Airport House, Purley Way was built in 1926-1928. London Croydon Airport was Britain's primary Customs airport during the 1920's and 1930's and the new terminal was the world's biggest when opened. It's beginnings go back to 1915 in World War One to support Britain's air defences and post-War it became Britain's major airport, finally closing in 1959. A landmark building it was designed to efficiently flow passengers and cargo through the airport and sequentially integrated airport handling processes.

Originally the aerodrome was dissected by a country road, Plough Lane, where road traffic was held up at a level crossing to allow aircraft to cross. As part of the 1926-28 expansion and redevelopment of the site a new road, Foresters Drive, was constructed to route around the enlarged airport. The new terminal building was designed by the in-house architects of the Air Ministry's Department of Works and Buildings in a restrained Neo-Classical style, suggestive of the steam ship terminals that were popular at the time and common for Government buildings.

The building was a major leap forward in design functionality of airport terminals. The world's biggest air terminal and Control Tower when opened in 1928, it seamlessly integrated all airport functions in one building for the first time, streamlining the airport processes to minimise time transiting the airport.

It was from here that Amy Johnson made her famous solo flight to Darwin, Australia in 1930. On her return to Croydon tens of thousands of people lined Purley Way to welcome her back home. The airport hosted many other record-breaking flights by Amy Johnson and also by the likes of Lady Bailey, Lady Heath, Sir Alan Cobham, Charles Kingsford-Smith and Jim Mollison.

At the outbreak of World War II the airport closed to commercial traffic and it became a designated RAF airfield, RAF Croydon. The airfield was under 11 Group Fighter Command and the Squadrons based here fought in the Battle of Britain. Later Transport Command operated Doglas Dakotas to Europe. In the post-war years small airlines such as Olley Air Service, Transair and Morton Air Services continued to operate from the airfield until its closure in 1959.

Responsible for a number of major technical innovations, such as early aerial direction finding by radio, "Mayday" Distress call, runway marker lines, a through baggage hall and the operating base for Britain's first national airline, Imperial Airways, it is now houses a small museum in the Control Tower and opens to public on the first Sunday of every month.