Priory Farm Meadow
PRIORY FARM MEADOW: Temporary Landing Ground
Operated by: Henri Salmet
Location: Just N of Southend-on-Sea town centre
Period of operation: From the 3rd to the 7th August 1912
In 1912 the Daily Mail sponsored six well known aviators to perform 'exhibitions of flying' around much of the U.K. The two arguably most famous in those days embarked on extended tours. The French aviator Henri Salmet and the British aviator Claude Grahame-White - his tour being called 'Wake Up England". We need to remember that powered aviation had only got underway in the U.K. three years previously - in 1909.
The rate of progress was quite remarkable in so many ways. Airframe design and construction techniques, advances in engines and propeller design and manufacturing, were all combining to achieve better results in a continuous process month by month. But, piloting techniques was another matter altogether - even more a 'suck it and see' situation. In the early days very few pilots, (or aviators as they were then called), ventured beyond the bounds of the aerodrome, and even then in calm conditions, usually at dawn and dusk.
So, to find that the bravest and most experienced aviators were prepared to embark on long distance air races, created quite a sensation. Even so, very few people had ever seen an aeroplane, let alone one flying. Consequently, when the Daily Mail decided to sponsor this campaign in 1912, to bring the aeroplane to as many people a possible, it was widely acclaimed - and no doubt boosted their circulation figures too.
This tour by Henri Salmet has been researched in detail by Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', and the full schedule can be found in my article: "The 1912 tour by Henri Salmet'. Mike has also provided the items below for the visit by Salmet to Southend-on-Sea.
Note: The article is an excerpt from Southend Time Line.
One aspect of this Tour by Salmet never ceases to intrigue, interest and even amaze me - the route he took. Flying a much greater distance than would be needed if simply using a map. No doubt other reasons took precedence, but will we ever know what these were? Fitting in with the open dates when the local dignitaries were avialable to greet Salmet, given that he could not often keep to the original schedule, might be one answer?
Much of his route seems to make sense initially, flying across to South Wales from west London before doubling back to cross the Bristol Channel before embarking on a tour of the West Country. He then retraced his route, more or less, back to Cardiff, (where he became very ill), before commencing again by flying up into the southern parts of the West Midlands before heading roughly south again.
This is the part of his route that interests me. Flying from Cirencester to Swindon he then flew to Northampton followed by Colchester. Fair enough perhaps, but from Colchester he then flew to Southend-on-Sea before going up to Clacton and Ipswich, when his next destination was Gravesend in Kent.
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