About Eastchurch Parish Council
100 years ago, in 1909, Sheppey became a leading centre in this country in the race to fly machines that were powered and capable of being controlled, not at the discretion of the wind, but at the will of the pilot. In those early days Britain lagged far behind the U.S.A. and Europe – mainly France. It was there in 1908 that the first Britons learned to fly and the Short brothers, (balloon makers and aeronautical engineers to the Aero Club), were to meet the Wright brothers who contracted the Shorts to build ‘Wright Flyers’ under license.
In February 1909 the (Royal) Aero Club and the Short brothers acquired Mussel Manor and grounds for a flying field at Shellbeach, Leysdown. Here the Short Brothers Ltd established the world’s first airplane factory and were visited several times by the Wright brothers.
Many notable British aviation pioneers including J.T.C.Moore-Brabazon, the Hon. C.S. Rolls, Griffith Brewer, A.V.Roe, Frank McClean, T.O.M.Sopwith and many others carried out the first flights and conducted their flying experiments here.
The Hon.C.S.Rolls commenced practicing with a Short/Wright glider at Standford Hill, Eastchurch in late July 1909 and on the 20th November was the first to land a Short / Wright Biplane on a new flying field at Eastchurch.
The Short brothers and the (Royal) Aero Club moved their main operations to Eastchurch in early 1910.
In order to celebrate the achievements of these men who led the way, Eastchurch Parish Council formed an Aviation Centenary Committee, to organise events under the banner ‘Sky Sheppey 2009’.
Sky Sheppey will be a celebration of the exploits of these daring pioneers, some of whom, including the Hon.C.S.Rolls and C.S.Grace, lost their lives in the process. Read more:
