Early Aviation Events In the United Kingdom 1909-1910
Blackpool Aviation Meeting 1909
Credit for Blackpool hosting early aviation events is due in a large part to Lord Northcliffe, owner of the Daily Mail, who lobbied Blackpool Corporation. Lord Northcliffe, inspired by the world's first public air display at Rheims, wrote to Blackpool Town Hall during August 1909 proposing that Blackpool should put on its own air display. Northcliffe obviously had a huge interest in flying and aircraft because, through the Daily Mail, he would sponsor several of Britain's early air shows. It's said he was originally inspired by Louis Bleriot - the famous French aviator - who claimed prestige by becoming the first to fly across the English Channel.
Blackpool Corporation met Northcliffe's suggestion with enthusiasm and they qucikly set the dates of October 18th-23rd 1909 for the first official aviation meeting to be held in the UK under the auspices of the Aero Club of the United Kingdom which would evolve in to the Royal Aero Club. The meeting took place at Squires Gate, then part of Squire Clifton's estate. With just seven weeks to get ready for the show the Ministry of Labour took on more than 200 unemployed men to work day and night building the hangars and grandstands needed.
On the opening day of the meeting, October 18th 1909, British aviator A.V. Roe pushed his small yellow aeroplane out of a shed for testing. Unfortunately he was unable to get airborne meaning the honour of being the first to fly at Blackpool would go to a Frenchman. Henri Farman completed a round of the Blackpool course drawing enthusiastic applause from the large crowd of spectators. Farman would also set the first official British flying record with a flight exceeding 47 miles claiming the £2,000 Grand Blackpool prize on offer to the aviator who remained airborne for the greatest number of course circuits.
Contemporary catering records confirm around 200,000 spectators came to the meeting and, between them, drank 36,000 bottled beers, nearly half a million bottles of minerals, 500 cases of Champagne & 600 cases of whiskey between them!
Few souvenirs exist for the 1909 aviation meeting although it's always worth a click to check any 1909 Blackpool postcards on eBay as it is possible some real photo postcards could turn up.
Blackpool Flying Carnival 1910
A Flying Carnival organised by the Lancashire Aero Club took place on August 3rd 1910 which would prove to be the last aviation event hosted at Squires Gate as the land was leased to a syndicate who built a horse racecourse that opened in 1911 (but only lasted until 1914).
Only rumours say that a few items were flown by Claude Grahame-White in his aeroplane from Lytham Hall to Squires Gate and, if one of these is found, the lucky owner could arguably claim to possess one of the first "air mail" items in the UK as the first official Aerial Post between Hendon and Windsor would not take place until the following year. Several postcards are known to exist from the 1910 Festival, including real photo cards, so it is worth checking through the Blackpool Postcard auctions on eBay or eBid.
Lanark Air Meeting 1910
Real Photo postcard shows William McArdle flying his monoplane at Lanark Racecourse in August 1910
The first Scottish aviation meeting took place at an aerodrome on Lanark Racecourse between 6th and 13th August 1910, just a few days after the Blackpool Flying Carnival.
The meeting was to be the best organised aviation event yet in the UK. The Lanark aerodrome had more than nine miles of cable laid for telephones cable to serve a special aerodrome Post Office housing thirty telegraph operators and a new railway station was built by the Caledonian Railway Company who ran at least fourteen special trains to the event each day.
Cash prizes were on offer for various flying competitions during the meeting. The largest amount of prize money was claimed by Cecil Grace who received £1950. A new altitude world record was set by J A Drexel, who climbed toa 6750 feet. J Radley set a new British speed record of 58.32mph and B Cattaneo set a new British distance record by flying 141 miles 188 yards without touching the ground.
The Lanark flying event brought together twenty two aviators from various parts of the the world - including Peru! Unfortunately two aircraft were destroyed in a fire while travelling to the meeting by train.
Despite making a financial loss, the meeting was generally agreed to have been a great success. Well over 200,000 spectators attended during the six days.
Postcard depicts Captain Bertram Dickson, a Scotsman, flying over nearby Springbank Farm before landing back at Lanark Racecourse in August 1910
Many postcards, including several real photo cards, can be found for the Lanark Event. Of particular interest to aerophilatelists and postal historians is the fact members of the public were allowed to send postcards from the Aerodrome Post Office with the stamps cancelled using circular datestamps normally reserved for telegraphic use. Look out for envelopes and postcards postmarked during the meeting from "LANARK GRAND STAND" (search eBay for "Lanark") as, if you get lucky, these are among the rarest British aviation covers.
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