Crystal Palace
CRYSTAL PALACE: See also HYDE PARK
CRYSTAL PALACE: Balloon launching site. Also temporary airship base, gliding site and model flying
Note: This picture (2017) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Period of operation: 1860s to the end of WW1?
NOTES:
The first accounts of balloon ascents here indicate the 1860s. For example it appears that the then renowned pair, the scientist James Glaisher and the aeronaut (pilot), Henry Coxwell, performed ascents here to mostly investigate the higher atmosphere. On one occassion a low level flight was made, and they landed in Goodwood Park, Sussex. Many years later, GOODWOOD became famous as a motorsport racing circuit and aerodrome.
Apparently it was the Aero Club, (now Royal Aero Club), who mostly used this site for balloon ascents in later years - in the late 1890s and early 20th century. In those days apart from some commercial concerns and the military, private ballooning was a popular sport amongst various wealthy members of society who invariably were also interested in partaking in events involving the new-fangled automobile.
TRYING TO GET IT SORTED
Trying to get the chronology correct for the earliest days of aviation in all its forms is a devil of a job. I’ll guess it was in 1875 that Thomas Moy demonstrated a steam-engine driven tandem-wing monoplane ‘model’ here with a wing-span of about fifteen feet.
Rotating on a circular track and ‘fixed’ to a ‘fountain’ and proprelled by twin fan-type airscrews of 6ft, (yes 6ft!), in diameter, it appears it lifted off or flew some six inches off the ground or track. For most of my younger life I found all this early aviation stuff immensely boring to say the least and barely bothered even skimpily reading about it. Having obtained my pilots license, (actually soon after starting flying training probably), the picture changed totally.
I was now hooked and fascinated by this history and it was probably the beginnings of a germ of an idea which eventually resulted in this 'Guide'. The reason was very simply that most of those early aeronauts were usually embarking, (in my terms), on virtually if not every flight, on a nigh on suicidal mission! But what a fabulous sense of adventure they had, disregarding personal safety completely to advance aviation. Remarkable, really remarkable people.
The fact that the CFI and another pilot were killed at my chosen flying school in a Slingsby T.67 when I had about four hours logged proved over several subsequent years that even today certain types of aircraft are still inherently very dangerous to fly! Without any doubt whatsoever, the Slingsby T.67 types should have been grounded many years ago, I even pleaded with the CAA to do so, but needless to say they took no interest in my plea. I had no qualifications they would recognise and closely surviving a near fatal spin incident did not count. Although I was later to be proved entirely correct in my estimation of where the problem lay. Therefore, by ignoring my advice, many pilots died needlessly for years after.
Needless to say, this experience brought a whole new approach to aviation history and how it has evolved. Far too many lives have been lost for no good reason.
THE NOTABLE BACON FAMILY
CRYSTAL PALACE is also notable for the involvement of the Bacon family. Getrude Bacon for example had her first balloon ascent from here in 1898 with her father, the Reverend John M Bacon, who by then was a very serious aeronaut since 1888 after giving up aspirations for an ecclesiastical career because he then felt the Church of England was trapped in a rigid and bigoted conventionalism which frowned upon scientific exploration. One hundred and twenty years later the Church of England, and especially the Catholic Church, probably still is?
They flew north to cross Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire before landing. (See also: NEWBURY GASWORKS - BERKSHIRE)
A PREDICTION
Talking of the name Bacon, Mary Cadogon mentions in her book Women with Wings that the Franciscan monk Roger Bacon had made this prediction in the thirteenth century. “It is possible to make engines for flying, a man sitting in the midst thereof, by turning about an instrument, which moves artificial wings to beat the air, much after the fashion of a bird’s flight.” He also predicted, “…that a hollow metal vessel filled with ‘aetherial air or liquid fire’ would one day float through the skies. At a stroke I would suggest, predicting at least the balloon and also the helicopter?
THE SPENCER AIRSHIP
This photo of the Spencer Airship is from The Pageant of the Century published by Odhams Press in or around 1933. Kindly lent to me by Mr Ed Whitaker.
In 1902 the Spencer Airship powered by a 30hp Simms motor, (often claimed to be the first British airship), made its first flight on 22nd September from here in 1902. It routed for one hour via Battersea, Hammersmith and Acton, (being photographed when passing over north Ealing), before landing at Eastcote.
This accords pretty well with a best cruising speed of about 15mph. The success of this machine encouraged the development of a larger vessel. Flown by Stanley Spencer and after four proving flights public appearances were made at the Shrewsbury Show in August 1906. It also made public appearances at Hanley, (near Stoke-on-Trent), and York.
The lifting agent was coal gas but it could have used hydrogen which apparently would have doubled its lifting ability. However, the economics make interesting reading as it cost about £6 in those days then to inflate the airship with coal gas, as opposed to £140-£150 with hydrogen!
