Stoke-on-Trent flying sites
Note: This map only shows the position of Stoke-on-Trent within the UK.
STOKE-on TRENT see also MEIR
STOKE-on-TRENT see also PORT HILL MEADOW
STOKE-on-TRENT: Temporary aerodrome
Operated by: Gustav Hamel, (presumably on account of the Graham-White Co?)
Location: Not known?
Note: Any advice regarding this location will be most welcome.
Period of operation: 24th October 1912
NOTES: During this period Gustav Hamel was touring the country, supported by some engineers to maintain and often take-apart and re-assemble his Blériot monoplane, (if travel between venues meant travelling by rail), giving public demonstration flights.
STOKE-on-TRENT: Temporary aerodrome? (Possibly PORT HILL MEADOW or MEIR?)
NOTES: Used by the Berkshire Aviation Co in late August, (31st?) and probably into early September 1919. The Berkshire Aviation Company tended to stay five or more days at each venue. Sometimes just a couple of days, but up to a fortnight has been recorded. I suppose it all depended on how much potential business was seen to be realised. Quite possibly I would imagine, the weather might have influenced the length of a stay too?
In 1931 CD Barnard Air Tours used a site in/near STOKE as did Sir Alan Cobham’s No.1 Tour on the 27th July 1933. Does anybody now know the exact locations used? The same question applies of course when, on the 7th June Cobham’s 1934 Tour displayed in/near Stoke. Any advice on this will be most welcome.
STOKE-on-TRENT: Private airstrip (?)
NOTES: Many years ago, at first I thought this must be the STOKE-on-TRENT airstrip mentioned in a mid 1970s listing, and surely must be MEIR? Needless to say, and with far more experience, I very much doubt it. I think I’ve got MEIR more or less sorted.
This is a very good example of where various threads of knowledge and information seem to result in a messy tangle. Rather than sorting itself out as I’d hoped would be the case the further I looked into aviation history. Little did I know! In most cases of course, the exact opposite happens to be the case. The more you learn, usually the more complicated it all becomes.
In the mid 1970s listings published by P B Enterprises (Aero) in 1977 and shown to me by Ken Hyde at the Shuttlworth Collection it says the Bensen Gyro-Copter G-ASME registered to Mr C A Rapper and Mr A J Tabenor was based here, as was the FRED Series 2 G-ASZY registered to Mr E Clutton and Mr E W Sherry. The Benson B.8 Gyro-Copter G-AWDW was based here too it seems.
Now then, using the deduction table from my patented extra-magnification ‘Sherlock Holmes’ detective kit…I’ve managed to add two plus two and make five it seems. The FRED (Flying Runabout Experimental Design) is pretty well known, but look at the registered owners for G-ASME and G-ASZY. I have a book published many years ago where the FRED was listed as the Clutton-Tabenor FRED! I trust the connection is obvious? It therefore seems probable that Mr Clutton and Mr Tabenor were conducting their flying affairs from a location separate from MEIR?
Or were they? In 2017 I discovered evidence that the Staffs Light Plane Group were based at MEIR, so presumably this Group included those listed above?
If anybody can kindly offer advice on the subject, this will be very welcome.
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