Badminton
BADMINTON: Private airstrip
Note: Pictures by the author.
Operated by: 1930s: Lady Apsley
1990s to - The Duke of Beaufort
Location: N of B4040, E of A46, 4 nm ENE of Chipping Sodbury
Period of operation: 1930s & 1984 to present day only?
Note: This map is reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runways: 1990: 07/25 1300x27 grass 18/36 270x27 grass
2000: 07/25 1300x27 grass (Once seemed to be approx. 2000x27?)
NOTES: The period the airstrip operated in the 1930s appears uncertain, and it seems doubtful the same runway was used? The only concrete evidence I have found so far appears to be from Neville Doyle in his book The Triple Alliance regarding the DH.84 Dragon G-ACAO in 1935: “By the summer, G-ACAO had been registered to Lady Apsley (she and Lord Apsley were directors of Western Airways and although G-ACAO was often seen at the family home at Badminton, it was frequently used by Western Airways and finally registered to them in 1938).”
G-ACAO was the second Dragon operated by Hillman’s Airways based initially at MAYLANDS and then STAPLEFORD in ESSEX. Hillman’s were the first to operate the DH.84 Dragon which started service in either December 1932 or January 1933.
In 1990 it seems parachuting occurred during summer months, and Badminton Air Days have been held over the years.
Copyright Peter March, reproduced from the December 2016 edition of Light Aviation magazine.
AN AMAZING ESCAPE
In the December issue of Light Aviation magazine a profile of Dudley Pattison was published. Dudley suffers from an apparently incurable condition - to keep building aircraft from scatch and acquiring others. He tells the story that after the mist cleared in July 1989, some twenty seven aircraft were in the 'circuit' to land for a Badminton Air Day event.
After touching down in his Stolp Starduster Too SA300, G-DUST, a pilot of a Luscombe who was clearly not in total control of the situation and keeping a good lookout, landed on top of him! Dudley knew nothing of this until recovering in intensive care.
BADMINTON see also PETTY FRANCE HOTEL
Rasthem
This comment was written on: 2016-07-19 12:28:46Interested to read on the Badminton Airfield page details that Lady Apsley's (Viola Bathurst) family home is stated as Badminton!. All evidence I find is that the family home is Cirencester Park where Earl Bathurst now resides, well it's his family home amongst a number of others.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hello, I am afraid that I cannot comment on this. But many thanks and I shall get your advice posted. Regards, Dick
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