with Michelle Nichols & Jonathan Auld
Miss Strickland ’ s joy ride
The land between Windsor and Richmond is known as Ham Common and has strong connections to aviation history with several pioneer aviators using Ham Common in the early days of flying .
Australia ’ s first licensed pilot , William Ewart Hart operated a flying school which opened in 1912 and the space was described as “ the finest site in Australia for an aviation ground .”
In 1916 a new Aviation School was established on Ham Common on the outskirts of Richmond by the NSW Government , to give instruction to pilots so they could serve overseas in a military capacity . It would later become the Richmond RAAF Base . RAAF Richmond was the first RAAF base to be established in New South Wales .
In the midst of World War 1 the site was selected and buildings constructed . Instructors were appointed to train pilots with mechanics employed to service the Curtiss Jenny planes acquired from the US . The ground breaking course at the School of Aviation was vital for World War 1 .
Captain W . J . “ Billy ’ Stutt was engaged as the chief instructor . An engineer by trade , he was originally from Victoria and had travelled to England to learn how to fly . He returned to Australia as a renowned pilot , with remarkable qualifications and experience in flying a range of planes . A strong advocate of aviation , Stutt staged “ many daring demonstrations for dignitaries , the press and the public .”
In August 1916 , about 500 guests were invited to the official opening and a reception which was held in one of the new hangars on Ham Common .
Local newspapers reported that members of government in Windsor and Richmond , and other local dignitaries , were peeved as they did not receive an invitation to the special ceremony . It was only at the eleventh hour , that the Mayor of Richmond was extended an invitation .
Approximately 4000 onlookers , including local school students , surrounded the site , to glimpse the officials and the extraordinary flying machines , despite the gloomy weather . For the official dignitaries , lunch was served in the great hangar , followed by a number of speeches .
As well as celebrating the official opening of the school , the first intake of student pilots was also admired . Over 200 young men applied for the course at Richmond with only twenty five selected for the first round of training .
It was indeed an enormous event attended by the Premier of NSW , William Arthur Holman , Sir Gerald Strickland , the NSW Governor , as well as many important officials such as the Lord Mayor of Sydney Council .
As Premier , Holman was keen to stimulate the aviation industry in NSW and there was a lot of politicking happening . Within two years of employment at Richmond , Stutt had trained around 130 pilots . It was “ fully demonstrated that the Australian has as great a penchant for flying as for fighting , droving - ( or sometimes ) striking , and can take care of himself in the air as well as on Terra firma ’’.
Mary Christina Strickland , eldest daughter of the Governor , was encouraged to accompany Stutt on one of his aerial demonstration display flights . This was not her first flight ; she had made several ascents . In 1914 she
Mary Strickland in the cockpit at Richmond . Courtesy : Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection .
Mary Strickland with her father and Mr Griffiths . Courtesy : Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection .
had accompanied her father to a special event at Randwick Racecourse to witness one of the world ’ s greatest aviators , Harry Hawker , demonstrate some breath taking exhibitions of flight .
At this event , Mary mentioned to Claude Kingston , Hawker ’ s promotional manager , that “ she had longed to go aloft in an aeroplane but her father would not grant her permission .” She was then offered a flight with Hawker in his Sopwith Tabloid and her father , impressed with the young man ’ s abilities , gave his blessing .
Her first flight was for about eight minutes . At this same event , the Governor-General Thomas Denman , also went for a joy flight with the aviator in front of an enthusiastic crowd of about 20,000 .
Firsthand accounts relayed his precision flying and control of his plane whilst performing some astonishing feats , with Mary commenting she was “ sorry it ’ s over ”.
At the opening of the Aviation School at Richmond , heavy rain was recorded but Mary was
undeterred and simply donned a raincoat , and in front of her parents , younger sisters and the large crowd , climbed into the Curtiss biplane with the pilot .
Mr Stutt , knowing that his passenger was devoid of fear , did not hesitate to indulge in various evolutions , some of which appeared to the spectators to be very much like looping the loop .
On her return , she responded “ It was perfectly delightful .”
On the day , several other women also went for a flight including Mrs Ada Holman , Mrs . Griffiths , Mrs . G . W . Fuller and Miss James .
With many of the community interested in aviation , various requests were made to either borrow planes , perform exhibitions or demands for joyrides with most requests usually denied .
However , many social flights from Richmond were recorded in the first year , including Windsor ’ s Mayor , Ald Judd flying over Windsor .
The training at Richmond continued until World War 1 ended . In the 1920s the first RAAF base in NSW was established and the site continues to be one of importance , rich with aviation history .
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12 ISSUE 155 // APRIL 2023 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT