Nairn Golf Course
NAIRN GOLF COURSE: Temporary Landing Ground
Period of operation: 7th August 1913 for arrival, probably 8th August for departure?
Location: Roughly just W or NW of Nairn town centre, about 14nm NE of Inverness city centre
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for discovering this singular visit and providing the following items. It needs to be remembered that even by 1913, almost nobody in this region had seen an aeroplane, let alone one flying. And of course, the first recorded flight in the U.K. by British built aeroplane was in 1909.
This picture of the Farman MF.7 Longhorn was kindly provided by the two volunteer archivists at the Nairn Golf Course, who wish to remain anonymous.
AN ARTICLE IN THE ABERDEEN PRESS AND JOURNAL
The Aberdeen Press and Journal really went to town on reporting this series of flights from MONTROSE to NAIRN, publishing these reports on the 8th August 1913. Divided here into ten parts to make them easier to read.
It was by this means, in this article, that Mike Holder could plot the outbound course.
ALSO PUBLISHED ON THE 8th
Article Two was published in the Edinburgh Evening News on the 8th. The Google Street View shows The Altonburn Hotel.
MORE NEWS ON THE 9th AUGUST 1913
This article, in three parts, was published in the Aberdeen Press and Journal.
AND FINALLY, A LATER REPORT ON THE 13th AUGUST
This shorter report was published in the.....wait for it.....deep breath.....Forres, Elgin and Nairn Gazette, Northern Review and Advertiser.
SO, WHERE IS IT IN THE REGION?
The first item, an aerial view, was obtained from Google Earth ©. The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: As you can clearly see from the above newspaper reports, this flight excited a great deal of interest throughout this region. As pointed out, the opportunity of seeing an aeroplane in flight was, for most people in this region, something of an occassion to celebrate. It is of course impossible to ascertain how many people in other parts of the U.K. at that time, could claim that they also had never seen an aeroplane in flight.
Have to say though, that since starting this project some twenty five + years ago (in 2024) I am amazed by just how much flying had been taking place before WW1. This being a period of just five years since fixed wing powered aircraft appeared the skies over our green and sceptic (septic?) island, anchored in the Atlantic. Did not surprise me in the slightest that the aeroplane featured here was a French design, as the French in those days, were arguably the most advanced nation in the world regarding aviation.
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