Brewery Pit Field
BREWERY PIT FIELD: Temporary Landing Ground and "exhibtion of flying" venue
(Aka CHIPPING NORTON)
Operated by: Gustav Hamel
Location: Just SE of Chipping Norton town centre, which was on the junction of the A44 and the A36 (now the B4450). About 12nm SW of Banbury town centre and 17nm NW of Oxford city centre
Period of operation: 27th February 1913
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for both discovering this now little known venue and providing the maps, press items and photos.
The advert was placed in the Oxfordshire Weekly News on the 26th February 1913.
The article in two parts was published in the Oxfordshire Weekly News on the 5th March 1913.
The local map detail shows the location of the White Hart Hotel in the centre of town where Hamel's aeroplane was safely stored for the night prior to him arriving the following day.
The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: The history of the development of powered flight is, I think, quite fascinating. It proceeded in leaps and bounds in many ways, without the pilots having virtually no understanding of how their machines actually flew, certainly from a modern perspective. All they basically knew was these very basic contraptions could fly, and many were absolutely determined to make the most of being able to do so.
Indeed, right from the start when powered aviation really took hold in Europe, (The Wright brothers in the USA had had virtually no influence, and anyway, their design was one of the worst - with no future), the top achieving pilots soon became globally famous. Huge flying 'exhibition'events were being held, notably the major event in Rheims in northern France during August 1909.
I do not know when exactly major 'exhibitions of flying' took place in this country featuring just one pilot and his machine, often attracting thousands of spectators. This was certainly the case by 1912 with the Daily Mail sponsoring two major UK Tours. There is something of a distinction needing to made in modern terms between being very famous but also a major celebrity. In 1913 Gustav Hamel was definitely both. As in this case he would have his machine taken to site, rigged and ready for him to arrive and whow the crowds, then depart as suddenly as he had arrived. He rarely flew between venues it seems.
Also, being in his early twenties, good looking and very much "avialable", he had a coterie of young women, (perhaps not quite 'groupies' ?), devoted to following him around the country to the various venues. What I find of particular interest is that he kept to a schedule arranged in the middle of winter. No doubt in many ways foolish, but of course, as we know, the immense lure of money and fame, does mean taking chances.
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