Was this the first (early aircraft incidents in Sussex)?

[pomme homme]

My notes, which are probably very far from complete, suggest that the first heavier-than-air aircraft crash in Sussex occurred on 15 April 1911, when a 50 hp Blériot crashed on Devonshire Park, Eastbourne. Does anyone know more about this accident? Does anyone know of an earlier heavier-than-air aircraft crash in Sussex?

[pomme homme]

.....clearly not! But was the second the Piffard Biplane, which crashed at Shoreham, Sussex, in May 1911, badly damaging the aeroplane but without any fatalities? My notes indicate that it crashed from a height of 30 feet. I'd hazard a guess at a stall on its landing approach.

[pomme homme]

Ah, now this may have been the first!

[John]

In regard to the first post..

Lichfield Mercury - Friday 21 April 1911

Eastbourne visitors experienced a mild sensation on Saturday in the sudden appearance over the sea-front of a Bleriot aeroplane. The parades were crowded at the time, and the graceful evolutions of the machine were watched with keen interest. The aeroplane, which had left Shoreham in West Sussex about an hour previously, had on board Captain O. C. Morrison, the well-known aviator, who enjoyed a splendid passage. After describing several circles extending beyond the pier, the aeroplane descended in the grounds of Devonshire Park. Unfortunately the aviator failed to notice the electric light wires, and the machine, after coming in contact with the branches of a tree, struck a lamp column, which it snapped off at the base, and finally dropped on to some chairs. Captain Morrison was shaken by the force of the impact, and was promptly assisted to alight. The aeroplane was wrecked, the propeller being smashed and the wings split and rendered useless. A crowd immediately assembled, and for some time the aviator, who accepted the mishap quite good-humouredly, was busily engaged in complying with the pressing demands for his autograph. Later in the day he left Eastbourne by train, and the badly-damaged aeroplane was removed on a motor-lorry.

[chasg]

Do aviators still "enjoy a splendid passage", I wonder?

[pomme homme]

Thank you, John.

Returning to 'number two', another website records the Piffard No. 2 biplane crashing at Shoreham on 21 May 1910. If so, then was this the first? Anyhow, as was the way at that time, despite its extensive damage the machine was repaired and flew again - only to crash again, on 4 October 1910. But adopting the 'nil desperandum' approach, Harold Piffard used the remains to build yet another aeroplane. I haven't yet ascertained the fate of this one. But if I had to hazard a guess.........!

As a coda, the Piffard No. 2 biplane may have been the first heavier-than-air aircraft crash in Sussex, but it was not the first such loss to be suffered by Mr Piffard. On 2 December 1909, in a field at North Ealing, he had coaxed his No. 1 biplane to a height of 12' for a distance of 300'. However that night, whilst it was installed in a marquee on the field, a gale came up and - yes, you guessed it - the aeroplane was destroyed. But as is evident from the foregoing paragraph, Mr Piffard was not to be beaten..........!

[pomme homme]

.....and a very poor image of the Piffard No. 2 biplane.

[Icare9]

Is that before or AFTER the crash!!!

[pomme homme]

........I must assume, Icare9, that it was prior to either of the unfortunate interruptions of its flight testing programme! Anyhow here's a marginally better image of the Piffard no. 2 biplane (I suspect that the previous image was of the no. 1 biplane).

Apparently Piffard's nos. 3 and 4 were hydrobiplanes which were housed on what is now Shoreham Beach and tested off the beach there. Neither were successful. No. 3 capsized in August 1911, but was salvaged. In typical Piffard style, parts of it were used to construct no.4 but it was wrecked in a gale on the beach at the end of 1911. Piffard didn't really seem to have much luck with the weather! Apparently the engine, propellor, fuel tank and radiator of no. 4 are now in the Science Museum collection in London.

[Man of Kent1]

.........and Mr Piffard's remains are in the..... ?

[Monkton Malc]

.........and Mr Piffard's remains are in the..... ?

Old Cemetery at Chiswick...

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=22086

[Man of Kent1]

So, presumably, we are talking about HAROLD HUME PIFFARD, the artist and 'fine painter of.....', who died in January, 1938?  Quite a jump, then, from building aircraft to the brush and easel!

[pomme homme]

Indeed we are, Harold Hume Piffard, artist, late of Bedford Park, Chiswick, Lodon W4. Piffard was a Lancing College old boy, so he would have known the area well. Also he was associated with Aviators Finance Co. Ltd., together with George Arthur Wingfield of Wingfield, Blew & Kenward, solicitors of 74 Cheapside, London EC2. The company was incorporated in 1909. Wingfield took a lease of some 200 acres of land at New Salts Farm, comprising what is now the south-east corner of the present Shoreham Airfield, which became the first Shoreham Aerodrome. In 1912 Aviators Finance Co. Ltd. changed its name to The Brighton-Shoreham Aerodrome Ltd.. It is recorded as having been the owner of Shoreham Aerodrome so, presumably, either Wingfield assigned his lease to it or he surrendered the lease and it acquired the site. Wingfield remained involved with the company and the aerodrome but I've found no subsequent mention of Piffard. Perhaps when he finished his aeronautical experiments in the Shoreham area, he returned to London, his paints, brushes and easel and ceased his involvement with this early aspect of Sussex aviation history.

And as a postscript, I've always thought Wingfield to be a most appropriate name for an aerodrome owner!

[Man of Kent1]

Indeed we are, Harold Hume Piffard, artist, late of Bedford Park, Chiswick, Lodon W4. Piffard was a Lancing College old boy, so he would have known the area well. Also he was associated with Aviators Finance Co. Ltd., together with George Arthur Wingfield of Wingfield, Blew & Kenward, solicitors of 74 Cheapside, London EC2. The company was incorporated in 1909. Wingfield took a lease of some 200 acres of land at New Salts Farm, comprising what is now the south-east corner of the present Shoreham Airfield, which became the first Shoreham Aerodrome. In 1912 Aviators Finance Co. Ltd. changed its name to The Brighton-Shoreham Aerodrome Ltd.. It is recorded as having been the owner of Shoreham Aerodrome so, presumably, either Wingfield assigned his lease to it or he surrendered the lease and it acquired the site. Wingfield remained involved with the company and the aerodrome but I've found no subsequent mention of Piffard. Perhaps when he finished his aeronautical experiments in the Shoreham area, he returned to London, his paints, brushes and easel and ceased his involvement with this early aspect of Sussex aviation history.

And as a postscript, I've always thought Wingfield to be a most appropriate name for an aerodrome owner!

  I quite agree!  Going back to Harold Piffard, he sounds an interesting sort of chap.  I'd like to see some of his work sometime - I'll look him up on Google anon.

[pomme homme]

As an artist, I understand that Piffard specialised in military scenes. But I fear that the 'thread drift' is going so far that maybe John will pare off the non-aeronautical elements hereof and open a new thread for the man under 'personalities'!