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via email from Iain Macfarlaine. 7-27-05 |
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Dear Mr. Cooper, I have just seen your request for any further information about this flier of a century ago. A couple of weeks ago, I was in Mickleham in Surrey, about half-way between Leatherhead and Dorking, where I saw his grave in the churchyard. I have just written about him on a website which is dedicated to the burial places of the famous and not-so-famous, the Find A Grave website. Most of the information comes from Arthur Mee's volume on Surrey in "The King's England" (1938), although I found a couple of things on the Web, and the story about him flying between the Towers of the Bridge was told to me by the Parish Secretary, although she could not verify it. If you know any more about this pioneer, please let me know. Yours sincerely, Iain Macfarlaine. Editor's Note: If you will click on the title above, you will find two photos, which can be enlarged to full size, one of the monument and another of the headstone. In addition, you will find the complete text of the article which is referred to in the message above. If you can help Iain in his quest for more information, I will be happy to put you in contact with him. |
via email from Simon Potter, 8-5-07 I've been researching the Gilmour family, as Douglas & Stanley's mother, Margaret Jane Gilmour nee Muirhead's great grandparents were my g(x4)-grandparents. Here's the account Stnley's brother's funeral from The Times 22 Feb 1912 page 12 The funeral of Mr. Douglas Graham Gilmour took place at Mickleham Church yesterday, in the presence of a large gathering of his friends. The body was brought from Richmond on a motor chassis draped with purple cloth and driven by the airman Mr. J. Radley. Other airmen present were Mr Grahame-White, Mr. T.O.M. Sopwith, Mr G Blondeau, Mr G.R.S.Darroch, and Mr. C.P. Pizey, whilst Mr H.E. Perrin represented the Royal Aero Club and Mr. Hubbard the Aeronautical Society. Messers. Marten and Handasyke, the makers of the monoplane on which Mr Gilmour met his death, were also present. The interment took place in the same grave as Mr. Gilmour's father and mother, the grave being lined with pink azaleas. In deference to Mr. Gilmour's expressed wish only coloured flowers were sent. Among those who sent wreaths were Mr H. de la Combe, Mr. E.H.Clift, Mr.A.Keith, Mr Granville Bradshaw, Mr.W.O.Manning, Mr.H.Fleming, Mr.C.P.Pizey, Mr.R.L.Charteris, Mr.J.Valentine, Mr.F.P.Raynham, Mr.W.D.Johnstone, Lieutenant W.Parke, R.N., Mr.R.C.Kemp, Mr.B.M.Dodds, Mr.A.D.Jones, Mr.A.W.Fairbank, Mr.E.V.Fisher, and Mr T.O.M.Sopwith, Mr C.Grahame-White, Mr James Radley, the Royal Aero Club, and the officers of the Air Battalion. There's also a good article on him in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. regards Simon Potter |
CORRESPONDENCE Collection of John Gilmour, 1-20-2005 |
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See Early Aviator? |
This depiction of an aeroplane consists of a brass representation of an early flying macine which, although worn, still shows the pilot and the struts and wires of the apparatus. The puzzle is that the inscription reads: "David Gilmour, b 15 July 1842, d 8 March 1907" Yet it was not until 1909 that Bleriot flew one way across the Channel C. Grahame-White became the first Englishman to be granted an aviator's certificate and Lord Brabazon made the first officially observed flignt in Britain. I would be interested to learn of Gilmour's connection with the early |
history of flying.--NICHOLAS RED MAN, Moorcove, Hindhead Road, Haslemere, Surrey. |
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Newsclipping courtesy of Anthony Young, 10-23-07 |
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