero Squadron
  • No. 40 Training Squadron
  • No. 65 Reserve Squadron

Beddington and Waddon aerodromes were combined to become Croydon Aerodrome, the gateway for all international flights to and from London. The new, single aerodrome opened on 29 March 1920, replacing the temporary civil aerodrome at a Cavalry ground on Hounslow Heath.[8] Plough Lane remained a public road crossing the site. Road traffic was halted when necessary, first by a man with a red flag and later by a gate.[9] The aerodrome stimulated a growth in regular scheduled flights carrying passengers, mail and freight, the first destinations being Paris,[8] Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Two flights daily from Paris were scheduled for ease of communication with London during the Paris Peace Conference. In 1923, flights to Berlin Tempelhof Airport began.

Penshurst Airfield was an alternative destination for airliners when Croydon was closed on account of fog. One such diversion was on 24 September 1921, when a de Havilland DH.18 aircraft was diverted to Penshurst.[10] This situation lasted until Penshurst closed on 28 July 1936.[11]

Croydon was the first airport in the world to introduce air traffic control, a control tower,[12][13] and radio position-fixing procedures.[14] The "aerodrome control tower", 15 ft (4.6 m) high with windows on all four sides, was commissioned on 25 February 1920 and provided basic traffic, weather and location information to pilots.[15] There, Jimmy Jeffs was its first air traffic control officer.[16]

On the formation of Britain's first national airline, Imperial Airways, on 31 March 1924, Croydon became the new airline's operating base. Imperial Airways was the British Government's chosen instrument to develop connections with the U.K.'s extensive overseas interests. It was therefore from Croydon that Britain first developed its European and longhaul routes to India, Africa, the Middle and Far East, Asia, Africa and Australia (in conjunction with Qantas).

Following the Imperial Airways de Havilland DH.34 crash of December 1924, Britain's first major civil aviation accident, conditions at Croydon came under criticism from the public inquiry that investigated the causes.[17] The inquiry was Britain's first into an aviation accident which led to an Act of Parliament, the Croydon Aerodrome Extension Act 1925. The Croydon Aerodrome Extension Act led to large scale expansion, redevelopment and construction of an improved new airport with airport buildings constructed adjacent to the Purley Way, Croydon.[18]

Expansion

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Aerial view of Croydon Airport in 1925
 
Unsuccessful forced deportation of Jewish refugees at Croydon Airport, 30 March 1939

Under the provisions of the Croydon Aerodrome Extension Act 1925, the airport was greatly enlarged between 1926 and 1928, with a new complex of buildings being constructed alongside Purley Way, including the first purpose-designed airport terminal and air traffic control tower, the world's first airport hotel, and extensive hangars. The development cost £267,000 (£20.3 million in today's prices) [19]. Plough Lane was closed permanently to let heavier airliners land and depart safely. The airport's terminal building and control tower were completed in 1928, and the old wooden air traffic control and customs building demolished.[20] The new buildings and layout began operations on 20 January 1928, and were officially opened on 2 May 1928 by Lady Maud Hoare.

Croydon was where regular international passenger services began, initially using converted wartime bombers, and the Croydon–Le Bourget route soon became the busiest in the world. Air traffic control was first developed here, as was the "Mayday" distress call.[12] Amy Johnson took off from Croydon on 5 May 1930 for her record-breaking flight to Australia. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh arrived in Spirit of St. Louis, to be greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of over 100,000 people.[12] Winston Churchill also took flying lessons.

On the morning of 11 July 1936, Major Hugh Pollard, and Cecil Bebb left Croydon Airport for the Canary Islands in a de Havilland Dragon Rapide aircraft, where they picked up General Francisco Franco, taking him to Spanish Morocco and thereby helping to trigger the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.[21]

Imperial Airways used the Handley Page HP42/HP45 four-engined biplanes from Croydon, and the Armstrong Whitworth Atalanta, which was the first monoplane airliner used by the airline, intended for use on the African routes. In March 1937 British Airways Ltd operated from Croydon, moving to Heston Aerodrome in May 1938. Imperial Airways, serving routes in the British Empire, and British Airways Ltd, serving European routes, were merged by the Chamberlain government in November 1938 to become British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). Larger four-engined monoplanes, Armstrong Whitworth Ensign series (G-ADSR) came into service that year.[citation needed]

The airport also hosted a much-publicised visit by Gertrud Scholtz-Klink, leader of the National Socialist Women's League (NS-Frauenschaft) and rumoured to be a spy; historians have speculated that she landed in Britain to cultivate German spies living here, in the run-up to WWII.[22]

