Balloon accident near Fridaythorpe.

During the 16th, 17th and 18th June 1897 the 39th Annual York Flower Show and Gala was held was held at York. Unfortunately a gale destroyed tents holding plant, flower and fruit displays on the first day of the event, Wednesday 16th June 1897 which then had a knock-on effect that the public attendance was lower than had been anticipated. Messers C.G. Spencer and Sons, of London had been employed to bring a captive balloon and also passenger carrying balloon for point to point flights to the show but owing to the weather no balloon flights were possible on the first day. On Thursday, 17th June 1897 the weather improved and the balloon was filled with gas. The flight begun at around 19.30hrs and from York it headed east and passed over Stamford Bridge and villages to the east at around three thousand feet. At around 20.00hrs the pilot in charge begun the descent and slowly released gas. The balloon descended into a field near Thixendale but bumped across a number of fields and hedges with the occupants of the car being bumped. It finally came to rest and all but one on board left the basket, it was then found that the remaining man in the basket could not walk and was in a semi-conscious state having broken both bones in his lower left leg. He was lifted clear and carried to the nearest farm where a doctor from Wetwang saw him and he remained overnight. Two of the passengers remained with the injured man while the other three gathered up the balloon and were transported to (possibly) Fimber railway station where they caught the early morning training. The injured man and the remaining two passengers appear to have been taken to catch a later train to York where the injured man was taken to his home on The Mount, York. The incident featured in prominantly in newspapers at the time and they stated the accident occurred at Thixendale but Rigg's Farm is actually nearer Fridaythorpe but on the Thixendale road. The first anyone connected with the show heard there had been a problem was when the solicitor named below sent a telegram from Fimber the following day to Selby stating "Serious balloon accident last night. I am all right. Burton".

Pilot / Aeronaut - Mr Percival Green Spencer.

Passenger - Mr G C Lee. Head of Rates and Taxes Dept, NER, York. Broken leg.

Passenger - Mr J K Burton. Solicitor. Of Selby.

Passenger - Mr J T Seller. Of York.

Passenger - Mr J W Giles. Of Johannesburg.

Passenger - Mr Bairstow Jackson. Of York.