Monument record 0785800000 - Bellfield Works

In October 1917 Wycombe Aircraft Constructors Ltd was established by a number of furniture manufacturers to assemble aircraft from components manufactured in High Wycombe, with the aim of preventing the relocation of skilled woodworkers from the town. 22 acres of land were donated by the Marquis of Lincolnshire and the initial working capital was £5,000 raised from £1 shares. The factory buildings were completed in October 1918 but the war ended before any aircraft could be produced (B1-2).
In 1928 the disused factory was purchased by H S Broom and became the main site for Broom and Wade Ltd, producers of air compressors (B3-4).
During WWII Broom & Wade Ltd munufactured 1,100 Churchill tanks, whilst also continuing production of air compressors, bearings and pneumatic tools. The tanks were tested on tracks laid out SE of Great Tinker's Wood, which in the 1960s became the Bellfield housing estate. In 1968 Broom & Wade Ltd merged with Holman Bros Ltd, the new company was known as the International Compressed Air Corporation, from 1972 the name changed to CompAir. The CompAir works closed in 2006 (B5,B7,B9).