The speaker described the rise and progress of aerial navigation from 1852 and outlined the make-up of the earlier balloons. As a demonstration, using a hatpin, he perforated an inflated balloon again and again at its base with no perceptible result, until after the lapse of half an hour. The explanation was that the upward pressure of the air in the balloon kept the sphere inflated above the perforations.

In another demonstration in the hall, a balloon had been connected to an electric battery and when the hall was darkened, Mr Bruce was able to show how valuable a balloon might be for signalling, for observations and also for the purpose of illumination.

His lecture was concluded by saying that Wilbur Wright in his aeroplane work was miles ahead of anyone else, recalling that Wright had been in the air on his vehicle for one hour and 35 minutes, a splendid performance.

In the period when Robert Blackburn designed and flew his first monoplane along the Filey coast in the spring of 1909, very few took the prospect of engine-powered flying machines seriously as a means of human transport. There was, however, great public fascination with and excitement about flying.

From 1909 onwards the testing and exhibitions of Robert Blackburn's newly built flying machines became major public events. A number of enthusiasts who assisted in test flying his inventions became flying idols themselves. Harold Blackburn (no relation ) was one such idol, who gave flying exhibitions at Bridlington, and B C Hucks, who in a Blackburn Mercury monoplane was the first Englishman to fly upside down, and he had a close connection with Filey.

The first visit of a flying machine to Bridlington was in July 1912, when Mr J Brereton, in a Blackburn monoplane, gave flying exhibitions for a week. As soon as it was announced that Mr Brereton was going to fly from Filey to Bridlington, everyone was on the lookout. Later a great many spectators witnessed the preparations on the new Spa, when the large side wings were adjusted.

The monoplane was transferred from the New Spa to the South Sands by means of a temporary slipway, and after a few preliminary trials, Mr Brereton made his first ascent from the sands, going in the direction of the golf links at a good speed.

The monoplane sailed gracefully along, and making a circle, landed on the sands in front of the New Spa. Mr Brereton made four ascents, the last being at an altitude higher than the Spa Theatre, and going beyond Wilsthorpe Farm. Those exhibitions brought many visitors to Bridlington.

In October 1913 another exhibition in the form of an aerial race, was not so successful, and illustrates some of the problems encountered by the early participants in powered flying events.

The race was planned over a course of 80 miles, using seven control stops. The two participants were Lieutenant Perry and Mr Harold Blackburn. There was great enthusiasm for the event locally and then everyone felt great disappointment when the race failed to start from Leconfield Road, Beverley. Many visitors to the control at Beverley felt they had a grievance in paying for admission and seeing no flying whatever.

At Scunthorpe, the brow of Occupation Hill and all up Clayfield Road was packed with spectators, although there was not a big crowd in the control field, but they got their money back when the wire arrived stating that Lieutenant Percy had not even been able to start, and Mr Blackburn had broken down at Beverley.

At Barton the roads leading to the horse showfield were crowded with people and all manner of conveyances. Those who entered the control field received their money back.

The aviators were not happy about the 80 mile course as they thought seven stopping places were too many in so short a circuit. They both thought that the race would have been a succession of hops.

Mr Blackburn, when landing at Beverley, safely avoided the telegraph wires but got into an air pocket. There seemed to be no lift at all in the air. The plane floated down with a crash and two of the struts were smashed, and it was quite impossible for him to start the race.

Lieutenant Perry had come to Hull at short notice. His Bleriot only arrived in the ground the afternoon before the race and then it had to be assembled. During a trial spin he had to come down about five fields away and never started the race.

• Wally Simpkin's latest book Driffield and District Through The Times is on sale at the Driffield Times offices on Mill Street, Driffield, at a price of £10.




• The book is a compilation of Mr Simpkin's fortnightly articles in the Driffield Times.