97-521: The Straight Corporation Ltd was a significant operator of British airlines, airports and flying clubs from 1935 until the mid 1970s. Its major unit, Western Airways, expanded to become an important parts manufacturer, a maintenance, repair and upgrade organisation, and a builder of transport aircraft. Whitney Willard Straight was a successful racing driver in the early 1930s, but his American millionaire mother and English step-father, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst , were concerned for his safety and sought
194-476: A Hampden bomber returning to RAF North Luffenham was killed when the aircraft crashed-landed on Mousehold Heath whilst attempting to reach Horsham St Faith , and on 25 July that year a Bristol Beaufort crashed on the heath, killing the crew of four. In October 1914 an old cavalry training drill ground on the heath was taken over by the Royal Flying Corps and converted into an aerodrome. It
291-519: A Hawker Hurricane , claimed to have shot down a Heinkel He 111 . After the war, the airport was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 1 January 1947. Exeter Airport Ltd leased it, with Wing Commander Bill Parkhouse (he had been promoted during the war) in charge, and also re-established Exeter Aero Club. The lease ended in 1974 when Devon County Council took responsibility for the airport. Haldon Airport , later known as Teignmouth Aerodrome,
388-399: A United States Army Air Forces base, an aerodrome and a prisoner-of-war camp . Nowadays the last remnant of the original Mousehold Heath, managed by Norwich City Council , is surrounded on all sides by housing and light industry. Mousehold Heath is a 184-acre (74 ha) public area of heathland, woodland and recreational open space to be found to the north of Norwich city centre. It is
485-416: A cheque and a sculpture by Barbara Hepworth . It was won by Anne Burns in 1967 and Peggy Hodges in 1970. On 17 July 1935 he married Lady Daphne Margarita Finch-Hatton (1913–2003), the daughter of Guy Finch-Hatton, the 14th Earl of Winchilsea (1885–1939) and American heiress Margaretta Armstrong Drexel (1885–1952). Lady Daphne's paternal uncle was Denys Finch Hatton (1887–1931), a famous pilot who
582-403: A diverse range of aircraft, some registered in their own name and some to Straight Corporation Ltd, of which the most numerous were British Aircraft Swallow II, Hillson Praga , de Havilland Hornet Moth , Miles Hawk Trainer III , and in 1939, de Havilland Tiger Moth and Piper J-4A Cub Coupe . As stated above, many of these aircraft were moved between various parts of the organisation, some on
679-423: A few shillings in his pocket. He claimed to have worked as a stonemason's labourer for 30/-a week for a time while acting as a mechanised hobo. However, it appears that there were times when even this modest competence overcame him. In the summer of 1933, for example, when he was just beginning to lose his shine on names like Birkin and Campbell, he admitted he was considering giving up everything he owned and spending
776-444: A few years meetings were being held on a racecourse on Mousehold Heath. Before the 20th century the heath was used to extract sand and gravel. Victorian Ordnance Survey maps of the area show that there were lime kilns , marl pits and brick kilns , in addition to numerous extensive gravel pits, across the unenclosed part of the heath to the north-east of the city. The remains of the diggings can be found today. During much of
873-477: A four-engined DH.86 Express . Inherited aircraft were painted in Straight corporation colours, but had Western Airways marked on both sides of the nose along with a Straight Corporation S logo. Southern Airways operated a pair of Short Scions , a pair of Percival Q.6s , a Dragon, a Rapide, and a General Aircraft ST-6 Monospar , all of which were twin-engined airliners. The airport companies and aero clubs had
970-412: A large part of the heath into "pleasurable grounds". Those landowners whose large country houses were located around the borders of the heath pressed for the area to become enclosed. Rackheath 's common land was the first to be lost to enclosure in 1799, when Rackheath Park was enlarged. The entire heath was turned over to arable land and pasture by Parliamentary Enclosure Acts between 1799 and 1810,
1067-474: A less dangerous occupation for him, especially as he was about to marry. At a dinner at their home, Dartington Hall in Devon , they discussed this with William (Bill) Parkhouse, who was the owner of a local auto engineering company, and founder of Haldon Airfield , where Straight had learned to fly a few years earlier. Parkhouse had been concerned that smaller airports, such as Exeter and Torquay, with which he
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#17327798119581164-477: A municipal airport. It was licensed on 14 July 1938 and Western Airways routes started to Weston and Bristol. No development or terminal had been achieved before WWII. Weston Airport was the base of Western Airways, and its holding company, Airways Union, operated the airport. Straight took over all their operations in January 1938. A new terminal/engineering building was planned but, because of disagreements with
1261-539: A new terminal designed by Henning and Chitty was completed in 1938. Exeter Aero Club was formed, and it participated in the CAG scheme. No 37 E&RFTS started on 3 July 1939. At the start of WWII the airport was taken over by the Air Ministry and managed as a State Airport. During the war the airport was active, and 601 Squadron was based here in late 1940, during which time Flight Lieutenant Whitney Straight, flying
