Ulverston
ULVERSTON: Two temporary Landing Grounds
Location: The first, the Old Racecourse, was just south west of Ulverston town centre, the second, the Cricket Ground, just west.
Period of operation: 31st August 1912
In 1912 the Daily Mail sponsored six aviators, (as pilots were called), to conduct 'exhibitions of flying' around the UK. Two of them, arguably the most famous at that time (?), being the French aviator Henri Salmet, and the British aviator Claude Grahame-White, being sponsored to undertake extended tours. We need to remember that nothing like this had ever been attempted before. Indeed, powered aviation did not get going in the UK until 1909.
For all aviators at that time, the business of flying those flimsy contraptions, or 'machines' as they where then called, was a risky business at best, and few of them ventured much beyond the confines of their aerodrome. A French term describing an area within which flying took place. The fact that both these extended tours were, by and large, really quite successful seems quite remarkable today.
Hardly surprising then, that at the selected venues, they were hailed as heroes and féted accordingly, with civic receptions and banquets. But at Ulverston, for Salmet, the whole affair became somewhat pear-shaped. And, this was towards the end of his tour when he had become, what we would term today, a 'super star'.
Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide' has researched this tour by Salmet in great detail. The full schedule can be found in my article, "The 1912 tour by Henri Salmet".
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
This newspaper article, divided into three parts to make it easier to read, was published in the Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser on the 7th September 1912.
The newspaper article, this time divided into two parts to make it easier to read, was published in the Soulby's Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer on the 5th September 1912.
The newspaper article is also from Soulby's Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer published on the 5th September 1912. The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
WHY ULVERSTON?
With all due respect to the fine citizens of this town, it seems to make no sense at all for a visit by Hamel to be arranged. In 1901 the population was around ten thousand. Considering the aims of this tour, to bring aviation to as wide a public as possible, it makes even less sense, being so close to Barrow-in-Furness - his next major venue.
Looking at a map, considering a route from Preston to Barrow-in Furness leaves us wondering why Lancaster wasn't the most obvious en route visit? Even in 1911 the population of Lancaster is given as around 72,000 - more than enough to generate a large crowd, and with all the facilities for a grand civic reception. So why was Lancaster ignored in favour of Ulverston?
ANOTHER ASPECT
By this time, without much if any doubt, Salmet was suffering from severe fatigue. He had not given himself anywhere near enough time to recover from major surgery in London when he revisited Cardiff back in June. And indeed, when he reached Barrow-in-Furness he became so ill he had to abandon the tour, going back to London. He did resume his tour, albiet briefly in Ireland, some time later.
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