Second World War

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When the Second World War started in September 1939, Croydon Airport was closed to civil aviation but played a vital role as a fighter station during the Battle of Britain. No. 92 Squadron flew Supermarine Spitfires from RAF Croydon during the early part of the Second World War and the Battle of Britain.[23]

The following units were here at some point:[7]

Units

Battle of Britain

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On 15 August 1940, Croydon Airport was attacked in the first major air raid on the London area. At around 6.20 pm 22 Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter-bombers of Erpr.Gr.210 mounted a final raid of the day, intended for RAF Kenley nearby, but attacked Croydon (four miles further north) in error. The armoury was destroyed, the civilian airport terminal building was badly damaged, and a hangar was damaged by cannon fire and blast. Another hangar and about forty training aircraft in it went up in flames. Six airfield personnel died (four airmen from No. 111 Squadron, an officer of No. 1 Squadron RCAF, and a female telephonist from Station HQ). Factories next to Croydon Airport took the worst of the bombing. The British NSF factory (making electrical components) was almost entirely destroyed, and the Bourjois perfume factory gutted. The Rollason Aircraft factory also received bomb hits and accounted for many of the 62 civilians (including five women) killed and 192 injured. Eight of the attacking aircraft were shot down by the Hurricanes of 32 and 111 Squadrons.[27][better source needed]

Post-war developments and final closure

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Aerial photograph of Croydon Airport in 1945

Following the end of the war, it was realised that post-war airliners and cargo aircraft would be larger and that air traffic would intensify. The urban spread of south London and the growth of surrounding villages had enclosed Croydon Airport and left it little room for expansion. Heathrow was therefore designated as London's airport.[citation needed]

Croydon returned to civil control in February 1946; a diagram in the issue of Flight magazine dated 11 April shows 1,250 yards (1,140 m) ground run in the 170–350 direction, 1,150 yards (1,050 m) 060-240 and 1,100 yards (1,000 m) 120–300 (the numbers are degrees clockwise from north). Northolt opened to the airlines soon after that, cutting Croydon's traffic, but the September 1946 ABC Guide shows 218 departures a week to Belfast, Dublin, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow (Renfrew), Jersey, Guernsey, and several continental airports. A year later there were 56 departures a week, mostly BEA de Havilland Dragon Rapides that weeks later left Croydon for good.[citation needed]

It was decided in 1952 that the airport would eventually be closed, as Blackbushe Airport in Hampshire and Northolt Aerodrome in Middlesex could accommodate European flights during the 1950s. The last scheduled flight from Croydon departed at 18:15 on 30 September 1959,[8] followed by the last aircraft (a private flight), at 19:45;[8] the airfield officially closed at 22:20.[28]

On 27 September 2009, to mark the 50th anniversary of the closing of the airport, eleven light aircraft, including eight biplanes, staged a flypast.[8][28] A gold laurel leaf tribute was laid in the control tower to mark the anniversary.[28]

Present day

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The de Havilland Heron outside Airport House
 
RAF Battle of Britain memorial

Much of the site has been built over, but some of the terminal buildings near Purley Way (the A23 road) are still visible, clearly identifiable as to their former purpose. The former terminal building is called Airport House,[28] and the former control tower houses a visitors' centre.[28]

A de Havilland Heron (a small propeller-driven British airliner of the 1950s) is displayed on the forecourt outside Airport House, mounted on struts. The Heron is painted to represent an example registered G-AOXL of Morton Air Services, the aircraft that flew the last passenger flight from Croydon on 30 September 1959. A memorial to those lost in the Battle of Britain stands slightly to the south.

Although Croydon has long ceased operation, the two cut ends of Plough Lane have never been reunited, but the area between has been developed instead into parkland, playing fields, and the Roundshaw residential estate with its roads aptly named after aviators and aircraft. All that remains of the runways is a small area of tarmac about 400 feet (120 m) long each way in Roundshaw Park just west of Purley Way, which is a remnant of the WNW-ESE runway due south of the control buildings; it can be seen at 51°21′04″N 0°07′03″W / 51.351067°N 0.117449°W / 51.351067; -0.117449; the "arm" may be a remnant of a taxiway to Hangar B.[29] The area is used primarily by walkers, model aircraft enthusiasts, locals playing football and the Croydon Pirates baseball team.

The church on the Roundshaw estate has a cross on its outside wall that was made from the cut down propeller of a Spitfire based at Croydon during the Second World War.

The area is still known as Croydon Airport for transport purposes and was the location for Croydon Water Palace.

In recognition of the historical significance of the aerodrome, two local schools (Waddon Infants School and Duppas Junior School) merged in September 2010 and became The Aerodrome School.[30][31]

The buildings

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The Aerodrome Hotel and the terminal building including its grand booking hall were built in the neo-classical geometrical design typical of the early 20th century. A further item that would have caught the eye of visitor and traveller alike was the time zone tower (now lost) in the booking hall with its dials depicting the times in different parts of the world. Croydon Airport's Aerodrome Hotel is part of Croydon Vision 2020 regeneration plan.

