Stag Lane Aerodrome
Maurice Wilson started his ill-fated Everest trip here.
Location: Stag Lane, Edgware
Description: Stag Lane Aerodrome was a private aerodrome operated by the London & Provincial Aviation Company between 1915 and 1933.
They used it for flying training during the First World War but ceased flying in July 1919 after they were refused a license.
The de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited took over in 1920 where they designed and built aircraft here before moving to a larger factory and airfield at Hatfield Aerodrome in 1934.
The de Havilland DH.34, DH.50, DH.51, DH.53 Humming Bird, DH.60 Moth/Gipsy Moth, DH.61 Giant Moth, DH.65 Hound, Hercules, DH.71 Tiger Moth, DH.75 Hawk Moth, DH.80 Puss Moth,
DH.82 Tiger Moth, DH.83 Fox Moth, DH.84 Dragon and the DH.86 Express were are built here.
The last flight from the airfield was a de Havilland Hornet Moth in July 1934.
The eccentric British soldier, mystic, mountaineer and aviator Maurice Wilson (1898-1934) took off from here alone on May 21st 1933 bound for Mount Everest in a Gipsy Moth named Ever-Wrest. It took him 4 weeks to reach India, via Cairo and Bahrain. Despite being banned by Britain, Nepal and Tibet, he reached Everest on foot via a 300 mile journey disguised as a priest, but after several attempts alone, he never returned and his body was found in 1935.
In 1976 the GPO (later British Telecom) opened the world's largest international exchange on the site.
A commemorative plaque was unveiled here on 25th September 2001.
Maurice Wilson started his ill-fated Everest trip here. |
Ranking This Month: 1789/3069
Pages Hit This Month: 24
Your Comments:
Other places nearby:
Croydon Airport», 17.km
Heathrow Terminal 5», 12.km
Vincent C. Richmond lived here», 11.km
Sopwith Camel maker lived here», 7.7km
Concorde man born here.», 11.km
The Aeronaut of Holloway», 18.km
Heathrow the Hamlet», 11.km
First British Powered Flight», 9.8km
AV Roe's Flying Machine», 10.km
Royal Air Force Museum London», 1.5km
Location Pinpointed:
Open Street Maps», Google Maps»