New Leamington estate named after Sir Frank Whittle

[dutchman]

Jet engine inventor Sir Frank Whittle’s connection to a Leamington school will be marked by the name of a new housing estate.



Developer AC Lloyd held a competition for North Leamington School pupils to name the development, which will be built on part of the school’s former site in Park Road, and year 7 pupil Sian Duckham made a winning suggestion by coming up with the name Sir Frank Whittle Gardens.

Sir Frank attended Leamington Boys College between 1918 and 1923 before the Binswood Hall site was used as North Leamington’s Binswood Sixth Form Centre.

Alistair Clark, AC Lloyd’s managing director, said: “We thought Sian’s idea was ideal because both the school and the company have links with Sir Frank Whittle.

“He had been a pupil at Leamington Boys College before it merged with two others when they built the school in Park Road in the 1950s.

“Our own link comes through Sir Frank’s father’s old workshop, which overlooks the rear of our head office in Clinton Street.

“We’re extremely keen to forge a business relationship with North Leamington School, as soon as we start work on the development further activities will be programmed with the school.”

A former Milverton School pupil and a Cambridge University graduate, Sir Frank served as an officer in the RAF before he was knighted for his work on jet propulsion.

He died in 1996 aged 89.

Plaques commemorating Sir Frank’s life and achievements have been placed at Leamington Art Gallery and North Leamington School’s new site in Sandy Lane.

Planning permission for Sir Frank Whittle Gardens was granted by Warwick District Council’s planning committee last month.

The estate will include 58 new homes, 23 of which will be used for social housing.

Work is due to be completed next year.