The aviation and space industry which has dominated the north of Bristol for almost a century would not exist but for one man, Sir George White, Bt. Sir George White was a distinguished businessman, and noted for his work in creating the Bristol electric tramway system. White developed a passion for aeroplanes during a stay in France in 1909, when he attended a flying meeting in Pau. At the time France was leaps and bounds ahead of most other countries in aviation. In February 1910 the Bristol & Colonial Aeroplane Company was established by White, and plans were laid to construct an aircraft of French design, known as the Zodiac. For this purpose BCAC leased two sheds at the Filton omnibus depot of the Bristol Tramway Company, of which he was in charge. The sheds still exist inside the grounds of the current BAE Systems site.
BCACs first venture into aeroplane construction would be to build the Zodiac, designed by Voisin, under licence from the Societe Zodiac of Paris. A complete Zodiac biplane was acquired, and immediately displayed at 1910 Olympia Aero Show. Following the show, it was tuned for flight, and sent to the Brooklands aerodrome near Weybridge for flight trials. BCAC had leased a shed at this established aerodrome, as there was no nearer place with the required facilities. Despite the guarantee to fly promised by the French designers, all efforts by the French test pilot, Edmond, to get it more than a few inches of the ground failed. Meanwhile at Filton construction had started on five Bristol-Zodiacs. On the recommendation of the test pilot, the project was abandoned, and all six zodiacs were scrapped.
Later in 1910, BCAC switched from the Zodiac to a design of their own, based on another French aircraft, the Farman. The Bristol Standard Biplane, as it was known, looked very similar to the Farman, but used better construction techniques and materials. There were no flying facilities at Filton, so BCAC set up a flight test base at Larkhill on Salsbury Plain, on land leased from the Army. The first flight of the Boxkite was made at Larkhill, on July 30th 1910. The aircraft was nicknamed the Boxkite because of its appearance in flight. The Boxkite became a success and in total 76 Boxkites were built, including rebuilds, at Filton and nearby Brislington.
For several years factory fresh aeroplanes were moved to Larkhill and flown from there. In 1910 the War Office had little interest in flying, but had agreed to lease the site at Larkhill to BCAC, and three sheds were erected. As each aircraft was built and flown, new pilots were required to fly them. A flying school was set up on the Larkhill site. At the same time another flying school was set up at the companies site at Brooklands.
| Back at Filton, the need for a general office arose. Filton House, a three storey 18th Century residence not far from the factory, was acquired by the Bristol Tramway Company, and leased to BCAC. In August 1911 this became the company office and head quarters. The building remained the HQ until 1936, when the New Filton House was completed next door. Both buildings survive today, as Grade II listed buildings. They are both now in a derelict state, and Old Filton House was damaged by vandals late in 2001. | |
The first flight in to Filton is thought to have taken place early in 1911. Maurice Tabuteau, the 27 year old French pilot hired to test BCAC aircraft at Larkhall, decided to visit Sir George White and his son Stanley White at Filton House. He took off in his Boxkite from Larkhall, and flew towards North Bristol, presumably following the river and the railway line. Unfortunately his engine cut out over Bath, and he was obliged to make an emergency landing in the station marshalling yard at Green Park Station. Mechanics came from Filton and repaired a broken valve spring - and to everybody's amazement he took off again and landed on the lawn behind Filton House. He recorded that he was not popular when he arrived - his exploits were thought to be pretty foolish and bad publicity. But then it dawned on Sir George that what he had actually done was to demonstrate the usefulness of the aeroplane, and he was much congratulated.
Tabuteau records
in his memoirs that he then taught Herbert Thomas (nephew of Sir George) to
fly from the lawn - and thereafter tested aeroplanes from there instead of on
Salisbury Plain. If Tabuteau is to be believed therefore, that is how flying
(as opposed to aircraft manufacturing) at Filton began. Herbert Thomas (then
aged 18) must therefore have been the first person to learn to fly at Filton,
though he officially gained his certificate (No. 51) at the Company's Flying
School at Larkhill.
Tabuteau returned to France in 1911, and did not fly in to Filton again until
1961, when aged 77 he came back (flying his own plane) to celebrate the 50th
anniversary of the 1911 Circuit de l'Europe air race. Tabuteau died in 1976.
More on Tabuteau
can be found here.
The first flight which can be dated was by Henri Jullerot, who recorded in his log book that he took a Military Bristol Boxkite from "Filton Works to Amesbury Grounds" on June 10th 1911. He took off at 6.05am and arrived at 7.28am without incident. This is probably the first flight in the world to be recorded in a properly set out aviation log book, the "Log Book of Aeroplane" having been published by Stanley White, and printed in Broad Street, Bristol by his uncle, Edward Everard, earlier in the year.
With the success
of the Boxkite, plans for new designs were laid. The company was working on
monoplanes, resulting in the several Bristol-Prier monoplane designs, and the
successful Bristol-Coanda group of monoplane designs. With the new designs came
expansion of the Filton factory. Flying schools were set up at Larkhill and
Brooklands, and a second production line was set up at Brislington in Bristol.
Prior to the outbreak of war in 1914, Filton had expanded to three large hangars,
complete with a large grass apron and runway. In 1913, the company started production
of the B.E.2 biplane, designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory. Sales of Bristol
and Colonials own aircraft had hit a temporary lull, and the company needed
to contract out their construction facilities.