1358-422: A process that produced long straight roads and new farms. There was little sympathy shown for the practical needs of the local population, many of whom became impoverished as they were increasingly denied access to the land. Parks surrounding large houses, such as at Sprowston , Rackheath, Thorpe St Andrew and Little Plumstead, became enlarged by the acquisition of land, and new views were created for their owners by
1455-420: A regular basis. On 1 January 1939 Straight Aviation Training Ltd was formed with a view to commercial flying training, and Neville Cumming DFC, an ex Imperial Airways flying boat captain, was appointed director of training. A civil air navigation school was established at Weston, as was an engineering school to provide skilled staff for the growing maintenance demands of Western Airways. Despite having had
1552-470: A satellite of Ipswich Airport, and later by Southern Airways. A municipal airport was planned but never started. West Suffolk Aero Club Ltd was set up with two Taylorcraft aircraft , and two small hangars built. Too small for CAG use, civilian flying stopped at the outbreak of WWII and the airfield was taken over by the RAF as RAF Westley. This airfield was taken over in 1938 as a satellite of Ipswich. The airport
1649-504: A son: Barney Barnato Walker (born 1947). Straight died in Fulham in 1979 at the age of 66. Lady Daphne died at her home in London on 3 June 2003, and Diana died on 28 April 2008, aged 90. Mousehold Heath#Mousehold Heath airfield Mousehold Heath is a freely accessible area of heathland and woodland which lies to the north-east of the medieval city boundary of Norwich , in
1746-484: A young apprentice boy called William was found on a part of the heath known at that time as Thorpe Wood. A false story was circulated that his death was the result of a 'ritual murder' carried out by local Jews . This was the first example in Europe of what became known as blood libel . The sheriff of Norwich succeeded in protecting the innocent Jewish population from persecution in the wake of an angry reaction from
1843-526: The Miles M.11A , named the Whitney Straight. This proved to be an excellent and popular aircraft, and 50 were built from April 1936 to April 1938, and Straight Corporation did buy several. A company called Whitney Straight Ltd was formed to market the aircraft. With Western Airways came a fleet of de Havilland twin-engined aircraft: Dragons and Dragon Rapides , to which were added a Dragonfly and
1940-626: The Miles Whitney Straight aircraft, the same year he became a naturalised British citizen. On 18 October 1938, the Straight Corporation purchased control of Norman Edgar (Western Airways) Ltd . and renamed it Western Airways Ltd . His commercial airline business in the later 1930s was reputed to be carrying more passengers than Imperial Airways , on short routes within the UK, flying de Havilland Dragon Rapides . During
2037-698: The Prince George, Duke of Kent . For his service in Norway, he was awarded the Norwegian War Cross with sword in 1942. After convalescing, he next served with No. 601 Squadron RAF in the Battle of Britain . From September 1940 until April 1941, he was credited with two aircraft destroyed. He then became commanding officer of No. 242 Squadron RAF , bringing his total to 3 and 1 shared ( with 2 'probables') by late July 1941. Early in 1941 he
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#17327798119582134-873: The Second World War . Straight started competing in 1931 with a Brooklands Riley competing at Shelsley Walsh , Southport and Brooklands circuit. In 1933, driving a black and silver Maserati , he won the Mountain Championship at Brooklands , the Mont Ventoux Hill Climb (3 September) and the Brighton Speed Trials (16 September). He also won the 1100 c.c. class in the Coppa Acerbo , held at Pescara, Italy, driving an MG Magnette . In 1934 he formed his own motor racing team, personally driving to victory in
2231-558: The South African Grand Prix , held on the 16-mile Buffalo circuit in East London. His brother Michael finished third in the same race. He also gave public demonstrations at Brooklands Racing Circuit achieving a speed of 138.7 mph, a record for 5-litre class cars. He was offered a works Auto Union drive for 1935, but he refused as he had promised his fiancée Lady Daphne to retire from driving. His last race
2328-414: The bracken with sticks, to reduce growth in future years. A variety of different vertebrates live on Mousehold Heath. Amphibians include the common frog and the common toad , while reptiles include the grass snake , the common lizard and the slowworm . Mammals on the heath include muntjac and roe deer , red fox , rabbits and various small rodents . As well as most common urban birds ,
2425-570: The great epidemic while serving with the United States Army during the First World War . Following his mother's remarriage to British agronomist Leonard K. Elmhirst (1893–1974) in 1925, the family moved to England. They lived at Dartington Hall where he attended the progressive school founded by his parents. His education was completed at Trinity College , Cambridge . He became close friends with Dick Seaman who attended
