Balloon "City of York" near Warter.

On Friday, 17th June 1898 the 40th Annual York Flower Show and Gala was held, probably on the Bootham Fields area of the city. Messers C.G.Spencer and Sons of London were employed to bring a balloon to the show. The balloon filling took place during the day and by 17.00hrs the balloon was ready for flight. It left the ground and drifted roughly east. During the flight sand ballast sacks within the basket broke loose. The balloon later descended over the Yorkshire Wolds and hit the ground hard between Warter and Huggate, but because of the loose ballast this then shifted and struck one of the passengers on the right leg, breaking it above the ankle. The others in the basket escaped injury. The injured man was taken to Pocklington and later caught the train to his home in Leeds where the leg was set. This incident occurred a year to the day from when a very similar incident occurred to the same ballooning company with passengers with the balloon landing at Fridaythorpe.

Aeronaut - Mr Arthur Spencer.

Passenger - Mr William Pickersgill (Jnr). Of The Kings Arms, Lowerhead Row, Leeds. Broken leg.

Passenger - Mr Pickersgill (Snr).

Passenger - Mr T Sellar, of York.