The Origins of RAFA & 117½ Loughborough Road
The RAF Association (RAFA) Central Headquarters are situated at 117½ Loughborough Road, Leicester. As far as we know, it is the only house number in Britain which includes a ½ in its number. Originally, the property was a large estate in a prosperous and affluent area on the outskirts of Leicester. The Ferns, as the property was known, possessed large gardens, tennis courts, mews and by virtue of the fact that it appears to have had a dairy (some of which still stands) may even have included grazing land.
As Leicester expanded and fashions changed, the property found itself surrounded by commercial development and housing for workforces. The wealthy set began to move to a new area in south Leicester, now called Stoneygate. The Ferns changed hands a number of times and much of it's land was sold off for development, including the front gardens and long drive, which originally opened onto Melton Road. It became necessary to classify the rear access to the property as the main entrance and the address thus changed to Loughborough Road. The properties either side of the driveway to Loughborough Road were 117 and 119, with 117 possibly already being subdivided, as it is now. Numbering The Ferns as 117a would have been open to confusion and this is the probable origin of the 117½.
During this period of change, we believe it became a "Gentleman's Club". Photographs of this era in its history, believed to have been taken in the early Edwardian period, have recently come to light, and show what a magnificent place it must have been.
Since then it has been a Doctor's and a Dentist's Surgery, amongst others, and was bought by the Association as the Eastern Area Headquarters in the 1960s.
In January 2003, the national headquarters of the RAFA moved from its premises in London to take up residence at Loughborough Road. The new, condensed, administrative structure of what was Eastern Area has moved into the old Conference room and the remainder of the building now constitutes Central Headquarters.
BIG Communications at Annual Conference with 'Project Chrysalis'
As our membership age profile gets older and our numbers decline, it is vital that we assess both the state of RAFA today and how we will ensure it’s continuance for those presently serving in 20,30,40 years time and beyond, for that we have enlisted the help of BIG Communications.
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Postal Address: 117½ Loughborough
Road, Leicester, LE4 5ND Phone: 0116 266 5224 Fax: 0116 266 5012
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