Foryd
FORYD: Early aerodrome
Operated by: Mr Vivian Hewitt
Location: On the west bank of the River Clwyd, just SW of Rhyl
Period of operation: 1911 to 1914
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Notes: The second item was published in Flight magazine on the 2nd March 1912. The third item is an advert placed in the North Wales Weekly News on the 26th April 1912.
CROSSING THE IRISH SEA
Crossing the Irish Sea in those days, and even today in a light aircraft, is not for the faint hearted. It is a formidable stretch of water, far more fraught with danger than the English Channel, especially during the winter months extending into spring, when survival after ditching is very much dependent on being rescued pretty soon due to the low sea temperatures in the Atlantic.
It is therefore, I think, very interesting that Vivian Hewitt decided to attempt the crossing not long after D L Allen had most certainly perished during his attempt in April 1912.
Note: The ninth item was published in Flight magazine in the 7th June 1913. The tenth item was also published in Flight magazine, this time on the 25th April 1914. The eleventh item is added just for interest, and was published in the Dundee Evening Telegraph on the 22nd July 1912. The last item, an advert also in Flight magazine, published on the 29th October 1915, is rather sad. Without much if any doubt this refers to Hewitt's Blériot, and with WW1 now in full swing, I very much doubt that a buyer was found? Does anybody know what became of it?
I do not know, but suspect this aeroplane was quite probably the same Blériot Hewitt started with in 1911? If so, in those days it was really quite long lived as few examples lasted in service for four years. I also suspect that Hewitt was running a 'one-man band' operation, doing all the maintenance and servicing? Any advice will be much appreciated.
NOTES: It seems the first flight by Mr Hewitt took place on 12th October 1911. Even so, despite this flight being cut short due to engine trouble, his hangar was described by Aeroplane magazine as one of the best equipped workshops in the country!
I have found a reference saying Mr Hewitt’s exhibition flights were a regular feature of the resort’s publicity so I assume this was a commercial operation, but was he also carrying passengers? I can find no mention of this, and indeed, it appears he only displayed his single-seater.
Hewitt is often remembered for making the first flight, in April 1912, across the Irish Sea from here via Holyhead, (see PENRHOS), to Dublin. (See article above). It now appears he was the second aviator to make a successful crossing.
In Wings Across the Border by Derrick Pratt & Mike Grant there is an interesting mention regarding FORYD. “It was intended in 1929 that after a short display over Rhyl two Short Southamptons, (a large flying boat type), should land in the sea off Plas-dŵr and taxi into the more sheltered waters of Foryd harbour”. Only one landed and, probably due to the sea state and/or winds soon departed before attempting to make a ‘safe harbour' at Foryd wharf or nearby.
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