In 1910 Alliott Verdon Roe established an aeroplane manufacturing company in Manchester with the name AVRO. After small beginnings, the Company produced the Avro 504 biplane which became the standard training aircraft for the Royal Flying Corps. After the First World War farmland near Bramhall in Cheshire was purchased to become Woodford Aerodrome. As the manufacturing facility was located at Newton Heath in North Manchester aircraft had to be transported by road to Woodford for assembly and test flying before delivery to a customer. This system continued after the factory at Chadderton went into production in 1939.
The Second World War saw great expansion of Avro as the Company produced famous aircraft like the Anson and the magnificent Lancaster. By the war’s end almost 40,000 employees came under Avro control.
The post-war years saw the production of other famous aircraft such as the Shackleton and the Vulcan delta-winged bomber.
As the British aircraft industry began to change AVRO was absorbed into Hawker Siddeley Aviation in 1963 followed by Nationalisation to become part of British Aerospace in 1977. Aircraft production continued with the 748, ATP turboprop transports then the 146/RJ series of jet airliners and Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft. Now part of BAE Systems, the Heritage Centre at Woodford is dedicated to the presentation of the Company’s famous aviation heritage.

Edwin Alliott Verdon Roe was born in Patricroft, Eccles  North Manchester on 26th April 1877.

The inspiration for the Avro logo came from A. V. Roe’s Avroplane hangar at the Brooklands race track.