 
World with Wings Symbol, still on wall in Booking Hall

The Airport Hotel survives as the independent Hallmark Hotel.[32]

Events and celebrities

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Date/year Aviator Comments
1919 Winston Churchill Took extensive flying lessons at Croydon and was nearly killed during a crash at take-off[33]
1925 Alan Cobham Flew from Croydon to Cape Town and back in 1925-6[34]
1927 Charles Lindbergh Flew into Croydon shortly after completing the first solo trans-Atlantic flight[35]
1928 Mary Bailey Flew solo from Croydon to Cape Town[36]
1928 Mary, Lady Heath The first pilot to fly a small open-cockpit aircraft from Cape Town to London, 18 May[37]
1928 Bert Hinkler Made the first flight from Croydon to Darwin, Australia[38]
1928 Charles Kingsford Smith Beat Hinkler's record[39]
1929 Armstrong Whitworth Argosy flew from Croydon to Paris, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford met Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma[40]
1930 Aspy Engineer and R. N. Chawla First Indians to fly from Karachi to Croydon and shortly after, Engineer flew from Croydon to Karachi solo and within the specified one month time frame to win the Aga Khan competition[41]
1930 Man Mohan Singh The first Indian to fly Croydon to Karachi as a contestant in the Aga Khan competition[42]
1930 Amy Johnson The first woman to fly from Croydon to Australia, leaving 5 May with a few people to see her off; welcomed back by a jubilant crowd of thousands[43][44]
1934 Tom Campbell Black With C. W. A. Scott won the MacRobertson London to Melbourne Air Race[45]
1936 Juan de la Cierva The Spanish inventor of the autogyro died in an aviation accident, 9 December[46]

Accidents and incidents

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Immigration and customs

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The Chief Immigration Officer of the shipping port of Port of Dover, P. L. Hartley, took over in 1936.[54]

Medical provision

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A medical officer, Dr John Robert Draper, M.B., B.Ch., was employed by Croydon Council to take over medical duties at the airport from 1 January 1931. He was answerable to Croydon's Medical Officer of Health. Following the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations 1938, his role changed significantly.[55]

Literary references

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Croydon Airport features heavily in two detective novels, Freeman Wills Crofts' The 12.30 from Croydon (1934) and Agatha Christie's Death in the Clouds (1935).[56] It is also mentioned in Evelyn Waugh's Labels: A Mediterranean Journey (1930), Elizabeth Bowen's To the North (1932) and Winston Churchill's Thoughts and Adventures (1932).

W. H. Auden, in his Letter to Lord Byron (1937), lists "Croydon Aerodrome" as one of the locations visited by a modern-day Don Juan.[57]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b ICAO code has been reassigned

