Town Moor
TOWN MOOR: Civil airfield later military Landing Ground and then temporary aerodrome
(also known as NEWCASTLE)
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The photo was published in The Bystander on the 9th October 1929:
Note: The article above was published in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer on the 8th July 1929. The aerial detail seems to show the exhibition ground whilst still under construction.
Note: The newspaper article was published in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer on the 10th June 1929.
THE RAF EXHIBITION
Mike Holder has also provided these newspaper articles concerning the RAF Exhibition that was held here, commencing on the 12th February 1919 and lasting for four weeks.
Note: This first two-part article was published in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer on the 7th February 1919. The third item was published in the Newcastle Daily Chronicle on the 14th February.
Note: Both of these articles were published in the Newcastle Daily Chronicle. The first on the 15th February and the two part, which concerns a fatality regarding an airship being moored, was dated the 7th March.
Military user: WW1: RFC/RAF (Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force)
No.9 AAP (Aircraft Acceptance Park)
Civil users: It appears that Armstrong-Whitworth transferred their flying activities from GOSFORTH (?) to here in 1915
1919: Berkshire Aviation Co ('Flying Circus' venue - see Notes below)
Location: The area still exists today as an area of common land covering 400 hectares situated NW of Newcastle city centre and stretching from near the city centre at Spital Tongues in the S to Cowgate & Kenton Bar to the W, Gosforth to the N and Jesmond to the E
Period of operation: Civil/military: WW1 from 1916 to ?
Civil: 1st to 21st December 1919 only?
NOTES: As mentioned under GOSFORTH I now believe that Armstrong-Whitworth did not have an airfield attached to their factory in Gosforth in the early stages of WW1. Initially is appears that completed aircraft were going to a ‘company flying ground’ in or near SELBY (YORKSHIRE), possibly their nearby airship facility at BARLOW?
COMMENCING
When flying activities started from TOWN MOOR it appears this was initially conducted from the west end of DUKE’S MOOR, which itself is part of TOWN MOOR, but the site was not considered to be “sufficiently safe”.
A new aerodrome was set up in the NE corner of TOWN MOOR, (suitably convenient to the factory in Gosforth), in June 1916 and this was later used or taken over as the RFC No.9 AAP (Aircraft Acceptance Park)
A 'FLYING CIRCUS' ARRIVES
Used by Berkshire Aviation Co as a ‘Flying circus’ venue from the 1st to 21st December 1919. The address being, ‘Town Moor Aerodrome.’ This must have been a great success to stay here for such a long period - or - were they desperate to drum up enough custom to afford moving on?.The later 'Flying Tours' rarely stayed more than two days on their UK Tours, and just one day was the usual time spent at most locations.
A LATER VISIT
In June 2020 Mr Michael T Holder, (a great friend of this 'Guide'), found evidence that during his 1929 Municipal Aerodrome Campaign, Sir Alan Cobham had planned, on the 7th June, to use TOWN MOOR as his venue for the Newcastle-upon-Tyne visit.
My note: Flying the ten-seater DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV the idea had been, at every one of the 107 venues originally planned to be visited, to take the local 'worthies' for a run round the local area, do a rousing speech at a gala luncheon, and then fly school children on flights sponsored by Lord Wakefield of Castrol Oil. Who was a very keen advocate of all things to do with promoting aviation affairs. For example he helped sponsor Amy Johnson on her flight to Australia.
But it appears, that on arriving at TOWN MOOR, Sir Alan decided it was in far too rough a condition to conduct his passenger carrying flights, and decided to decamp to the aerodrome at CRAMLINGTON operated by the Newcastle Aero Club. What we don't know is if this was managed to be arranged on the same day, or deferred to the 8th?
What appears fairly clear, it that Cobham's visit was the last time TOWN MOOR was used as a flying site? And, together with at least a couple of crashes and other setbacks, he still managed to visit 97 venues. A quite remarkable achievement.
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