Polo Field
POLO FIELD: Temporary experimental Flying Ground (Aka RACE MEADOW and COW BRIDGE)
Location: Just SE of Kempston, roughly 1.5nm SSW of Bedford town centre
THE STORY CONTINUED
After making his first attempts to learn to fly with his rebuilt second-hand Blériot XI, first at POSTERN PIECE and then HOLLY HEDGE FIELD, (see seperate listings), Albert Grimmer decided to move north to this location and set up a more permanent base with a hangar. By now it seems, not at all satisfied with his Blériot XI, he purchased a crashed Deperdussin and rebuilt it. Both of which are now in the Shuttleworth Collection at OLD WARDEN. And, sometimes do still fly if conditions are ideal.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for delving into the history of this location and providing the following.
The Photo is of Mr Grimmer getting ready to take-off, or at least to do a 'hop'.
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE STORY
Mike Holder found a great deal of information from the book Richard Shuttleworth by Kevin Desmond. This sequence of excerpts also explains how Mr Grimmers aeroplanes came to be a very important addition to the Shuttleworth Collection.
The photo shows Albert Grimmer with Richard Shuttleworth at HATFIELD.
The local area view, from my Google Earth © derived database, shows the three locations used by Mr Grimmer.
NOTES: In doing this research for over twenty five years I have come across so many fabulous tales. All part of our aviation history and illustrating just how rich and diverse it has been, both in war and in peace. But every now and again, something, although very small in the greater scheme of things, has grabbed my attention. And, the exploits of Mr Albert Grimmer is certainly one such example.
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