Castle Bromwich 1909
CASTLE BROMWICH: Temporary flying site
Operated by: Mr Alfred P Maxfield
Location: Castle Bromwich playing fields – golf links, just NE of Castle Bromwich, about 5nm ENE to NE of Birmingham city centre
Period of operation: From the 27th September to the 2nd October 1909
NOTES: Mr Maxfield took two 9hp aircraft to this location in 1909 but neither actually flew. However, it appears Mr Maxfield persevered and did eventually become the first Birmingham aviator. On the 27th September and the 7th October 1909 it is recorded that Mr Maxfields third aircraft did fly, climbing to approximately fifty feet. For reasons that remain obscure he then gave up attempts of flying despite being a prominent member of the Midlands Aero Club.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for undertaking more research into this subject and providing the following;
The photo is taken from Aviation in Birmingham by Geoffrey Negus.
The short article was published in the Birmingham Mail on the 16th March 1909.
This article, in three parts, was published in the Evening Despatch on the 1st October 1909.
Article Two, in two parts, was published in the Kenilworth Advertiser on the 2nd October 1909.
The 2nd short article was published in the Wolverhampton Express and Star on the 4th October 1909.
A VERY USEFUL OVERVIEW
These excerpts are from Aviation in Birmingham by Geoffrey Negus.
PUTTING THESE EARLY FLYING EXPERIMENTS INTO CONTEXT
The local area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
Clearly much interest was being taken locally by the press regarding Mr Maxfields experiments, typically ignoring what was going on elsewhere and making any comparisons - not just in England but especially in Europe. A very good example I would suggest of that "Little England" approach, which still persists today in some quarters. Indeed, from some people, it appears, the U.K. is still regarded as being a major global player in international affairs.
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
The development of fixed wing aviation had been progressing in leaps and bounds in Europe, mainly led by the French of course. But you might be interested to look at this calender of aviation events during 1909. What is today generally regarded as being the major aviation event in 1909 is the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne held from the 22nd to the 29th August near Reims in northern France - and for good reason perhaps? But, a lot more was going on that year. For example:
An aviation meeting at Port-Aviation at Juvisy in France in May.
The Concours d'Aviation de Douai in France, 28th June to 18th July.
Semaine d'Aviation de Vichy in France, 18th to 25th July.
Circuito Aero Internazionale di Brescia, Italy, 8th to 20th September.
Quinzaine d'Aviation de Spa, Belgium, 20th September to 2nd October.
Berliner Flugwoche, Berlin, Germany, 26th September to 3rd October.
Internationale Flugwoche zu Frankfurt, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, 3rd to 13th October.
Vliegweek van Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium, 23rd October to 2nd November.
PLUS, LEST WE SHOULD FORGET, LAST BUT PERHAPS NOT TOO MUCH LEAST?
In England, typically mis-managed by splitting the field of the amount of aviators available on the 'demonstration circuit', plus of course centuries old animosity existing between Lancashire and Yorkshire, two events were held. Doncaster Aviation Contest from the 15th to the 26th October, and Blackpool Aviation Week from the 18th to 24th October. I have seperate listings for both of these events with more details.
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