Howard Wright 1910 Biplane at Harrogate.

The 1911 Daily Mail Circuit of Britain begun on 22nd July 1911 and flew a course around Britain, beginning at Brooklands. From Brooklands the aeroplanes were to land at Hendon. Two days later on 24th July 1911 they headed north with Harrogate Stray being the next official landing stop but only a few of the thirty who entered would make it this far. The aeroplanes then were to head as far north as Stirling before heading back south down the western side of England eventually to Bristol, Salisbury and Brighton to finish at Brooklands. Only two pilots completed the course all the way to Bristol with two others making it to Brighton. Four of the aeroplanes force landed and were damaged in Yorkshire on their flights towards or at Harrogate on 24th, one suffered repairable mechanical damage twice over Yorkshire and another was damaged taking off from Harrogate on 25th August 1911. The eventual winner of the race made a precautionary landing near Settle on the flight south on 25th August 1911 but was undamaged and took off a short time later.

This aircraft successfully made the flight from Brooklands to Hendon and then from Hendon to Harrogate Stray but was delayed and only took off from Hendon at 18.08hrs. The aircraft almost certainly reached Harrogate either later that evening or possibly after landing en-route during darkness. I have an unconfirmed reference to this pilot force landing in a cornfield near Doncaster and if this was the case flying from Doncaster to Harrogate that evening seems unlikely. It reached Harrogate to refuel but in then taking off from The Stray (which must have been on 25th July 1911) the aeroplane was damaged. A repair was considered or begun but was not complete by the time the pilot retired from the race.

Pilot - Lt Herbert Ramsey Playford Reynolds. Royal Engineers.