A MEMORY IN 1904
In his biography A Time To Fly published in 1978, (highly recommended), Sir Alan Cobham tells this story: "From very early days I had longed to fly. When I was ten my father took me to Crystal Palace to see an airship flight and my enthusiam was so great that one of the men there actually proposed that I should be taken up."
His father vetoed this. But, can anybody kindly offer advice about this airship operation in 1904?
GLIDING FROM CRYSTAL PALACE
It appears that, in 1905, Samuel F Cody demonstrated his remarkable glider design to Sir Hiram Maxim here. See JUBILEE HILL (HAMPSHIRE) for more information and a picture. (Also, please see BALDWYNS PARK,SURREY for more about Sir Hiram Maxim)
It also appears, according to Harald Penrose in his book, British Aviation - The Pioneer Years, first published in 1967, that in 1906 Major Baden-Powell: "...had turned to man-carrying gliders, which he launched down an inclined chute on the brink of the Crystal Palace lake in order to alight on the water, as being more shock-absorbing than hard earth."
A SINGULAR FLIGHT
On the 12th October 1907, A.F.Gaudron with two crew members, (J L Tannar and C C Turner), took-off for an epic long distance flight in ‘The Mammoth’, (according to one report filled with hydrogen). As it happens C C Turner later wrote a fascinating book Old Flying Days published in about 1927 which I have referred to extensively in this 'Guide'.
However, for the details of this site I will quote just this: “The “Mammoth” was taken to the Crystal Palace , where there was an excellent supply of good gas laid on through a main in the grounds for the special purpose of ballooning” Concrete proof I think that this balloon and nearly every other civilian balloon in the UK during the Victorian era and later, used coal gas as the lifting agent, until the civilian sport and business enterprise of ballooning was put paid to by the advent of WW1.
I certainly haven’t come across any accounts of ballooning taking place between the Wars, (1920s and 1930s), but will be very happy to be proved wrong. It appears that ballooning only became popular again when ‘hot-air’ ballooning was returned as a viable method, many years later, (in the 1970s?) after WW2.
A SPIFFING YARN
His account of this flight makes for terrific reading. They landed the next day near Lake Vänern in Sweden, (so large it could be described as an inland sea being nearly 80 miles long), NNE of Gothenburg. The distance covered is estimated to be at least 720 miles (1160 kms), surely a fantastic achievement for that time? But not long enough to beat the record of 1,197 miles set previously by the Comte de La Vaulx.
A second attempt on the world distance record failed, lifting off on the 31st October for Russia also from CRYSTAL PALACE with Gaudron, also with C C Turner but this time with Capt. E M Maitland as the third crew member. They landed at FISHTOFT, three miles from Boston (LINCOLNSHIRE).
THIRD TIME ALMOST LUCKY
A third and final attempt was the most successful, lifting off on the 18th November, but due mainly to the error of lifting off too early in the day they failed to beat the record making 1,117 miles. Just 80 miles short of the existing record! They landed at Mateki Derevni in the province of Novo Alexandrovsk, about six miles from Abela. I can thoroughly recommend reading C C Turners account if you can find a copy of his fabulous book. (Which is still available through our wonderful library system).
AND ANOTHER INNOVATION
It appears that Claude Grahame-White pretty much ‘invented aircraft-carrier landings’ here on two of the tennis courts using a restraining rope to catch his tail-wheel. And, it worked!
In June 1910 Claude Grahame-White was scheduled to take-off from CRYSTAL PALACE and a huge crowd gathered. It was a marginal site at best and on Tuesday the 14th he judged the wind too strong. It is well worth reading the full account of this, “the crowd hooting and booing”. The following Tuesday he did take-off and flew to BROOKLANDS.
In his excellent book RAF Hendon Andrew Renwick records that after being based at the RANELAGH CLUB in Barnes for a brief period: “He then moved to the Crystal Palace where the Aerial League had built the Aerial Rendezvous, a cottage with a small aeroplane shed attached. Even though the lawn in front was only flat for 50 yards before a steep slope, Grahame-White was able to get airborne in just 22 yards on 7 June.” This would have been in 1910 before he moved to Halifax, Yorkshire. However, this said it must be borne in mind that at this juncture his aircraft flying school had been based at Hangar 16 at BROOKLANDS (SURREY) since April 1910 and it was from here he did most of his flying.
THE ERA OF MODELS
In 1910 the Aero Models Association held a large meeting/competition here and indeed other competitions were held elsewhere in 1910, at Eastbourne, Wimbledon and Birmingham. The reason I have included a mention here is simply because models have played a very important, if not crucial part, in aircraft design and development.
