Barking flying sites
Note: This map gives only a general location within the UK.
BARKING see also CREEKMOUTH
BARKING: Military Kite Balloon Station
Military users: RFC/RAF No. 1 (Balloon) Apron Squadron
Location: On Longbridge Farm. There is today a section of the A124 in Dagenham called Longbridge Road and my guess is that the site was possibly where the Playing Fields are today just N of Longbridge Road, just ENE of the junction with Goodmayes Lane, or, just S of this site, (and the A124), in the grounds of the University of East London which also has Playing Fields and Sports Grounds
Period of operation: 1917 to 1919
BARKING CREEK: Company airfield (Also known as BARKING MARSHES)
NOTE: Over the years there has been some confusion regarding what name this location should be known as. Subsequent investigation, mostly by Mr Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', reveals that it should be known as CREEKMOUTH. To see maps and pictures please refer to my CREEKMOUTH listing.
Operated by: Handley Page
Manufacturing: Handley Page
Note: This picture from Flight magazine was scanned from British Aviation - The Pioneer Years by Harald Penrose, first published in 1967. This book is, without any doubt, amongst the best accounts I have ever read about the early years of British aviation.
Location: Barking Creek is still listed on modern maps as a reach of the River Roding about half a mile S of the A13 interchange with River Road. On the E side of the Creek. However, subsequent information shows that it was actually situated on the north bank of the River Thames, just east of Creekmouth.
Period of operation: 1909 to 1912
NOTES: This factory appears to be the first purpose built premises in the UK erected exclusively for the manufacture of aeroplanes. In fact it seems that Handley Page possibly started working here in 1908 (?), well before founding his company on this site in June 1909.
He certainly set out to form and inaugurate a business of his own in 1908. By comparison the British and Colonial Aeroplane Co, (later Bristol), was formed in October 1910, and Mr A V Roe’s company was installed on the 11th June 1913.
THE FIRST OF MANY
The first ‘proper’ aeroplane design seems to be the Bluebird or H.P.1 but it appears this was grossly underpowered and only made a few short hops. Next came the H.P.2B commissioned by Mr W P Thompson who had formed Planes Ltd in Lancashire and the type was generally known as the Planes Ltd Biplane.
Completed in October 1909 it wasn’t a success and was badly damaged in gales in early 1910. However it was rebuilt, taken to FRESHFIELD aerodrome on the LANCASHIRE coast where it was reconstructed and flew successfully with Mr R C Fenwick as the pilot. The Handley Page company moved to CRICKLEWOOD in north London in 1912.
This 'airfield' was described by Major C C Turner in his book ‘Old Flying Days’ as being, “....a weed preserve.”
NOTES: It seems fairly certain that while Frederick Handley Page was setting up his factory and flying ground at BARKING the first design was actually a glider. It seems this was flight tested on BARKING MARSHES upon a steep hillock which was if fact a more or less covered up rubbish dump.
It also seems that the Handley Page E.H.P.5 crashed whilst attempting a flight from FAIRLOP to BARKING in 1911. Rebuilt as the H.P.5 it then went on to fly to BROOKLANDS in 1912?. Perhaps the flight details are correct (?) but it also seems that Handley Page moved his factory to CRICKLEWOOD in 1912.
WERE THERE OTHERS?
It appears there were other early aeroplanes reported to be at BARKING during this period such as the Baden-Powell ‘Scout’ in 1909 and the Mackensie-Hughes ‘Triplane’ of 1910 nicknamed “The Staircase” later to become the Molesworth Triplane that year. However, it is it seems, quite possible that these were only visiting and actually based at DAGENHAM?
Think about it, in so many ways isn’t it really a quite disgraceful state of affairs that it took me often some four, five or more years of research to learn about many of these early flying sites? (My extra note: I still am after seventeen years in 2016).
Surely they should be regarded as historic aviation landmarks recorded in every book about early British aviation pioneers? Instead we’re very often fed a diet of a few glib facts endlessly regurgitated which can easily be open to question if not downright fiction!
A PLEE
This was written at around the turn of the 21st century: Is it not about time, albiet many decades late, that the real history of early British aviation deserves to be properly written up in full with an agreeded consensus by all the experts? (As time refuses to stand still, I do apologise if this has now been achieved).
In a ‘Guide’ like this only pot-shots can be taken. I had never read anywhere until Aussie Brown provided me with a copy of the slim volume ‘Aviation in Essex’ prepared and published by the Southend Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society in January 1967, (priced 2’6d), to celebrate the centenary of the Society edited by Mr K A Cole that ESSEX was one of the ‘cradles’ of British aviation history.
Consider this, Mr A V Roe (AVRO), Mr Frederick Handley Page and Mr Pemberton-Belling, (later of Vickers-Supermarine), all conducted many if not most of their first flying experiments in this County.
NOTE: By 2017 I had added many more early accounts of pioneering aviation endeavours in ESSEX.
OVER-EGGING?
As so often happens Mr Cole was ‘over-egging’ such claims to an almost ridiculous extent, but I think he was probably justified in doing so - to grab our attention. For example see EASTCHURCH in KENT, BROOKLANDS in SURREY and HENDON in LONDON for a more balanced picture of these early aviation days.
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