Beldams Lane
BELDAMS LANE: Temporary aerodrome (Aka BISHOPS STORTFORD)
Operated by: Capt. H M Talbot Lehmann M.C. (Aviation Transport Sales & Services Ltd)
Location: Just E of the A1060, roughly SE of Bishops Stortford town centre
Period of operation: 21st & 22nd May 1932
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for discovering this little known venue and providing the maps and press items.
The advert was placed in the Herts and Essex Observer on the 21st May 1932.
The article, in two parts, was published in the Herts and Essex Observer also on the 21st May 1932.
Article Two was also published in the Herts and Essex Observer, but later on the 28th May 1932. The local area and area views are from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: This venue is right on the boundary between Hertfordshire and Essex. Assuming I am correct that it is in Hertfordshire (?), I expect that on the days of the event it was likely possible to throw a stone, or even an ice cream cornet into Essex?
This period of time has proved to be very interesting to me. It was when the Great Depression, (or Slump), which started in 1929 was really starting to take hold in the UK. One upshot being the emergence of the 'Flying Circus' era which continued from around 1931 until around 1936. Many venues operated by the really big players are heavily featured in this 'Guide', so it is doubly satisfying to feature one of the lesser known concerns taking part.
ANOTHER SITE PERHAPS? ONE CLOSE BY OR THE SAME AS ABOVE?
MR BRAZIER'S MEADOW
Operated by: Mr Frank Neale
Location: Exact site unknown?
Period of operation: For two weeks it appears. But, including two Saturdays commencing in late January 1921. These being, I suppose, the 23rd and 30th January
NOTES
In researching the background to BELDAMS LANE, Mike Holder came across these items. We cannot find out exactly where MR BRAZIER'S MEADOW was, but, being described as being on Hallingbury Road, (A1060), it does seem possible we are looking at the same location? Another clue, it seems, is that the venue for the 1932 event was also known locally as the flying field.
Another intriguing aspect is that Frank Neale, who registered his business Essex Aviation Company in the early 1920s, does not use this trading name in the advert below placed in January 1921. Evidence has been found that he acquired the Avro 504K, G-EBCK (ex E3379) from F J V Holmes (of the Berkshire Aviation Company) in January 1923. But, the advert states that he was operating an Avro 3-seater, so, almost certainly a 504K or 504N in January 1921. Is the identity of this machine known?
Clearly Frank Neale was, to be charitable, something of 'a character', and perhaps someone today whom we might well describe as a 'maverick'. Therefore some extra details of his flying career in the U.K., before going to Australia, are included.
A SECOND MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
The advert was placed in the Herts and Essex Observer on the 29th January 1921, as was the article.
The Notice was published in Flight magazine on the 14th December 1922. The short excerpt is from Avro Aircraft by A J Jackson. The short article was also published in Flight magazine, but this time on the 20th September 1923.
A FEW MORE NOTES
After the end of WW1 many ex RFC/RAF people, having become invloved in aviation, were very keen to make a profession of it in civil aviation. Opportunities to do so were however very limited and for many it seemed that getting involved in joy-riding operations was the best option. The main problem was that, almost without exception, they had no experience in how a business needs to be run. Although being mainly quite profitable operating from, especially, seaside holiday resort towns, the problem was......what to do in the low season?
As explained elsewhere in this 'Guide', the Berkshire Aviation Company, which in the early days included Alan (later Sir) Cobham, realised that the answer was to take flying to the people where they mostly lived. Which meant flying throughout the winter, even on Xmas Day and Boxing Day. A real and unexpected treat for many.
Clearly Frank Neale has also realised this, starting his business in January 1921. It kept going until at least late 1923, and then the story seems to peter out? If anybody can kindly offer more advice and information, this will be much appreciated.
NEW NEWS
Later in February 2024, Mike Holder was very kindly contacted by Mr Tim Howard-Smith, the Chairman of the Bishop's Stortford Historical Society, who has provided this map of where he thinks MR BRAZIER'S MEADOW and the BELDAMS LANE venue was. Pretty much where Mike Holder and I thought it most probably was.
One aspect of trying to produce a reasonable 'Guide' to so many flying sites, is that bits of information can take many years to collate. And, sometimes, those tit-bits do not always match up exactly! Something I expect that those seriously involved professionally in attempting to record history might well comment - "Tell me about it!"
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