Indeed, without thousands of ‘wind-tunnel’ models for example who can reasonably expect any major advances in modern aviation could have been made? There’s another aspect too, many people have come into a aviation career through their initial involvement with flying ‘model’ aircraft, and of course building plastic non-flying models, and I strongly suspect this still remains the case.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT
I think you might like this account from C C Turners ‘Old Flying Days’ book. “Captain, (now Major), Hugh Watkins first ascent was in a balloon. It was in May , 1910, and he went up from the Crystal Palace with the late Air-Commodore (then Captain) E M Maitland as pilot; he had two more trips with Maitland, and afterwards many ascents piloting himself.
On one occasion he took up the well-known balloonist and parachutist A E Gaudron, and a lady parachutist, Miss Dolly Shepherd, to make a double descent. There was a strong wind blowing at the time, and when they got off, the lady and her parachute broke loose and fell among the crowd, causing much alarm, but no great damage.” How lucky can you be?
WW1 HISTORY
During WW1 CRYSTAL PALACE was also the base for the RNAS, used as a Ground-School and balloon observation station. Please indulge me because I would like to quote from the last couple of pages of C C Turners wonderful book Old Flying Days published in about 1927 and which has been an enormous help in my research.
When WW1 was declared in 1914 C C Turner offered his services to the military. As a member of the Aero Club many members volunteered and were accepted and C C was the first to get a reply:
“I was considerably above recruiting age, and poor sight barred me from some activities. It was not until October that I was asked by the Admiralty to call with a view to being used in the lighter-than-air department, and I was given a commission as Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R. attached R.N.A.S., and was sent to London’s first air defence station at Crystal Palace where a spherical balloon was sent up daily to a height enabling the observer to see above the fog and look out for Zeppelins.”
LONDON AIR POLLUTION
Doesn’t this say so much about the horrendous degree of air pollution in London in those days? A situation that persisted into the 1950s when HEATHROW where I lived next to could be closed for a day or two, perhaps more when easterly winds moved a high pressure system induced “pea-souper” across from central London. Sometimes it was so bad in winter I came back from school with my arms outstretched, like a blind man, feeling my way across the mile or so to get home.
To get back to C C Turners account: “The section was armed with Martinis adapted for explosive bullets. At Christmas the officer commanding that section was transferred to other duties, and I succeeded him. We had many alarms, and on one occasion were officially “in action” – save the mark!” I think his following comments should be taken with much regard and thought.
“But I must resist the temptation to dwell on the comic side of the business; probably in no part of the country or in any service was there so much of the ridiculous. And surely one of the miracles of war was the obstinancy with which the nation fought through that period, sloughed the absurdities, laughed at itself and trained in the face of a highly organised enemy, and eventually beat him.” I’m sure I couldn’t write in so few words such biting critiscm.
A HUGE FAN
If anybody should kindly bother to read this 'Guide' extensively they will soon be aware that I am now a huge fan of C C Turner so let me include another paragraph from his recollections of this period. This was after his offer to enlist was taken up: “Nearly three months afterwards the War Office wrote to me again, suggesting that I should do some test flying for the Aeronautical Inspection Department!”
To put this in context he had learnt to fly, to the most basic grade to get a Certificate. It certainly doesn’t need me to stress the utter incompetence, the level of stupidity and ignorance exhibited throughout the British senior Staff levels and their administration of all three services in WW1, but I’d like to think this last quote kind of puts a cap on it? Says it all so to speak?
THE END
In 1936 the Cyrstal Palace went up in flames, the result being seen right across most of London. It is said CROYDON airport, “Enjoyed one of its busiest nights ever – the lights of circling aircraft, chartered by sightseers, creating an orbiting constellation in Sydenham’s smoky red skies.” Being a simple sort, I am astonished that a huge building constructed mainly of cast iron and glass, can 'go up in flames'. But of course it was what was contained within that caused the conflagration.
A POSTCRIPT
In July 2018 I was kindly contacted by Christine Mattila. She tells me that her great-grandfather was in the RAF and based at CRYSTAL PALACE from the 13th March 1919 until the 15th April 1919. As she points out, this appears to indicate some kind of dismantling and clearing operation. Therefore it seems fairly certain that CRYSTAL PALACE ceased to be operational roughly by the end of WW1.
GDC
This comment was written on: 2021-01-23 22:49:18I don't think this realy counts but an interesting addition to Crystal Palace and how flying might have been brought to the masses. Hiram Maxin to fund his research into flight and to bring attention of flight to all, Maxim designed and built an amusement ride for the Earl's Court Exhibition of 1904. The ride consisted of a large spinning frame from which cars were hung on chains. As the machine spun, the cars would be swung outward through the air, simulating flight. He originally intended to use primitive airfoils and wings to allow riders to control their flight,a sort of tethered glider , this however was deemed unsafe. His company built several more rides at The Crystal Palace and various seaside resorts Southport, New Brighton, and Blackpool in 1904. One of his machines is still at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
