Talk by the SY Victorian Society on Victorian Sheffield's aviation history, from tethered balloons and parachutes to Bleriot aeroplanes and the Wright brothers.
From Balloons to Bleriots: Aviation and Sheffield 1823-1914 is a talk at Showroom Cinema on Tuesday 9 February, put on by the SY Victorian Society. It looks at how Victorian Sheffielders reacted to the novelty of man being able to fly, tracing the city's aviation history from tethered balloon acrobatics and parachute descents through to Bleriot aeroplanes.
The talk covers the first attempts by Sheffielders to fly in gliders, and the claim that the world's oldest glider pilot was a Sheffielder. It also digs into the little-known links between the city and the Wright brothers, and Earl Fitzwilliam's efforts to establish aviation in Sheffield, including his own ill-fated Bleriot monoplane. Alongside those early, high-stakes attempts, it follows the development of model aeroplane flying, a far less dangerous Victorian and Edwardian pastime that took root in the city.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Sheffield and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
It's a good way to see a side of Sheffield you wouldn't usually think of, and it runs from 7:30 PM to 9 PM at Showroom Cinema, Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX. Tickets are £6.13.