2522-401: The topsoil , when the ground churned as a result of temperature variations and when sludge layers moved downhill during warmer seasons. Detailed information about the geological history of the present Mousehold Heath, in the form of a 'Heritage Trail' leaflet and accompanying notes for points around the trail, has been produced by Norwich City Council. Various ideas have been proposed for
2619-409: The 'holt' or wood that existed before it became an area of heathland. St Leonard's Priory was founded on the heath close to the city boundary in around 1094, as a temporary home for the monks of the unfinished Norwich Cathedral , and as a way of establishing Norman control over a nearby chapel. The priory was demolished in 1538 and nothing of it now survives above ground. In 1144 the body of
2716-662: The 1936 and 1937 summer seasons it was called the Ramsgate Aviation Holiday Camp, and it was renamed the Ramsgate Flying Centre for the following two years. It offered guests free pleasure flights and a free flying lesson. Jersey Marine Airport had started in 1928, and been the base of Wales Airways. The airport was purchased or leased from the Earl of Jersey , who was a personal friend of Straight. The corporation planned to develop it into
2813-435: The 19th century, the people of Pockthorpe, situated between Norwich's defensive walls and the heath, were relatively free from the control of local factory employers, being able to use Mousehold to graze their animals, and to collect food, fuel and raw materials for brick-making . The population of weavers , shop-keepers and labourers (as well as smugglers ) was largely left to its own management, as local magistrates and
2910-591: The English county of Norfolk . The name also refers to the much larger area of open heath that once extended from Norwich almost to the Broads , and which was kept free of trees by both human activity and the action of animals grazing on saplings. This landscape was transformed by enclosure during the 19th century and has now largely disappeared, as almost all of it has since been converted into farmland or landscaped parks , reverted to woodland, or has been absorbed by
3007-553: The Mousehold Heath Conservators. The Britannia Barracks were built for the Norfolk Regiment on Mousehold Heath. After the Battle of Almansa in 1707, the regiment had been awarded the honour of wearing a figure of Britannia on their uniforms, and the new infantry barracks was named from the figure worn by the regiment. The main buildings were built between 1887 and 1897. The regiment left
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3104-546: The Plymouth and District Aero Club. When the CAG scheme started the Haldon club received 19 applications. The airfield saw some military activity during WWII, but closed in 1946. Straight Corporation was reported to have licensed an airfield at Pouts Field, Swalecliffe in 1938. The location of this airfield is unclear, and apart from some pleasure flights, no other aviation activity has been reported there. Longman Airfield
3201-625: The Second World War, Whitney Straight served as a Royal Air Force pilot. He was sent to Norway in April 1940 to find frozen lakes suitable for use as airfields. Lake Lesjaskog was utilised by No. 263 Squadron RAF during the Norwegian Campaign as a result. Straight was seriously wounded during a German bombing raid in Norway. He was temporarily deaf, because of this he was grounded and appointed personal air assistant ADC to
3298-438: The aircraft, was a dark metallic blue-grey with crimson lettering outlined in white, with rudders bearing crimson and white horizontal stripes. After the war the livery was overall silver with red lettering, retaining the horizontal rudder stripes. Wanting to provide a modern, comfortable and economical monoplane for his flying clubs, Straight commissioned FG Miles to design a side-by-side seating touring aircraft, which became
3395-715: The area is complex, consisting of a set of vertical layers of glacial deposits from the Anglian Stage resting on a bedrock of Cretaceous chalk and the Norwich Crag Formation . Chalk was deposited 75 million years ago, when the area was part of a warm, tropical sea. The chalk is now exposed near the southern tip of the heath at St James' Pit , which is an 8.6-acre (3.5 ha) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest and Geological Conservation Review site. About two million years ago sands, gravels, quartz pebbles and clays were deposited across
3492-451: The area of Norfolk that now includes the heath. Similar materials were deposited during a glacial period that occurred more than 475,000 years ago. Clay, sand and gravel was laid over Mousehold Heath about 425,000 years ago, caused by the movement of melted ice. The heath's present landscape was more recently formed as a result of erosion , caused by streams cutting through the soft rocks. It later became altered when silts were blown over
3589-407: The banner of Straight Corporation. They designed the corporation's terminals at Ipswich, Exeter and Weston. Woodason Aircraft Models was started by Victor Woodason in 1936 at Heston Airport . It became an associate of Straight Corporation in the early part of the war. The models were used mainly for photographic purposes for aircraft recognition . These were in great demand and a further factory
3686-474: The barracks in 1959 when it amalgamated with the Suffolk Regiment to become the 1st East Anglian Regiment and moved to Bury St Edmunds . Most of the buildings subsequently became part of Norwich Prison . During the Second World War , a prisoner-of-war camp for German workers was established close to the old airport. Its exact location has yet to be verified. On 12 February 1942, the pilot of
