Swaythling Farm Polo Ground
SWAYTHLING FARM POLO GROUND: Temporary Landing Ground
Operated by: Hampshire Aeroplane Club
Location: Just S of EASTLEIGH/SOUTHAMPTON airport
Period of operation: 8th to 9th July 1931
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have, once again, to thank Mike Holder for discovering this little known venue, gleaned from spending countless hours on our behalf, scouring old press reports. Plus supplying the maps and some of the pictures.
THE INITIAL INFO SOURCE
This came from two articles published in the Hampshire Advertiser. The first appearing on the 4th July, and the second on the 11th July 1931. As can be seen from reading below, the event itself was being held at South Stoneham House, which presumably was not at all suitable for aircraft landing there. By this time the "Great Depression" was taking hold across the U.K., and events to raise funds for supporting hospitals were becoming commonplace. Very often as in this case, promoted with the help of the rich and famous, who were mostly not at all affected. But, has to be said, felt a sense of civic duty towards the less fortunate people in the country.
The local area and area views are from my Google Earth© derived database.
NOTES: It is often said that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Hopefully not life threatening to me in this case? When I first read these accounts I could not make any sense of them. Why on earth would the Hampshire Aeroplane Club be using this location when they were based nigh on next door? A quick delve on the inter-web soon revealed the answer.
The Hampshire Aeroplane Club was founded in 1926 and based at HAMBLE. They moved to EASTLEIGH,(ATLANTIC PARK), in December 1933. By that time it appears, owning twenty-six aircraft. Which surely must have made it, if not the largest, definitey one of the biggest Clubs in the UK?
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