Underdown Farm
UNDERDOWN FARM: Very temporary Landing Ground (Aka EDDINGTON)
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The second item is from Picryl, and the third item, is an excerpt from the Gravesend Northfleet Standard published on the 16th August 1912.
Location: Just S of Herne Bay town centre
Period of operation: Briefly on the 13th August 1912
NOTES: As the newspaper account above tells us, Henri Salmet, who was being sponsored by the Daily Mail to tour much of the U.K., especially seaside resorts with his two-seater Blériot monoplane, was flying from Gravesend to Broadstairs on the 13th August 1912.
For some unexplained reason, on reaching Herne Bay, he decided to make an impromptu display and then land at UNDERWOOD FARM. He was by then very famous indeed, something of a 'super-star', and no doubt people in the area were already aware of his intended flight that day, following the coast, and looking out for him.
This would certainly explain how quickly he was surrounded by fans and well-wishers, even though it appears, he only stayed on the ground for about thirty minutes. I cannot recall finding another example of Salmet doing this during his tour - but he may have done? It is perhaps a tad difficult for us today to appreciate just what an impact these 'stars', such as Salmet, Gustav Hamel and Claude Grahame-Wright were having on the general population. Many thousands would turn up for an exhibition of flying, even though usually, only one aeroplane was being displayed.
Indeed, invariably a major civic function would be arranged, usually at the town hall, and quite often if the display was being held on a week-day, the town council would declare a public holiday.
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