3783-452: The beautiful terminal at Ramsgate designed by art deco architect David Playdell-Bouverie, Straight had formed a close working relationship with Robert Henning and Anthony M Chitty. They had worked at Straight's parents' home, Dartington Hall , and Chitty learned to fly to help him appreciate the details of airport siting, design, construction and operation. Thus it was Chitty who, starting in 1938, led an Aerodrome Consultancy Service under
3880-570: The company. In 1918 the Norwich Electric Tramways service from the city centre to Mousehold Heath was extended from Gurney Road to enable equipment and materials to run between Norwich railway station and the aerodrome. The Norfolk & Norwich Aero Club was formed at Mousehold in 1927. From 1933 until the onset of the Second World War the aerodrome was the first Norwich Airport , with four grass landing strips. The airfield continued to be used until around 1950. Much of
3977-437: The company. Company secretary was Stanley John Cox, who would also be the secretary of most of the corporation's subsidiary companies. Many of the corporation's aircraft would be initially registered in the name of Richard Seaman. Straight also recruited Mary De Bunsen who carried out public relations and was responsible for the house magazine , Straightaway , intended for staff and club members. The progress and growth of
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4074-633: The condition of the existing heathland and restore areas lost to woodland and scrub, so preserving a large number of scarce species present on the heathland. As grazing livestock cannot be used to remove encroaching woodland and so restore Mousehold's heathland areas, the Mousehold Heath Wardens, volunteers and contractors clear the woodland. Humus is removed so that heather species ( Calluna vulgaris and Erica cinerea ) can re-establish themselves from seed . Gorse , broom and saplings are removed and volunteers systematically 'bruise'
4171-556: The corporation went on unabated as detailed below, and the expansion became even faster at the airports with the demand for aircrew training in the two years before World War II . When the war came, however, all private flying, including that by clubs and airlines, was prohibited except under licence, and almost all the corporation's activities stopped. This was a new company, registered at Straight Corporation headquarters in Manchester Square, London and its main operating base
4268-537: The corporation. The larger aircraft most often used by Southern Airways included: Fleet Routes All Southern Airways activities stopped with the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. In January 1938 Straight Corporation bought a controlling share in Norman Edgar (Western Airways) Ltd, renaming it Western Airways Ltd. At that time it was operating the highest frequency of flights of any airline in
4365-415: The council, never built. Western Airways Aero Club was formed in 1937, and on 10 March 1938 was renamed Weston Aero Club on the corporation's takeover. It joined the CAG training scheme on 1 October 1938. No 39 E&RFTS was set up on 3 July 1939 and a new hangar built to cope with the expansion. At the start of WWII the airport was taken over by the Air Ministry and managed as a State Airport. After WWII,
4462-430: The county could attempt to represent the heath. Many artists at the time preferred to depict what was considered to be the ideal form of landscape: lush, harmonious farming countryside containing pictorial devices such as woodland, which contrasted directly with the remote, barren environment of a heath such as Mousehold. The Norwich School witnessed the destruction of the heath following its enclosure, and their paintings of
4559-662: The end of the prehistoric period . It largely reverted to woodland again after the end of the Roman occupation , reappearing as heath as the population increased. According to the Domesday Book , the original area of Mousehold Heath was still substantially wooded, but the landscape changed as more trees were felled for fuel, and it eventually became largely treeless. This landscape was maintained by animal grazing and human activity, with parts of it being ploughed into fields, known as 'brecks'. The name Mousehold originally referred to
4656-565: The final battle of the Peasants' Revolt took place a few days after a huge meeting on the heath occurred on 17 June. There Geoffrey Litster, later to be defeated at the Battle of North Walsham , was proclaimed "King of the Commons". In the Tudor period the heath, then almost treeless, was continuously open countryside that extended from Norwich to the edge of the Broads. The local population
4753-503: The fleet was expanded further with aircraft including Tiger Moths , Piper J-4 Cubs, Hillson Pragas and an Avro Anson . The following list of Straight Corporation's airfields gives a brief account of their activities at each one. With the start of World War II in September 1939 all civil aviation activities stopped. Westley Airfield was opened in May 1938 by Straight Corporation, and was operated at first by Bury St Edmunds Airport Ltd as
4850-547: The flying club restarted on 7 June 1946, renamed the Weston Aero Club. It continued until rising costs caused Western Airways to withdraw its support, and the club was wound up in October 1949. Before WWII, Straight Corporation used a wide variety of aircraft, some inherited from the airlines and flying clubs that it took over, and many bought new. The pre-war company aircraft livery, applied to many, but not all, of
