Aylestone Lane
Note: This map only shows my guess as to roughly where this venue was located. Aylestone Lane, now the B5418, is quite a long road and has, without any doubt, changed in character considerably since 1919. If anybody can kindly provide advice on the subject, this will be most welcme.
AYLESTONE LANE: Temporary aerodrome
Operated by: Berkshire Aviation Co
Location: Just S to SSW of Leicester City centre
Period of operation: 1st to 6th August 1919
NOTES: In the account given by Colin Cruddas in his excellent book Those Fabulous Flying Years, he says that the first example of ‘wing-walking’ in the UK took place on August Bank Holiday Monday in Leicester. Both Jack Holmes and Mr R Graham-Wolland, (a member of the Berkshire Aviation ground support team), very daringly volunteered to undertake these duties. They had so support frames and harnesses in those days!
For me, standing on the top wing of a biplane hanging onto a single wire or rope seems both incredibly brave and downright stupid. But they didn’t have Health & Safety officials breathing down their necks in those days and the stunt was a huge crowd-puller, the main reason for doing it of course.
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