During the first 3 decades of the twentieth century,Bournemouth was well to the forefront in aviation.Over that period there were three land aerodromes in the area as well as what amounted to a water aerodrome at Bournemouth Pier.
The first aerodrome was very short lived.Located at Southbourne(Lat/Long 50 43 41N/01 47 16W,),to the south of Wick Lane
and East of Belle Vue Road, the aerodrome was laid out for the purpose of holding the Bournemouth Aviation Meeting (July 11th - 16th 1910).In anticipation of a large attendance the Hotel Burlington , in Boscombe , was booked for the entire week to accomodate the participants.
Unfortunately the event and location are mainly remembered for the death of the
Hon.C.S.Rolls ,who was killed at the Meeting when his Wright biplane broke up and crashed. However, this was a major event with big prize money attracting many of the big aviation names of the day including (although not flying) Louis Bleriot.
1. Edouard Audemars (Demoiselle) 2. G. A. Barnes (Humber) 3. Hon. Alan Boyle (Avis) 4. J. Christiaens (H. Farman) 5. G. B. Cockburn (H. Farman) 6. S. F. Cody (Cody) 7. G. C. Colmore (Short) 8. Capt. Bertram Dickson (H.Farman) 9. J. Armstrong Drexel (Bleriot) 10.L. D. L. Gibbs (H. Farman and Sommer) | 11.Cecil Grace(Short) 12.C. Grahame-White (H. Farman) 13.Robert Jones(pseudonym for Robert Loraine) (H. Farman) 14.J. T. C. Moore - Brabazon(Short and Voisin) 15.Leon F. Morane (Bleriot) 16.A. Ogilvie (Short-Wright) 17.James Radley (Bleriot) 18. A. Rawlinson (H. Farman) 19.Hon. C. S. Rolls (Short-Wright) 20.Louis Wagner (Hanriot) |
Longest flight— £3,000,£150,£60,£40. Speed flight— £1,000,£400,£100,£50. Greatest altitude prize— £1,000,£400,£100,£50. Starting prize— £250,£50,£25,£25. Alighting prize— £250,£50,£25,£25. Sea flight(3) prizes for best time)£800,£400,£100. Weight carrying (three prizes)— £350,£150,£50. General merit (four prizes)— £500,£300,£150,£50 Slowest circuit (one prize)— £100. Competitors' assistants(2 prizes)— £60,£40. | The following is the programme for each day:— Monday, July 11th:Longest Flight,Speed Prize,Altitude Prize, Slowest Circuit. Tuesday, July 12th:Longest Flight,Speed Prize,Starting Prize, Alighting Prize,Slowest Circuit. Wednesday, July 13th:Longest Flight,Speed Prize,Altitude Prize,Weight Carrying,Slowest Circuit. Thursday, July 14th: Longest Flight,Speed Prize,Weight Carrying,Starting Prize,Alighting Prize,Slowest Circuit. .Friday,July 15th:Longest Flight,Speed Prize,Altitude Prize, Sea-Flight round the Needles(weather permitting), Aeroplane v Motor Boat Race. Saturday,July 16th:Longest Flight,Speed Prize,Altitude Prize,Sea-Flight round the Needles(weather permitting) Aeroplane v Motor Boat Race. |
The meeting was judged to have been a success by the contemporary press- this in spite of the tragic death of the Hon C.S.Rolls.
Two other aircraft also crashed at the meeting but the pilots(Cecil Grace & J Christiaens) both survived the experience.
There seems to have been no further use of this site on a regular basis but it is possible that Henri Salmet used the site in late 1913 whist operating in the Bournemouth area.It is on record that he ran into a tree whilst landing at "Tuckton" on November 22nd 1913.
Below are a number of picture postcards of the meeting.
During the course of the meeting Loraine ("Robert Jones") became the first to fly through a rain storm and the first to land on the Isle of Wight.