4947-403: The heath and to safeguard the historic aspects and buildings of the heath among other aims. On 22 April 2019, a body was found in the heath. After investigation, the body was identified as that of Mark Sewell, 37, who had committed suicide by hanging. Mousehold Heath is a designated Local Nature Reserve , and a County Wildlife Site . Conservation management work has begun to restore
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#17327798119585044-475: The heath before it was enclosed and turned into a tree plantation , was opened to the public in May 2016. It lies within the White House Farm housing development. At the start of 2019 a draft version of the new Mousehold Heath Management Plan was made available online for public consultation. The Management Plan aimed to increase the safety and security of Mousehold Heath, increase the cleanliness of
5141-416: The heath dominated the countryside east of Norwich, and was entirely accessible to the local population. Self-interested landowners and city officials considered such an extensive area of uncultivated land as a prime target for development. As early as 1783 it was suggested that part of the heath near the city be made into a burial ground (an idea that was abandoned) and in 1792 there was a proposal to transform
5238-417: The heath to support themselves. As a result of this change in the use of the land, the unmanaged part of heath remained ungrazed and it reverted to woodland. Despite strong local resistance, the 1884 Mousehold Heath Confirmation Act confirmed a local law establishing a number of 'conservators' to manage the transformation of the remaining part of the heath. The current managers are Norwich City Council and
5335-455: The heath would have brought back memories of a lost landscape. In his autobiographical work Lavengro , George Borrow recorded his meetings with gypsies on the heath. The Norwich-born novelist and one-time Lord Mayor R. H. Mottram also valued the open space of Mousehold Heath. He once described it as "the property of those who have the privilege of Norwich birth". Public horse racing near Norwich first took place in 1838 and within
5432-477: The land and making them use Pockthorpe men to do work on the heath. The Guild provided a number of benefits for the poor, but discriminated against people living in neighbouring communities. The twenty-five year-long campaign failed, even when for a period it was supported by members of Norwich's political class. The local population then resorted to behaving badly towards the newly created park, tearing notice boards, fighting and gambling in public, and consorting with
5529-436: The largest of the nature reserves managed by Norwich City Council . It was once an area of heathland that extended to the north and east of Norwich, which has since been largely converted to woods and farmland, or lost to housing development. The landscape of Mousehold Heath (as it was before enclosure occurred at the beginning of the 19th century) is part of an outwash plain created by fluvial processes. The geology of
5626-470: The local people. The boy later attained the status of saint and martyr , and a chapel, originally dedicated to St Catherine , was built where William's body was supposed to have been found. In 1168 it was rededicated as the chapel of St William in the Wood, and offerings continued to be made there until 1506. The overgrown remains of the site can be found on the northern edge of the present heath. In 1381
5723-600: The local regiment. The ownership of the remaining heathland was transferred to the city authorities in 1880, when the Church of England donated the land to the Corporation of Norwich, on the assurance that it prevented "the continuance of trespasses nuisances and unlawful acts" and held the heath "for the advantage of lawful recreation". The Pockthorpe committee was defeated, and the people of Pockthorpe, now forced to obey restrictive byelaws , could no longer use any part of
5820-459: The middle of the heath. The original Ranger's house has been bought for renovation and restoration. Vinegar Pond, which was created by quarrying and subsequent wartime activity, is an important site for breeding frogs . It is fed by rain water and so has a tendency to dry out when the weather is hot. In the heatwave and drought of August 2022 hundreds of goldfish were humanely removed from the pond where they had been dumped and had bred, feeding on
5917-723: The names of officials of the local organisations. They were used for charter, pleasure, training or army co-operation support flights as required, and were also often transferred between different Straight-operated airports, clubs or airlines as needs arose. Many airports took part in the Civil Air Guard (CAG) scheme which started 1 September 1938. When the scheme began there were 1,299 applications to train at Straight Corporation-operated CAG airports. Extra Hornet Moths were acquired for this, and Straight's CAG courses started on 1 October. In 1939 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training schools (E&RFTS) were set up at some airports, and
