"Alexandra" Balloon near Marsden and Sherburn in Elmet.

A six day long walking match was competed for at the Pomona Gardens, Manchester and began on 9th June 1878. The event saw huge crowds each day. This may have had some connection as to why, on the evening of Tuesday, 10th June 1878, a balloon flight was undertaken from Pomona Palace, Manchester and with the pilot travelled a Manchester solicitor as a passenger. The wind took the balloon off to the east of the city and toward the rising ground of the Pennines. Having reached the Marsden area the pilot saw that a rain cloud was in his course so began to descend to avoid it. A grappling hook was thrown out and initially caught on an iron railing but this did not stop the balloon and the railing was pulled away. A short time later the balloon was hit by several gusts of strong wind. This wind caused the balloon and the basket to turn over and tip out the two occupants. The pilot managed to grab onto the ropes attached to it while the passenger grabbed onto a loop on the basket but was thrown out and dangled head first toward the ground. The balloon was still at a significant height above the ground and to lower it the pilot managed to climb his rope to release a venting valve. Once open the balloon lowered quickly though this caused the passenger's head to hit the ground several times and he eventually released his grasp while on the ground. With there then being less weight on the basket the ballon began to rise again. The pilot must have been much higher up as he then let go of his rope at around forty feet above the ground. He broke his collar bone when he then hit the ground. It later transpired that both landed in the Binn area of Marsden without any significant injuries. With the weight of the two men taken from the balloon it then gained height again and continued for some distance, eventually hitting the sails of a windmill in the Sherburn in Elmet area and then crashing close to a solictor's house (Mr J C Rhodes). The basket was found to have two overcoats, a pack of cards and a dog still in it.

Pilot - Captain John Morton. Injured.

Passenger - Mr John Edward Galliford. Injured.