I must make a few comments about the reasons for producing this page. My wife and I have paid several visits to Sheppey over the past years, mainly to look at the historic churches, such as at Minster and Harty, but only on the latest visit on the 26th May 2001, did we get to look at the church at Eastchurch, and it came as a big surprise to see the above monument. It was not mentioned in the Swale Council's Tourist guide, nor did it get mentioned in my copy of A travel Guide to Scientific Sites of the British Isles, which otherwise is a very good gazetteer of sites of scientific and technological interest. A web search brought up a few local mentions of it, but no official recognition.
The Royal Aeronautical Club, now in it's Centenary Year, has a very good history page , with some excellent original photographs of Moore Brabazon's first flight and an historic meeting between the Aero Club and the Wright Brothers at Eastchurch. However, no mention is made of this monument, although the Bleriot monument at Dover does appear. Why a Frenchman gets a mention whilst the earliest British efforts get ignored is beyond me.
This is thus my effort to get it greater attention as a site of some particular significance in the history of British technology. It represents the place where the first commercial contract to build aircraft was placed, between the Wright Brothers and the Short Brothers of Sheppey. The latter went on to build the Worlds first purpose-built aircraft factory here to construct initially these Wright planes under contract, but of course later to go on to greater things. Short Brothers plc is now owned by a Canadian company, Bombardier and the 1989 entry on the timeline in their company history, is not slow to boast of owning the oldest aircraft company in the world. Pity British investors didn't have an equivalent pride in ownership of such an historic group. I intend to update this page, as I get more information. I have already contacted the Royal Aero Club, to see if they know, who built the monument and when. Logically they should know, as it commemorates some of their earliest members.
Subsequent contact with the Royal Aero Club, revealed, unfortunately, that they knew nothing about the memorial, but they knew a man who did, Air Cdr W H Croydon, CBE, RAF (retd)! This gentleman very kindly sent me a photocopy of the original programme for the unveiling of the monument together with a copy of his book "Early Birds". In an email he gave the following details: "Monday, 25th July 1955 is the date of the unveilling which was done by Lord Tedder. The patrons were Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Brabazon of Tara, Sir Francis McClean and Oswald Short.
There is a long list of subscribers."
I have recently (6/2/06), had an unsolicited email from Margaret ...... , which adds some interesting personal details:
"I really enjoyed your piece on the Short Brothers as my Great-Grandfather was their first foremen. His name William George Bell. He sold his motorbike business in Battersea where he met the brothers and put money into the company such as it was. Then moved the family to Eastchurch. He was always inventing things and fitted in well with the new technology. My Grandmother went to Eastchurch School along with the rest of the family. She learnt algebra at the age of seven. (Pity that's not the case these days.)
My Uncle Howard (Dinger) Bell was their first apprentice July 10th 1909 and I believe the first in the industry. He also flew in the first world war.
William Bell moved to Rochester with Short Brothers and bought a house at the rear of Sea plane works. He had his own gate right into the factory.
My Grandfather also worked for Short Bothers as did my Mother.
I was also in the aircraft industry. (It must have be in the blood) Working for Elliott Automation in Rochester as a technical illustrator. I worked on cockpit drawings for most of the time. Concorde, Lockheed Transport and the Harrier Jet.
Please excuse my ramblings I hope this interests you. There is so little about the Short Brothers and their work.
You might be interested in the following site as it shows that the Wright brothers may not have been the first.
www.century-of-flight.freeola.com/new%20site/frames/towards%20powered%20flight_frame.htm
Thanks for the page and recognition for Eastchurch and the early work."
Another recent email (7/2/06) from a local councillor from Eastchurch Parish Council, made known some local moves to publicise the aviation significance of this area:
Flying start
from the Eastchurch Parish Website
'You may already be aware that efforts are now underway to commemorate the events that took place here on Sheppey, these commemorations are being undertaken in two projects. The first, and major project, is called 'Flying Start,' headed by Sheppey Heritage Trust. The second is a project by the Parish Council to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the events here on Sheppey, to this end a committee has been formed, 'The Aviation Centenary Committee.'
'Last year (Sunday 24th July 2005 at 12 noon), we organised a 50th anniversary rededication service at the Memorial, following this service Bill Croydon gave an illustrated talk on the history of aviation to a packed and enthusiastic audience'