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#17327798119586014-470: The native amphibian species. 1946 aerial photographs of the area show the pond existed at this time, but it does not feature on earlier large-scale maps. In 1984 a new Mousehold Heath Act became law. In 1992 the bandstand by the football ground was rebuilt by the Mousehold Defenders using locally raised funds. The 67 acres (27 ha) Harrison's Wood, which was once originally part of
6111-487: The officials of Norwich Cathedral were more involved in city affairs. The people of Pockthorpe even parodied the authorities, for instance in electing their own 'mayor', and founding the Pockthorpe Guild in 1772. In 1844, in an attempt to preserve their traditional life, they began a campaign to establish full control over Mousehold Heath, for instance in forcing outsiders to accept a charge for taking materials off
6208-711: The old aerodrome was then built over when the Heartsease housing estate was created, but some of the airfield buildings survived and are now within the Roundtree Way industrial estate. Today there are numerous tracks and paths all over the remaining 184 acres (74 ha) of Mousehold Heath. There are two football pitches, a pitch and putt course, a restaurant, a bandstand and several parking areas. Various events are held there, including concerts, guided walks, conservation initiatives , football matches and fundraising events. A single road, Gurney Road, passes through
6305-516: The origin of the heath's name. The old name Mushold is nowadays interpreted as meaning 'mouse wood': it was in the past thought the heath took its name from the Anglo-Saxon moch-holt ('thick wood'). John Stacy, writing in 1819, quoted earlier sources that derived the name from Moss-wold ('mossy hill') or – in his opinion, more probably – Monks-hold ('possessed by the monks '). Extensive areas of heathland developed across Norfolk towards
6402-406: The owners. All were run by a local operating company, and aero clubs were established or taken over at most airports. In addition to the locations listed below, attempts to lease Norwich Airport , Stoke-on-Trent Meir airfield and Cardiff 's Pengam Moors airport were rejected. Aircraft were owned by the airport operating company or the associated flying clubs, and were occasionally registered in
6499-401: The proximity of the heath to Salhouse at that time. Kett's Rebellion began on 12 July 1549, during a period that became known as the 'commotion time'. Led by Robert Kett (a local landowner and tanner) and his brother, it grew from a protest about enclosures into a full-scale insurgency. It culminated in the capture of the city of Norwich (then the largest English city outside London ) and
6596-416: The rapid expansion of Norwich and its surrounding villages, where new roads, shops, houses and industrial units have been built. The present Mousehold Heath consists of mostly broad-leaf woodland, with isolated areas of heath that are actively managed. It is home to a number of rare insects, birds and other vertebrates . A chapel dedicated to William of Norwich (a local child who was murdered in 1144)
6693-671: The removal of existing woodland and the planting of new belts of trees. Mousehold Heath was painted by a number of artists from the Norwich School of painters , including John Crome and John Sell Cotman , as well as other painters such as John Constable . They found heathland landscapes intriguing and depicted them on a regular basis, despite the views of agriculturalists , who considered such landscapes to be valueless wasteland. The Norwich School's depictions of Mousehold Heath lack human activity, animals or growing crops. The remoteness of Norfolk meant that few artists from outside
6790-481: The rest of his life in a monastery, but Straight's qualities as a driver were genuine. While Straight was married to Lady Daphne, he had an affair with noted aviator Diana Barnato Walker , the first British woman to break the sound barrier. Diana was the daughter of Woolf Barnato (1895–1948), another famous racing driver, and the widow of Wing Commander Derek Ronald Walker, who was killed on 14 November 1945 in bad weather while flying. Together, Whitney and Diana had
6887-596: The same college. Among his relations were his first cousin Jock Whitney , U.S. ambassador to Britain, his uncle in law Lord Queenborough and his first cousin the Hon. Dorothy Paget . While still an undergraduate at Cambridge, he became a well known Grand Prix motor racing driver and competed at events in the UK and Europe. Like a lot of other wealthy young men of his generation, he had passion for motor racing. He competed in more Grands Prix than any American until after
6984-456: The start of the uprising, the rebellion was crushed by Warwick's forces in a decisive engagement, with perhaps three thousand insurgents being killed. There is some uncertainty about the exact site of the battle, said to have occurred at 'Dussindale'. Until the start of the 19th century, Mousehold Heath still stretched to Woodbastwick , as can be seen on Faden 's 1797 map of Norfolk. A wide-open space crossed over with numerous paths and lanes ,
7081-561: The surrounding countryside, with the rebels holding control of the city for over a month, basing themselves at a camp on Mousehold Heath and establishing other camps around Norfolk. After unsuccessfully petitioning the authorities for fairer treatment, they were able to defeat an attempt to oust them by the Marquis of Northampton , but a much larger government army, led by John Dudley, Earl of Warwick , succeeded in regaining control of Norwich and forcing them to abandon their camp. Six weeks after
