Rocky Parc
ROCKY PARC: Temporary Landing Ground (1912), later civil aerodrome (1929) (aka ROCKY PARK)
Location: Just S of the A390, and just SW of St Austell town centre
Period of operation: 18th June 1912
In 1912 the Daily Mail sponsored six aviators, (as pilots were called in those days), to conduct 'exhibitions of flying' around the U.K. Two were engaged in extended tours, a development that was entirely new, and which heralded in an era during which it might well be said, the powered aeroplane came of age. These brave and adventurous gentlemen were the famous French aviator Henri Salmet, and the equally famous British aviator Claude Grahame-White. The latter naming his tour - "Wake Up England".
Perhaps I should mention that Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', has taken it upon himself to make a detailed study of the tour by Henri Salmet. The full schedule can be found in my article - "The 1912 tour by Henri Salmet".
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The newspaper article published in the Cornish Guardian on the 21st June 1912, has been divided into four parts to make it easier to read.
JUST A COMMENT
For many Cornish people, born and bred there, Cornwall has never been considered to be part and parcel of the U.K. Indeed their history, heritage and indeed language is a Celtic language, the Cornish dialect being quite close to Breton - part of the Breton region shared with what is now called Britanny in north west France. I don't know if anybody can still speak the language as being their native tongue, but some old people in Cornwall, it appears, could converse with people in Brittany, speaking Breton, well into the twentieth century.
The only reason for mentioning this is that there are two spellings found for this location - Rocky Parc and Rocky Park. The term parc being used in French and indeed in Welsh, another Celtic dialect. So, it seemed a good idea in this 'Guide' to use the Celtic spelling.
ROCKY PARC 1929
Operated by: The Cornwall Aviation Company
Note: The first picture by H. Wilson was scanned from the book 'Cornwall Aviation Company' by Ted Chapman published in 1979. The caption reads: "G-EBNR at Rocky Parc, St Austell in the Spring of 1929. H. Wilson is standing by the wingtip. The Quaker burial ground, in the background, is not there any longer but instead the Truro - St Austell road has been widened."
The second picture by C. Coon was also scanned from this book. As far as I know the location isn't known, but possibly ROCKY PARC? The caption reads: ".....G-AAYI another Avro which CAC acquired in May 1930 from surplus military stock. There was only room for two passengers and she did not stay with the company long. She was struck off the civil register in December 1931 and few photograpfs survive." In military use the serial was H9861.
Location: On the W side of St Austell, S of the later A390 St Austell to Truro road. Almost certainly the same location used by Salmet in 1912
Period of operation: 1929 to ?
NOTES: This is I think very interesting. Rocky Parc was quite close to St Austell, and quite close to the family garage business in the town. However, I have also been sent photographic proof that the company also used a field in or near Sticker a couple miles or so further west along the A390. See the entry for STICKER.
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