Ed. Kennington School prev. RASC Motor Driver, 1920; Royal Irish Constabulary (1921); radio engineer (wireless dealer) prev. exp. 90 hrs m. 1923 in Elham, Kent, Winifred Irene [Pierson] "Damaged Wall.— Damage amounting to about £10 was done to a wall at Minster, the result of an accident on Friday morning. At 12.20 a Fordson tractor, driven by Felix Whitnall, of Sonds-road, Deal, was proceeding down Church-street, but when at the junction of Cunningham Road the steering gear failed to act properly, and the vehicle ran into the wall. The only damage was to the wall." - Thanet Advertiser - Thursday 09 April 1925 "A" Licence Gliding Certificate, 1931 "AN UNLIGHTED CAR - Motorist Fined £2 When Felix G. Whitnall was summoned at Folkestone Petty sessions on Friday last week for a breach of the lighting regulations, it was stated that he had already been fined six times for similar offences." - Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Saturday 12 January 1935 "THE MOON MADE HIM OVERLOOK IT " I did not realise the seriousness of It because of the moonlight that night." said Felix Whitnall of 5 Wells Road, Folkestone, at the Folkestone Police Court on Tuesday. when he was summoned for parking his car on its offside during the black-out. Chief Inspector W. Hollands said there were a number of previous convictions for motoring offences. Whitnall said the last of these was in 1935." - Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Saturday 02 March 1940 Address in 1941: 40 Ashley Ave, Kent Reprimanded and fined one day's pay in October 1941 after reporting a day late at Ratcliffe. 4 accidents, 3 his fault: - 29 Oct 1941, an 'error of judgement' taxying in Mentor L4435 without a man on the tail - 6 Nov 1941, 'bad airmanship' when he taxied his Avro Tutor G-ABIR into a car - 6 Feb 1942, 'persisted too far in bad weather' in Hurricane L1638 and crashed - 14 May 1943, a successful forced landing in Magister P9824 after engine failure.
"A good average pilot inclined to be over-confident" Off sick 11 Nov 1941 to 4 Dec 1941, after the Tutor crash. His ATA pilot contract was terminated in October 1942 after he had been absent following his Hurrricane accident the previous February, but he was re-instated 1 May 1943. When he returned he was put onto 'Maps and Signals' duty, then back on a pilot training course in early May 1943. This was not a success, however - "He would appear to lack any air sense whatsoever ... it would be much safer for himself and all concerned if he was taken off flying" - and his contract was again terminated on the 29 May 1943.
d. 10 Dec 1983 - Dover, Kent, leaving £103,453
"Mr Felix Whitnall, a motor engineer by trade originally started in business at 16 Cheriton High Street selling models, some of which can still be at the shop. He became fascinated by radios and turned his fascination and hobby into a full-time radio business in 1932. His slogan "Whitnall's for Wireless" became famous throughout the area. The present owner, Mr J. K. Moran joined Whitnall's in 1959, taking over the business when Mr Whitnall retired at the grand age of 80 in 1980 [sic]. Recentiy the showroom space has been trebled and Mr Moran can now proudly claim to have at least 50 different TVs on display. Whitnall's speciality is high quality TVs Hi-Fi's and compact disc players all with the highest quality after sales service - oh, and they do still sell radios!" - Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Friday 08 August 1986 Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file): |
