Stephen brought us the story of the earliest aviation, touching on Da Vinci, of course, then jumping forward to George Cayley making the first (unpowered) winged flight in 1849.  Stephen then showed us, with lots of beautiful photographs, how Europe went aviation crazy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  We also learned how far ahead the Wright brothers were in the US.  The Europeans were flying yards, the Americans were flying, with full control, for miles!

Lancashire got into the aviation scene with the Blackpool Aviation Week 1909 – Britain’s first air show.  There were £6,000 in prizes, 60,000 visitors and much of it was captured on early cinema.

The following year saw the “race of the century”, with Lord Rothermere’s London to Manchester air race (the Daily Mail had offices in each city).  This must have been the inspiration for the film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.  On the race, Claude Graham-White made the first night flight, setting off at 3 am to try and win.  However, victory was snatched by Louis Paulhan, when he landed first in Didsbury (hence Louis Paulan Way at Ringway (Manchester) Airport).

Stephen told us many other stories of Lancashire’s part in the early aviation story, such as Oscar Gnosspelius’ early hydroplane development on Windermere (Waterbird.org.uk); the huge ‘Mayfly’ Zeppelin built at Vickers Barrow, which broke in half when they pulled it out of the hanger; Alliot Vernon Roe’s (Avro) works in Manchester (1910 to 1952) and Howard Pixton of Didsbury, the world’s first professional test pilot.

Two final Lancashire aviation facts:  Barton Aerodrome (fka City Airport), by the Manchester Ship Canal, was the UK’s first airport and Blackpool to Manchester was the UK’s first scheduled flight service.

Stephen is a great speaker and very well-researched historian.  We hope to make him one of our regulars and get him back again next year.  So keep an eye on these pages to see when he’s coming back.