Somerford Bridge
SOMERFORD BRIDGE: Public aerodrome (Aka SOMERFORD GRANGE)
Operated by: Fisher Aviation Company
Location: Just SW of Somerford Bridge, about 1.5nm ENE of Christchurch town centre
Period of operation: Unknown exactly (?) but certainly from 1931 until 1938
Note: Eventually, around 1934, it was combined with BURRY'S FARM to the west, to form CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT, which itself was renamed in 1935 as BOURNEMOUTH AIRPORT. (See seperate listings for both BURRY'S FARM and CHRISTCHURCH)
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great long-term friend of this 'Guide', to thank for investigating this location in May 2026, and providing the following items to illustrate the listing.
The information is from the Christchurch Historical Society. Without any doubt Capt. Francis Fisher did not fly some 19,000 passengers using his sole Avro 504K, G-EBVL, between 1931 and 1933.
That astonishing figure, rarely equalled by anyone else between the wars, would have been between 1931 and 1938.
THREE PICTURES OF G-EBVL
Photo One is from the Christchurch Historical Society: Photo Two is from Wings over Dorset by Leslie Dawson and Photo Three is from Dorset's Skies by Colin Cruddas.
Although official records cannot be relied upon entirely, acccording to the Civil Aircraft Register, G-EBVL was registered to Fisher Aviation from 18.08.31 until 31.12.38, and was based at BURTON-on-TRENT. So, it seems Capt. Fisher flew it down here to take advantage of the presumably very lucrative summer season. It was scrapped in 1939. It appears that the Fisher Aviation Company was registered in 1930, so I suppose it is possible that he operated another aircraft from 1930 before acquiring G-EBVL in August 1931? Which would have been smack in the middle of the summer holiday flying season.
The article appeared in the Bournemouth Graphic on the 16th September 1932, and shows that Capt. Fisher was much open to any ideas to promote his joy-riding enterprise.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
These three items appeared in the New Milton Advertiser.
The Advert One and Article appeared in the 12th September 1931 edition, and Advert Two was placed in the 2nd July 1932 issue.
NOTES: Is it possible that after starting operations, perhaps with an aircraft he had hired (?), that the incident referred to in the article above, was when G-EBVL was being delivered? The dates are very close.
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