Blankney
BLANKNEY: Temporary aerodrome (Aka BLANKNEY HALL)
Operated by: Claude Grahame-White
Location: Just W of the B1188, about 8nm SE of Lincoln city centre
Period of operation: Main event 22nd April 1914
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for both discovering this location, investigating the subject and providing the following items.
The Notice was published in the Retford and Worksop Herald and North Notts Advertiser on the 17th March 1914.
This article in three parts was published in the Lincolnshire Echo on the 22nd April 1914.
The aerial photo is from the Local Blankney History Society. The second photo of the Hall in ruins is from: 'Early memories of a country house snooper' by John Harris.
THE FLIERS INVOLVED
Claude Grahame-White arrived from HENDON with two aircraft together with two other early aviators, R H Carr (Later a Major in WW1, DSM, AFC) and the young French aviator Mons. Phillipe Marty.
The first photo of R H Carr (1886 to 1968) was published in Flight magazine on the 10th July 1914.
The neck and neck finish of a cross-country race at HENDON on the 18th April 1914, showing R H Carr on a Grahame-White No.2 biplane and Mons. Philippe Marty on a Morane-Saulnier monoplane, was published in The Aeroplane on the 23rd April 1914.
A TRAGIC ACCIDENT
Shortly after he gave exhibition flights at BLANKNEY on the 22nd April, Phillipe Marty, just 21 years old, was killed at HENDON whilst giving exhibition flights on the 26th April. This report, in three parts, of the accident was obtained from ASN Flight Safety.
THREE MORE ITEMS TO ILLUSTRATE THIS LISTING
Article Two was published in the Lincolnshire Echo on the 27th April 1914. The picture of the Grahame-White No.2 was published in Flight magazine on the 22nd May 1914.
AND FINALLY, GOOGLE EARTH © IMAGES OF THE LOCATION
Mike Holder provided the local view and the local area and area views are from my Google Earth derived database.
END NOTES: When I started this project now over 25 years ago, (from 2025), the original concept was a 'Guide' book. This idea was approved by the late John Farley of the Aero Book Company and I set to work. In those days thought I knew a thing or two about our aviation history, and was, as it turned out, quite correct. I did indeed know a thing or two, but nothing more!
Some people go to university to get an education, but I doubt if any could have been provided with a better education, in aviation of course, than producng this 'Guide' has given to me. So many lovely, kind and generous people have given me this education, free of charge I must add. So, I do not have a huge student debt hanging over me.
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