Birdston Farm
BIRDSTONE FARM: Temporary aerodrome (Aka KIRKINTILLOCH)
Note: These maps and pictures were very kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder
Operated by: North British Aviation 1931, Sir Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day 1933
Location: Just S of Birdston village, about 1nm N of Kirkintilloch town centre, and 7nm NNE of Glasgow city centre
Period of operation: North British Aviation - Sunday 15th November 1931 (Deduced from newspaper article)
National Aviation Day - 6th July 1933 (Also displayed at EASTER CAWDER FARM in 1934)
Note: Mike Holder also found this advert published in the Kirkintilloch Herald on the 5th July 1933, the day before the display.
NOTES: Mike Holder who is a great friend and indefatigable researcher for this 'Guide' traced this article published on Wednesday 18th November 1931:
Aeroplane Flights from Birdston.
___________________
"During the summer the North British Aviation Coy., whose headquarters are at Hooton Park Aerodrome, near Liverpool, have been providing a novel entertainment at various towns in Scotland. Their 'planes have been in use for passenger flights and aerobatics, that have greatly added to the attractions at summer resorts."
"Just on the close of the season they paid a visit to Kirkintilloch, where their experience has not been too fortunate. The 'plane was in the district for some ten days before it was put into action. A programme had been promised for the first Sunday of this month, but Flying Officer Swiss took ill and was unable to meet his engagements. Then Capt. E. Fresson was sent north, with the view of carrying out a full programme on Sunday last."
"The Coy. had engaged a field on Birdston Farm, immediately to the south of Kelvin Valley Railway. This field, as local people know, is frequently flooded, and, as ill luck would have it, Saturday's torrential rain, while not exactly flooding it, renfered it so soft and spongy that the Flying Officer had actually decided to abandon the programme, and in the early forenoon he set off for Hooton. But the fog come down, and he was unable to proceed beyond Hamilton, and returned back. The atmosphere being clear of fog, he started his passenger flights shortly after two o'clock."
"The condition of the field told against the attendance of the public, crowds of whom contented themselves in viewing the flight upon the much more comfortable footing of Milton Road. For all that, Capt. Fresson was kept busy, the stream of passengers keeping him in the air till dusk. The paucity of spectators within the field was the cause of the aerobatics being cut out. What was best seen from Peel Park was the regular flights of the plane, at varying altitudes, and occasional demonstrations of looping the loop. When darkness fell, and intending passengers were still queued up for flights, many of them had the disappointment of being turned away."
THE AEROPLANE
This would have been a three-seater Avro 504K capable of carrying two passengers. From 1929 to 1934 North British Aviation, based at HOOTON PARK AERODROME in CHESHIRE, west across the River Mersey from Liverpool, operated four examples: G-EBGZ, G-EBIS, G-EBSJ and G-EBXA. At the time of the article above E.E. (Ted) Fresson was a director of the company. He sold out in late 1932 and formed Highland Airways based in Inverness, serving northern Scotland and the Orkney and Shetland islands.
DUNBARTONSHIRE
I have a map showing the original Counties of the UK, and Kirkintilloch was in a detached part of DUNBARTONSHIRE - quite a small area. In fact many Counties in the UK had 'detached' areas. I have no idea why, and quite frankly have no time to research the subject. One thing was certain though, although entirely false administrative areas such as Greater London, West Midlands and an ever changing myriad of others, (a nightmare for people like me trying to compile an historical perspective), come and go, only an act of Parliament could change these mostly ancient Counties.
BUT - has devolution changed this? Do regional parliaments now have the powers to change historical Counties? Answers on a postcard please, c/o Home For The Bewidered, Ealing, West London.
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