Redcar
REDCAR: Temporary beach aerodrome
Operated by: Berkshire Aviation
Location: On the beach just N of the Coastguard Station, just W of Redcar town centre
Period of operation: From the 15th July 1922 for two months
Note: Was this location used by other operators?
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for unearthing this little known venue.
These two Notices were published in the Cleveland Standard. The first on the 15th July and the second on the 12th August 1922.
I imagine that for many true Yorkshiremen, the aerial photo above illustrates just how perfect a beach holiday here was. "Eh lass, t'watter is okay, but just look left and what a beautiful sight t'iron and t'steelworks is". Now gone of course.
NOTES: This location seems another good enough example for me to have another rant, (perhaps I should say discussion?), regarding the subject of the Counties of the United Kingdom. A sore point for me when I started out over twenty years ago to research the subject for this 'Guide'. Indeed, it was often something of a nightmare trying to determine which County many locations were actually in.
Whilst, in some desperation I must admit, I came across Quadhurst Maps in 2009, and they restored some sanity. On the map of the United Kingdom I purchased, is this advice: "THE TRUE, HISTORIC COUNTIES OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND". Adding, "Our historic counties have never been affected nor their boundaries changed by the endless shifting of local government boundaries over the past 100 years but have remained constant are today as they have been for centuries".
It appears that only an Act of Parliament can change the boundaries of a County, and this has never happened for a very, very long time - several centuries.
For the unwary, as I was for years, there are at least three major pitfalls. The first being that modern road maps do not depict the County, but instead the local government boundaries. And these have been in constant state of flux, especially since WW2. The second being the creation of what can appear to be Counties, of which there are several. For example, Greater London, Bristol and Avon, West Midlands, Greater Manchester and so on. Plus, several Counties appear to disappear from time to time, such as Rutland. Others, such as Huntingdonshire seem to have gone for good on modern maps.
The third 'gotcha' is that the postal address can often bear no relationship to the actual County, or, for that matter, even the local government administrative area. The Post Office have very different ideas regarding actual locations. When flying from TOP FARM, for example, which was actually in Cambridgeshire, (or South Cambridgeshire for that matter), the postal address was in Hertfordshire.
So, back to this location. It is in Yorkshire, and as any Yorkshireman will avow, "Aye lad, still is!". But, for most of us, the endless tinkering and meddling of local government authorities can create a quagmire of confusion. Not at all helped by Yorkshire having commonly known regional 'districts' - East Riding, North Riding and West Riding. Plus, more recent creations such as East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire.
And, to add insult to injury, REDCAR is, on modern maps, in Redcar and Cleveland. You have now been warned!
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