3 0 ▁minutes ▁into ▁St ▁P anc ras . ▁All ▁services ▁are ▁provided ▁by ▁S out he astern . ▁Air ▁Ro chester ▁Airport ▁began ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁when ▁Ro chester ▁City ▁Council ▁purchased ▁some ▁land ▁as ▁the ▁site ▁for ▁a ▁municipal ▁air port . ▁One ▁month ▁later ▁the ▁aircraft ▁manufact ur ers ▁Short ▁Brothers ▁le ased ▁the ▁land ▁for ▁test ▁flying . ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 4 – 5 ▁Short ▁Brothers ▁had ▁taken ▁over ▁the ▁site , ▁and ▁moved ▁in ▁some ▁of ▁their ▁personnel ▁from ▁the ▁existing ▁se ap lane ▁works . ▁The ▁inaug ural ▁flight ▁into ▁Ro chester ▁was ▁from ▁Gra ves end , ▁John ▁Parker ▁flying ▁the ▁Short ▁Brothers ▁Short ▁Sc ion ▁G - AC J I . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁the ▁le ase ▁revert ed ▁to ▁the ▁City ▁Council . ▁After ▁giving ▁thorough ▁consideration ▁to ▁closing ▁the ▁air port , ▁G EC ▁( then ▁compr ising ▁Mar con i ▁and ▁instrument ▁mak ers ▁Elli ot ▁Autom ation ) ▁decided ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁management ▁of ▁the ▁air port . ▁It ▁maintained ▁two ▁grass ▁landing ▁stri ps ▁while ▁re le asing ▁some ▁land ▁for ▁light ▁industrial ▁expansion . ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁Rain ham ▁H M ▁Pr ison ▁Ro chester ▁Ro chester ▁and ▁St ro od ▁( UK ▁Parliament ▁constitu ency ) ▁Earl ▁of ▁Ro chester ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁Med way ▁Council ▁Official ▁Site ▁ ▁Archive ▁Im ages ▁ ▁Ro chester ▁Airport ▁and ▁British ▁A viation ▁ ▁Phot