7178-688: The technology to produce their own version of the jet engine and were powering the MiG fighters using Rolls-Royce technology. He decided to sue the Russian government for copyright infringement. The figure claimed was £207 million which he never received. In 1967, he donated the Whitney Straight Award to the Royal Aeronautical Society to recognise the achievement and status of women in aviation . The award consisted of
7275-403: The way Newspaper sensationalized him as "Boy Millionaire Race Track Idol". One columnist quoted Whitney as saying "I often wish I never had a fortune. It is difficult to make real friends and nobody appreciates you at your true worth". In an attempt to prove his own value to himself, he once temporarily abandoned luxury and rode out into the English countryside on an outdated motorcycle with just
7372-546: The world, with 58 services a day on the Weston — Cardiff route alone. The airline prospered and expanded its fleet and routes, and developed a strong engineering capability, which enabled it to survive WWII. It carried this on after the war, even building Bristol Freighters . Activity then started to wind down and the company was wound up in 1978. The corporation set out to operate a large chain of civil airports. Some were bought outright, some leased, and some managed on behalf of
7469-516: Was Ramsgate Airport . It was mainly concerned with pleasure, charter and army co-operation flights, but also ran scheduled services along the Thames Estuary . Its fleet varied depending on its needs and those of the other of Straight Corporation companies, sometimes operating aircraft registered to them, and sometimes lending their aircraft to them. Several aircraft were at first registered to Richard Seaman, possibly reflecting his investment in
7566-402: Was Devon's first airfield, and the airfield where Whitney Straight learned to fly in 1929. The corporation's Haldon Airport Ltd took over the management of the airfield from 1 January 1937 and bought it outright in 1938 after the scheduled airlines serving it had moved to Exeter in 1937. The South Devon Flying Club had started here in 1933, but when the corporation took over it became a branch of
7663-563: Was a Grand Prix motor racing driver, aviator, businessman, and a member of the prominent Whitney family . Born in New York City, Whitney Straight was the son of Major Willard Dickerman Straight (1880–1918) and one of the richest heiress Dorothy Payne Whitney (1887–1968), daughter of William Collins Whitney and she inherited $ 15,000,000 from her father. He was almost six years old when his father died in France of influenza during
7760-443: Was already established. A new terminal building was designed by Henning and Chitty, and opened on 9 May 1938, with an official opening ceremony on 9 July. It became a Grade 2 listed building in 1996. The CAG scheme was adopted here, and in 1939 No 45 E&RFTS was established. The corporation established an engine workshop in 1939, which worked for the corporation's own fleet and took on outside work. Newquay's Trebelzue Big Field
7857-491: Was also an aviation pioneer. Daphne was also a 4x great niece of Jane Austen , through her brother Edward Austen Knight . Together, Whitney and Lady Daphne had two daughters: After his colleague died in car crash, he promised his fiancée, Lady Daphne Finch-Hatton that he would quit racing and he never race again since. He was handsome, normally of a quiet and courteous disposition, Straight nonetheless had one dislike, he hated allusions to his wealth. He especially resented
7954-449: Was also involved, and smaller airlines, were too small to survive on their own, and he proposed that a holding company operating many such ventures would be able to achieve economies of scale and be able to use resources much more efficiently, sharing them as needed. Straight was summoned the next day, and readily agreed to found the venture, so on 17 April 1935 Straight Corporation was born, and Straight gave up motor racing. The corporation
8051-647: Was appointed deputy chairman of the board. In the United States his cousin, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (1899–1992), was the President of Aviation Corporation of America, which became Pan American Airways . Around this time he was also on the board of Rolls-Royce and he discovered that in 1947 Rolls-Royce had sold 55 jet engines to the Soviet Union, the sale being approved by the post-war Labour government of Clement Attlee . The Russians had copied
8148-628: Was awarded a Military Cross for his work in Norway. He was shot down by flak over France on 31 July 1941 and initially evaded capture. Through the French Underground , he made his way to unoccupied Vichy France where he was captured and put in a prisoner-of-war camp . However he escaped on 22 June 1942 and with the aid of the French Resistance reached safety in Gibraltar . In September 1942, now as an air commodore , he
8245-552: Was built in 1933 for Highland Airways to serve Orkney and Wick, with services starting on 8 May. The corporation took over the management of the airfield in 1937, forming Inverness Airport Ltd and Inverness Aero Club. After considerable activity during WWII, the airfield reopened, mainly for BEA services, but closed in 1947. Ipswich Airport was the third airport taken over by Straight Corporation, in February 1936. Ipswich Airport Ltd managed it and took over Ipswich Aero Club which
