Letchworth flying sites
Note: This map only shows the position of Letchworth Garden City within the UK.
LETCHWORTH - AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL IN 1913
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide, to thank for unearthing this location from old newspaper archives and providing the following. The story goes that Sub-Lieutenant Reginald Matrix, with his mechanic, made a forced landing here on the 20th September 1913 whilst en route to RUGBY for the Army manoeuvres, departing on the 21st, flying a Caudron biplane powered by a French 70hp Gnome engine:
This article, in two parts, was published in the Citizen (Letchworth) on the 26th September 1913.
The local area and area views are from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: Letchworth, (possibly the first?), was one of three 'New Towns' to be constructed in the early 20th century north of London, alongside the A.1 trunk road, to help assuage the massive expansion of London during the 19th century. The other two main locations being Welwyn Garden City and then Stevenage New Town. It was a very brave concept for the time, providing the people moving there with much more space and 'green' areas, free of the smoke filled pollution of London and with large industrial/commercial/trading estates to provide employment.
A concept still in fashion by our government(s) even today, despite the horrendous mistakes made in the past. Like, for example, the really stupid ideas (with hindsight of course) of having regional development devolved for industry back in the 1960s/70s. For example, one of many, setting up the Ford engine plant in Bridgend in south Wales. But of course, in those days, the impact of the logistics and envronmental issues, never entered into the equation.
Being simplistic I suppose, those with vision, setting up major production areas, for everything from food production to high tech facilities, fairly close to London and with good road and rail connections, made a lot of sense.
LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY: Temporary Landing Ground - not used
This was the planned 96th venue for Sir Alan Cobham’s 1929 Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. This Tour started in May and ended in October, with one hundred and seven venues being visited. Mostly in England but with two in South Wales and eight in Scotland. Due to a couple of crashes and other setbacks the tour schedule had to be rearranged from time to time - and LETCHWORTH was scratched.
Even so, Cobham did manage to visit 96 venues, which was of course a magnificent achievement.
The aircraft Cobham mostly used for this Tour was the ten-seater de Havilland DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. The punishing schedule Cobham set himself seems astonishing today. Highly recommended is reading his memoirs in 'A Time To Fly'.
LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY: Private airstrip?
Operated by: Mr H.E. Hamer?
Location: ?
Period of operation: 1927 to 1929
NOTES: Records show that Mr Hamer owned and flew the DH60X Moth G-EBUW between these dates in or near Letchworth. But I wonder, did he base it here, or elsewhere?
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