EPW001671 ENGLAND (1920). The Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1920

This sketch from the Sept 14 issue of 'Flight' is rather tantalising. If only the Lord Mayor could step out of the way for a moment so we could see if the factory extension behind him is a two-storey affair with a single peaked roof or a single storey, three-bay continuation of the section visible in front of him.

'Aerial Contortions at Richmond.



WHILST a sort of garden fete, on behalf of the Richmond Boys' Naval Brigade and the Star and Garter Fund (wounded and disabled soldiers), was in progress on the old-world Richmond Green last Saturday afternoon, a biplane appeared overhead and "bombed" the merrymakers with thousands of leaflets bearing the following device:—

"Whitehead Aircraft wish every success to the Richmond Boys' Naval Brigade and to the Star and Garter Fund, Richmond. Pilot—H. Sykes. Passenger—Mr. Fletcher. Saturday, September 9th, 1916."

Then followed a series of aerial contortions that both amazed and amused. There were loops, tail-slides, nosedives, switchbacks, and many other indescribable evolutions—in fact, H. Sykes, figuratively speaking, let himself and the machine go. He and his passenger had come from Hendon on the Martinsyde, and on the way looped over Kew Bridge and Richmond Bridge, where, needless to say, considerable excitement prevailed. At the conclusion of the demonstration the pilot made for the old Deer Park—the scene of poor Graham Gilmour's fatal accident in 1912—where a safe landing was made. A little later G. H. Stevens made a short solo flight, after which the machine was flown over to Hanworth, where it was housed.'



FLIGHT, September 14, 1916. p788