8342-415: Was erected on the heath, of which little remains today. In 1549, Robert Kett camped on the heath with his followers, days before their uprising was suppressed by the authorities. The heath was in the past used by the local population to collect fuel, food and housing materials, as well as to extract sand, clay and gravel. Parts of it have previously been used as a cavalry training ground, a race course ,
8439-523: Was first used for flying on 27 and 28 August 1933 by Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day tour, and used for occasional flying afterwards. Straight's corporation leased it in 1938 as a potential municipal airport, and Western Airways started services the same year. In WWII the field was incorporated into RAF St Mawgan which was built adjacent to it. Plymouth (Roborough) Airport was the fourth airport to be taken over by Straight Corporation, in March 1936. It
8536-501: Was free to collect wood from the heath, and to allow their stock to graze there. Small villages bordered the heath: the parish of Salhouse , which was agrarian in nature, was typical of them. It consisted of a small settlement situated within a landscape of well-drained heath on slightly higher land, a mixture of woodland, marsh, arable land, and meadows on lower ground. Nearby ancient placenames such as Mouseholdheath Farm , Mousehold Cottage and Mousehold Farm , are an indicator of
8633-542: Was funded by Straight's own trust, with the objective of controlling up to 15 municipal airports, with first-class terminals , restaurants and flight training facilities. The headquarters were at 17 Manchester Square, London W.1. Straight recruited several friends as directors in his corporation. These included Bill Parkhouse; Louis Strange ; Richard Seaman , a fellow racing driver whom he had met while they were both at Cambridge University ; and Straight's solicitor, Frederick A.S. Gwatkin. Both Seaman and Gwatkin invested in
8730-453: Was involved with Beryl Markham (1902–1986), another British pilot. Lady Daphne was half-American as her mother, Margaretta, was the daughter of Anthony Joseph Drexel, Jr. (1864–1934) and the granddaughter of Anthony Joseph Drexel (1826–1893), all from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . Lady Daphne's maternal uncles included, Anthony J. Drexel II, who married Marjorie Gould, daughter of George Jay Gould , and John Armstrong Drexel (1891–1958), who
8827-424: Was known as Earls Hall Airport or Alton Park Road Airport. There is no record of a flying club here at the time. Exeter Airport at Clyst Honiton was the second airport operated by Straight Corporation, starting in January 1936. Exeter Airport Ltd, with Bill Parkhouse as manager, took a 21-year lease starting on 1 June 1937, and the field officially opened on 30 July. At first there was only tented accommodation, but
8924-441: Was managed by Plymouth Airport Ltd, and the Plymouth and District Aero Club was taken over, later setting up a branch at Haldon . It operated the CAG training scheme from 1938. The airport reopened for civil traffic after the war in March 1947, and the aero club not only restarted, but managed the airport for the local council. Ramsgate Airport was the first to be taken over by Straight Corporation, who often called it Thanet. It
9021-573: Was opened at Weston Airport during the early years of WWII. Work continued after the war, making extremely detailed models for radar stealth testing of all types of land vehicles, ships, aircraft and missiles for the National Radar Target Modelling Centre (NRTMC) that was being run by EMI . Whitney Straight Air Commodore Whitney Willard Straight , CBE , MC , DFC , FRSA , FRGS (6 November 1912 – 5 April 1979)
9118-515: Was operated by Ramsgate Airport Ltd which was formed on 25 July 1935. Its directors were Mr F.A.S. Gwatkin, Richard Seaman and Whitney Straight. The official opening of the new terminal, incorporating the control tower, was on 21 August 1937. The existing Ramsgate Flying Club was replaced by the Thanet Aero Club. It took part in the CAG training scheme. The company also set up on the airfield a tented holiday camp with its own clubhouse. For
9215-754: Was sent to the Middle East joining HQ, No. 216 Group RAF , as Air Officer Commanding . At war's end, he returned to the UK becoming AOC, No. 46 Group in June 1945. He was released from the RAF in late 1945, and he became chairman of the Royal Aero Club . With the establishment of the British European Airways corporation in 1946, Straight was its deputy chairman. In July 1947, he became managing director and chief executive officer of British Overseas Airways Corporation . In 1949, Straight
9312-571: Was the 1934 South African GP, which he won. Flying was also another of his passions. At age 16, though still too young for a pilot's licence, he had already accumulated over 60 hours solo flight. In his early 20s, as head of the Straight Corporation Limited, he operated airlines and airfields throughout Britain and ran flying clubs. He commissioned an advanced light aircraft, the Hendy Heck , and in 1936 he helped develop
9409-489: Was used by several local firms in connection with aircraft production, including Boulton & Paul . Boulton & Paul employed up to 3000 people in assembling aircraft in Norwich, many of whom were women brought in to supplement the workforce. The women were trained in basic engineering skills in a specially provided training school. From October 1915, when the first aircraft was completed, over 2,500 machines were built by
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