Balloon accident in York.

I believe that this incident was the first flying accident to have occurred in Yorkshire and only two years after the world's first known manned flight. On 25th August 1785 an early manned balloon, an "aerostatic globe", was to have been raised in to the air in the area near York Minster. The balloon was owned by Mr Deeker and Mr Weller though I have yet to learn their full named. An oil and vitriol mix was used to fill the tethered balloon and this took two two hours for it to be ready. The balloon would then have been released and this would have seen the car strapped below it be then able to give passengers short flights. At 13.00hrs with the balloon filled the passenger got into the car and the balloon tether was released causing the balloon and car to rise as normal. As it rose into the air a gust of wind caused the car to strike a high wall and a tree in the Kettlewell Orchard area near York Minster (described in a newspaper as being north of the Minster and fenced in by the city wall) and the owner of the balloon was injured. Sand ballast fell out or was thrown out in an attempt to gain lift but the wind blew it against Riding House and then the top of Alderman Bacon's house (former Lord Mayor). It then turned upside down, netting that was attaching the car to the balloon broke and the car was left on the house roof. The free balloon landed around 150 yards away in Blake Street. I do not yet know where Kettlewell Orchard, Riding House or Alderman Bacon's house were but presumably close to the Minster. A second attempt to make an ascent was attempted at the Knavesmire on 31st August 1785 but the vitriol mix ran out before the balloon was filled and it would not rise with the basket attached. Unfortunately a large crowd had gathered to watch the ascent became frustated, a mob succeeded in forcing their way into where the balloon was being readied and cut the basket away causing the balloon to ascend. The balloon rose gradually and drifted off to the north-east of York for around thirty minutes. Where it came down is not stated in the newspapers of the day.

Balloon owner / Aeronaut - Mr Weller.