Luton and Southend History
Further to what has been said about Luton's gain being Southend's loss, am I not correct in saying that Bernard Collins was the airport director who was associated with the success of the re-born Luton Airport?
Bernard was the Airport Commandant at Southend in the 1950's and had much to do with achieving its status as a busy airport. Growing utterly frustrated with Southend Corporation, who seemed practically in the pocket of the anti-airport group, he left Southend to become Director of Luton and was the main man in turning the then 'sleepy' Luton into the 'new' Southend all those years ago.
Many of us felt very downhearted when he left Southend as we knew that he would do for Luton what he had done for Southend. It was the same downhearted feeling we shared when it was announced by the government that the equally 'sleepy' Gatwick was to be made into the second London Airport. Gatwick was to be shut for two years whilst being re-developed and we felt that this was the moment for Southend to grab the initiative whilst Gatwick was off circuit but, as anticipated, Southend Corporation did absolutely nothing, other than listen to a vociferous minority of anti-airport ignoramuses.