RAF Oakington Volume 2 - The Airfield Research Group

2.13.3 Kitchens
The kitchens were planned as two separate single-storey annexes at the rear of the supper /
dining room and were separated from each other by a large yard. Kitchen 1 served the dining
room which was joined to it by a service area. Some ancillary rooms are located on three sides
of the kitchen. These included a boiler room and fuel store on one side and wash-up, bread
store and preparation room on the other. All other rooms were located in a projecting annexe
which included an oven room, pan wash, larder, mess office and butchers. Between this and a
smaller annexe is another yard. The smaller annexe which forms one side of a covered way
contained a by-product store and kitchen equipment and box stores.
Kitchen 2 is on a smaller scale than kitchen 1. It is connected to the supper room by a scullery
and service area. Ancillary rooms included beer store, larder, and an office and NAAFI common
room.
2.13.4 First Floor – recreation facilities
The first floor landings and stairs are similar to those on the ground floor as far as the righthand
landing goes. The left-hand landing had a barber’s shop and store which occupies the
position of the lavatories on the ground floor hall.
The first floor was subdivided and included a dining room for 360 men, a games room, reading
room and writing room. Behind the dining room is a wash-up and service area, hot food being
brought up from the service area below via two dumb waiters.
2.13.5 Manageress’s Quarters
Above the NAAFI common room and the small annexe previously described, is the staff
quarters. This includes a sitting room, bedroom for the manageress, a dormitory with five beds
and another for four beds. There is also a landing, bathroom and lavatory.
2.13.6 Construction
External walls on the ground floor are 15 inch vented cavity brick (except the projecting
entrances which are 11 inch cavity brick). External walls at first floor are believed to be 11 inch
cavity. Concrete beams support a protected roof of reinforced concrete slab (without a brick
parapet wall). Windows were originally 12 pane steel casements at front and rear elevations at
first floor level with three circular fanlights above the entrances. The ground floor had 14 pane
steel casements along the front elevation and mainly eight panes at the rear. Side elevations
had 12 or 14 pane while the end elevations of the mess area had eight, 14 and 16 pane
casements.
2.13.7 Immigration Centre
Building 31 functioned as the amenities block with a dining room, internet suite, prayer rooms
and arts and crafts centre.
2.13.8 Status, March 2011
The building was modified during its time as the Immigration Centre: in particular the first floor
has been partitioned in order to create additional rooms, although this has been carried out in
studwork. Most of the original steel casements have been replaced with UPVC although those
on the left hand entrance are original. Rain water goods are cast iron.
Footprint dimensions: 196.24 ft by 169.39 ft (59.81 m by 51.63 m).
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