Description:A postcard portrait of Gustav Hamel “England’s Daring Aviator”, who gave flying displays in Staffordshire and around the United Kingdom.
Hamel’s first flying demonstration in Stafford was to a large paying audience at Lammascote where he flew over Lammascote Fields, this was at the request of Stafford Town Council and it was preceded by a civic reception, presided over by the Mayor of Stafford, Alderman E.W. Taylor. The monoplane was brought to Stafford by train and taken from the station through the streets to Lammascote.
Hamel gave flying displays in 1912 and 1913. His visits to Stafford were reported in local and regional newspapers including the Stafford Newsletter, the Staffordshire Advertiser, the Birmingham Daily Gazette and the Nottingham Evening Post.
In October 1912 he made four ascents and in October 1913 he climbed to a height of 6000 feet and during the display he flew to Stone and delivered a post bag containing letters and postcards.
Hamel was born in Britain in 1889 and learned to fly at the Blériot school at Pau, France in 1910. He disappeared over the English Channel on 23 May 1914.
This postcard was published by W H Smith & Son, Stafford.