References

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  1. ^ Council, Sutton. "Croydon Airport". www.sutton.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Basing, Tavis. "Historic Airport | Historic Croydon Airport". Croydonairport.org.uk. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  3. ^ Historic England. "Airport House (Croydon) (1188970)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  4. ^ Historic England. "Former Lodge To Croydon Airport Terminal (1079299)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  5. ^ England, Historic (26 October 2017). "Heritage at Risk 2017 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  6. ^ "prince | prince albert | rome | 1919 | 0473 | Flight Archive". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Croydon (Beddington) (London) (Waddon)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e Millard, Neil (3 September 2009). "Fly past to mark 50th anniversary of Croydon Airport". The Croydon Post (online and in print). Northcliffe Media. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  9. ^ "Online communities". 22 January 2016. Archived from the original on 31 January 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2007.
  10. ^ "London Terminal Aerodrome". Flight. No. 29 September 1921. p. 649.
  11. ^ "Penshurst Closed". Flight. No. 30 July 1936. p. 141.
  12. ^ a b c Basing, Tavis. "Historic Croydon Airport". Croydonairport.org.uk. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  13. ^ "Air conference at Waddon: the Vickers "Viking III" Amphibian". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  14. ^ "Wireless position-finding for aircraft". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  15. ^ Kaminski-Morrow, David (25 February 2020). "Colourised images mark centenary of world's first control tower". Flight Global.
  16. ^ Hales-Dutton, Bruce (2020). "8. On silver wings". Cross-Channel Aviation Pioneers: Blanchard and Bleriot, Vikings and Viscounts. Yorkshire: Pen and Sword. p. 97. ISBN 978-1-52677-559-7.
  17. ^ a b "Croydon Air Accident. Court of Enquiry's Report". The Times. No. 43883. London. 11 February 1925. col A, B, C, D, p. 17.
  18. ^ "The Royal Aero Club and Christmas". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  19. ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Croydon Airport & RAF Croydon Airfield". controltowers.co.uk.
  21. ^ "RandomPottins". randompottins.blogspot.com.
  22. ^ "When Hitler's perfect woman came to call". History Extra. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  23. ^ "MK1 Supermarine Spitfire to be sold to benefit RAF Veterans and Wildlife Charity". Cambridge Military History. 13 May 2015.
  24. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 47.
  25. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 321.
  26. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 166.
  27. ^ Ramsey, "After the Battle"[clarification needed]
  28. ^ a b c d e Austen, Ian (7 October 2009). "Airport milestone marked by flypast". The Croydon Post. Croydon, UK: Northcliffe Media.
  29. ^ "Thursday 15th August 1940 – Battle of Britain". War and peace and the price of cat-fish. 22 August 2010. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  30. ^ Charlton, Jo (7 August 2009). "Work begins on new primary school in Waddon". The Croydon Advertiser. Croydon, UK: Northcliffe Media. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  31. ^ "Schools amalgamation means lift off for Aerodrome School". London Borough of Croydon. 6 August 2009. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  32. ^ "Hallmark Hotel Croydon, Croydon, Near Gatwick". londonnethotels.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  33. ^ Gilbert, Martin; Churchill, Randolph (1975). Winston S. Churchill: Volume IV 1917–1922. London: Heinemann. p. 208.
  34. ^ "Sir Alan Cobham ; A Life of a Pioneering Aviator". www.rafmuseum.org.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  35. ^ Clarke, Penny (2006). Flight. Salariya Publishers. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-905087-87-7.
  36. ^ "Lady Mary Bailey (1890-1960), Pioneer Aviatrix". www.ctie.monash.edu.au. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  37. ^ "Lady Mary Heath/Aviator and Athlete". www.herstory.ie. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  38. ^ "On this day: Hinkler's solo flight from England to Australia". Australian Geographic. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  39. ^ Dymock, D. R. (2013). Hustling Hinkler: The short tumultuous life of a trailblazing Australian aviator. Hachette Australia. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-7336-2998-3.
  40. ^ Cluett, Douglas (1985). The First the Fastest and the Famous. London Borough of Sutton Libraries and Arts Services. p. 223. ISBN 978-0907335146.
  41. ^ McKay, Stuart (2016). The de Havilland DH.60 Moth. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-5724-0.
  42. ^ "The Aga Khan Prize" (PDF). Flight: 559. 23 May 1930.
  43. ^ "Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia – archive, 1930". The Guardian. London. 26 May 2017. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  44. ^ Cluett, Douglas (1985). The First the Fastest and the Famous. London Borough of Sutton Libraries and Arts Services. p. 36. ISBN 978-0907335146.
  45. ^ "Tom Campbell Black". 24 July 2008. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008.
  46. ^ Volodarsky, Boris (2015). Stalin's Agent: The Life and Death of Alexander Orlov. Oxford University Press. p. 568. ISBN 978-0-19-965658-5.
  47. ^ a b "French pre-war register version 120211" (PDF). Air Britain. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  48. ^ "Air Disaster at Croydon". Flight. No. 1 January 1925. p. 4.
  49. ^ Harro Ranter (6 November 1929). "ASN Aircraft accident Junkers G.24bi D-903 Godstone, Surrey". aviation-safety.net.
  50. ^ "Mishap to French Air Liner". The Times. No. 46759. London. 21 May 1934. col F, p. 7.
  51. ^ Whalley, Kirsty (26 January 2009). "Secrets of gold bullion heist revealed". Your Local Guardian. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  52. ^ "Informasi Teknologi Terbaru 2018". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  53. ^ Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network
  54. ^ "Dover Express". 25 December 1936.
  55. ^ Draper, John Robert (7 January 1939). "Medical Supervision at Croydon Aerodrome". British Medical Journal. 1 (4070): S1–S3. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.4070.S1. JSTOR 20302025. S2CID 219995166.
  56. ^ Wagstaff, Vanessa; Poole, Stephen (2004). Agatha Christie: a reader's companion (2nd ed.). London: Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1845130152.
  57. ^ Auden, W H (1968). Collected longer poems. Faber. p. 35. ISBN 978-0571106059.
    "I see his face in every magazine.
    'Don Juan at lunch with one of Cochran's ladies.'
    'Don Juan with his red setter May MacQueen.'
    'Don Juan, who's just been wintering in Cadiz,
    Caught at the wheel of his maroon Mercedes.'
    'Don Juan at Croydon Aerodrome.' 'Don Juan
    Snapped in the paddock with the Aga Khan.'"

Bibliography

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