Roundhay Park is one of the largest city parks in Europe, consisting of over 700 acres of parkland, lakes, woodland and gardens. As a result, many events have been and continue to take place on these grounds.
In 1909, aviation pioneer, Robert Blackburn had previously conducted test flights at Roundhay Park on an area now known as Soldier’s Field which was originally a muster point for local battalions. In 1919, a small airport was established on the land which ran a small passenger service with flights to London and Amsterdam.
The first aircrafts used for these test and passenger flights were the Blackburn BE2c and the Kangeroo R.T.1 aircrafts. These, along with many other variations of aircraft produced by Blackburn were produced using materials such as wood, brass, steel, fabric and string.
This event and Robert Blackburn helped to shape the aviation industry in Leeds. Following the closure of the small airport at Roundhay Park in 1932, Blackburn went on to open and schedule the first flight from Leeds Bradford airport, which helps the general public of Leeds on their travels. Based on this research it was decided to produce a print which celebrates this event and how it has affected daily life for the general public of Leeds, as well as the history of their aviation industry.
No comments:
Post a Comment