Kelso flying sites
IMPORTANT NOTE: It is very much in the nature of producing a 'Guide' such as this, (now in 2026 over a quarter of a century in the making), that new information keeps coming to light. So, many listings need to be amended accordingly. In this case, Mike Holder, a great friend of the 'Guide', has added additional information and maps etc over a period of years. Typically, 'Sod's Law', always being the overiding rule, his latest contribution in January 2026, has now become the first item in his 'Gallery'. However, although an element of duplication is needed, I have retained the original contributions as the captions and contents differ.
It has also been a constant problem over the years to often try and determine exactly what to list many flying site as, when they have been known by different names. In such cases I have invariably retained and cross-referenced such examples, simply because I have no idea what visitors to the 'Guide' might be searching for. In this case perhaps: KELSO, CASTLE PARK or TEVIOT BRIDGE.
KELSO: Balloon ascent venue
NOTES: No exact details of where and when are known (?) but it would appear Vincenzo Lunardi performed an ascent in a hydrogen-filled balloon in Kelso in 1794.
THE 'FLYING CIRCUS' ERA
Some years ago I had made this comment: "It appears that the first appearance of anything airborne at Kelso, since the balloon ascent by Lunardi in 1794, was the visit by Sir Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day display Tour on the 8th September 1932, near the Teviot Bridge." Well, how wrong can you be? As can be seen below the Scottish Aerial Touring and Transportation Company made a brief visit in 1920.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY - PART ONE
This relates to the visit by the Scottish Aerial Touring and Tansportation Company in May 1920.
THE ACCIDENT
Article One was published in the Dundee Evening Telegraph on the 24th May 1920.
Both published on the 28th May 1920, the Short article One appeared in the Hawick Express, and the Short article Two was published in the Shrewsbury Chronicle.
This came from British Civil Aircraft Accidents. Note that it states that one passenger was involved, whereas the press reports say there were two passengers. Another aspect was that the Avro 504K, G-EAQV (ex E9443), was actually registered to Mr R A Mitchell from 04.02.20 until 08.02.21. Trying to unravel ownership with trading names is almost impossible. Plus, although decribed as beeing "wrecked" it was often the case that these Avro 504 types could be quickly rebuilt. But perhaps it was decided to use it for spares?
The local area and area views are from my Google Earth© derived database
GALLERY - PART TWO
Note: The newspaper article is from The Scotsman published on the 9th September 1932.
KERSMAINS
For the visits by Sir Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day displays, in 1933, 1934 and 1935, another site further south from Kelso and just north of Roxburgh was used. This being KERSMAINS. The 1933 display was on the 3rd July and was undertaken by the No.2 Tour. This No.2 Tour commenced on the 14th April at Southend in Essex and ended at Romford, also in Essex, on the 8th October. In all it visited 151 venues. (The No.1 Tour went to 116 venues, but that included the Irish Republic).
The 1934 visit was on the 2nd May, and that Tour was not split. That Tour started in Dagenham, Essex on the 14th April and finished at Romford, also in Essex on the 30th September. In all 159 venues were visited during that Tour. 1935 saw the last of the Sir Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day display Tours, (which also split into two Tours in July), and the Kelso display by the No.2 Tour was on the 26th July. In total the 1935 Tour(s) visited 244 venues.
A THIRD MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: All three of these newspaper articles are from the Jedburgh Gazette.
A FINAL CHAPTER FOR KERSMAINS
Note: This article, from the Southern Reporter, published on the 27th August 1936, was also kindly provided by Mike Holder, who is a great friend of this 'Guide'. As was the aerial photo taken in 1945.
The final display at Kelso, as far as I can determine, was by British Empire Air Display on the 21st August 1936. This was pretty much at the end of the great 'Flying Circus' era in the U.K. A small Tour was made by Coronation Air Displays in 1937, but that was mostly in the Irish Republic. The 'star turn' for the British Empire Air Display tour was T Campbell Black, who together with C W A Scott won the MacRobertson Centenary Air Race from England (MILDENHALL) to Australia (Melbourne) piloting the de Havilland DH88 Comet 'Grosvenor House' G-ACSS in October 1934.
Although nothing to compare with the Sir Alan Cobham Tours, this enterprise organised by Barker and McEwen King, starting at Luton in April and ending at Birmingham in September, visited 111 venues. Incidentally, C W A Scott had his own display tour company in 1936, CWA Scott's Flying Displays Ltd, but they only visited 65 venues, including several in the Irish Republic.
KELSO: Private airstrip or airfield
NOTES: In 1959 the Jedburgh Group were PFA affiliated members of the Association of British Aero Clubs and Centres apparently operating from a private field in/near Kelso.
As always in this 'Guide', if anybody can kindly offer advice, this will be much appreciated.
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