COLIN Van Geffen gave a talk on the flying boats of Southampton, which inaugurated international air travel.

In 1923, R J Mitchell designed a six-seater flying boat called the Supermarine Sea Eagle which flew from Woolston to the Channel Isles and France thus making Southampton the first international (and coining the name) air port in the World. 1924 saw the formation of Imperial Airways to combat the competition from overseas national airlines.

This ensured that civil flights continued to fly from Southampton Docks, with a maintenance base at Hythe.

The twenties and thirties saw gradual development resulting in larger flying boats of greater range and capacity culminating in the Shorts C Class which became synonymous with transcontinental travel.

The primary function of pre-war civil aircraft was the transport of Royal Mail with luxury passenger travel being a secondary concern.

In the 1930s the first flights to South Africa and Australia (eight days) via Egypt took place. 1939 saw Imperial Airways experimenting with in flight re-fuelling on transatlantic flights from Southampton via the Newfoundland route.

The Second World War saw flying boat operations move to Poole and back to Southampton in 1948 but by 1950 BOAC ceased such flights in favour of land based operation.

Aquila Airways were formed in 1948, prolonging flying boat travel from Southampton providing charter flights to holiday destinations across Europe during the 1950s.

However, increasing competition from land based aircraft, and an ever decreasing supply of spares led to operations ceasing on 30 September 1958.

The next talk about agricultural unrest in the 1830s is “The Swing Riots of 1830” by Ruth Newman on Tuesday 7 April at 7.30 pm in Woodfalls & Morgans Vale Hall.

All welcome.