Description:This postcard view shows Gustav Hamel, pioneer aviator pictured in his 50hp Blériot monoplane, which he flew at several locations around Staffordshire and the United Kingdom at specially arranged flying displays.
Hamel gave the first flying demonstration in Stafford to a large paying audience at Lammascote. The flying display over Lammascote Fields was at the request of Stafford Town Council and it was preceded by a civic reception, presided over by the Mayor of Stafford, Alderman Ebenezer William Taylor (standing by the monoplane wearing a bowler hat). The monoplane was brought to Stafford by train and taken from the station through the streets to Lammascote.
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.
On the reverse there is a message “Dear Granny, this is a photo of Mr Hamel, the Airman he was flying at Wellington (Shropshire) Saturday last”.
This postcard picture was taken by Stafford Photographer A.J. Guy and published by W H Smith & Son, Stafford. It was franked at Kemberton, Shifnal on 21 October 1912 and sent to an address in Shenstone, Lichfield.