The Man Who Would Have Flown

By Chris Thompson, Chris Thompson, 2009, 34pp (Essex County Libraries E.WIV.3.629.13092)

Added by Pat Marsden

The Wivenhoe Flyer 1909
Wivenhoe Memories Collection

The story of Jack Edmund Humphreys and his aerial experiments at Wivenhoe and Brooklands. In 1909 Messrs Forrestt and Co of the Shipyard, Wivenhoe commenced the construction of a flying machine from designs by Mr Humphreys. His intention was to win the ‘Daily Mail’ £1,000 prize for a circular flight by a British-built aeroplane steered by a British pilot. Several unsuccessful attempts to fly were made during the year but there were multiple failures and the plane stubbornly refused to leave the ground.

This page was added on 11/04/2016.

Comments about this page

  • Where could I get a copy of this book? Jack Humphreys was my grandfather on my mother’s side of the family and I would love to have a copy of this book.

    By Adrian Archer (20/01/2022)
  • Thanks for the book Chris Thompson, Jack Humphreys was my grandfather on my mother’s side. He died when I was about 12 but I used to love listening to his stories, and I was his favourite and was bequeathed his rifle and all his writings, although the latter were unfortunately stolen when my uncle had them in his care. Qué Sera as they say.

    Regards,

    David Morgan.

    By David Morgan (28/01/2018)

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