Windham Monoplane at Doncaster racecourse.
During mid-October 1909 the first aviation race meeting took place at Doncaster racecourse that saw various flying events and races take place on a course roughly above the horse race course involving distance flying and timed races, this must have been something to behold given powered flight was very much in its infancy and many tens of thousands of people visited during the course of the event. Unfortunately the Aero Club of the United Kingdom would not sanction the event and another sanctioned aviation meeting was held at Blackpool at the same time that saw most of the British pilots of the day attend Blackpool rather than Doncaster. It begun on 15th October 1909 with wind effecting flying for part of just about every day, the last day was 26th October 1909 when fog and freezing conditions were a change of problem for the pilots. There were a number of aircraft damaged during the event over the course of ten days at Doncaster.
In respect of the aeroplanes at the aviation meeting, there were a few that sustained damage. On 15th October 1909 this aeroplane was damaged on the ground while being pushed across the grass. It was repaired on site in the small hanger buildings that were either erected or converted for the use during the meeting. By 18th October 1909 the aeroplane was repaired, the pilot managed to get as far as taxying across the racecourse but collided with a stationary car which caused the same main spar to break again. The machine (pictured here in a Will's Cigarette card drawing) was built by the Windham Motor Body Co., at Clapham, London and was again repaired following this incident.
Pilot - Captain Walter George Windham.
Walter Windham's life is well documented. He was born on 15th September 1868 and became known as "a guiding genius behind British aviation". Between 1884 and 1888 he sailed around the world four times, took part in the first London to Brighton Car Rally in 1896 and served as a King's Messenger between 1900 and 1909. He was the person who offered a gold cup to the first person to fly across the English Channel subsequently won by Louis Bleriot in 1909. He was the controller of the Doncaster air meeting in 1909 and two years later founded the first airmail services. He served Royal Indian Navy in the First World War and was knighted in 1923. Commander Sir Walter Windham died on 5th July 1942.