Nostalgia: Harrogate's role in early years of aviation will be revealed at event next week

The untold but remarkable story of the role of Harrogate in the early years of aviation will be revealed next week.

Tales of when aircrafts would land and, occasionally, crash on the Stray more than 100 years ago will be part of the talk by local historian Peter Rix.

Taking place on Wednesday, October 14 at 7pm in the Methodist Schoolroom in Bishop Monkton, four miles from Ripon and ten from Harrogate, the occasion is the latest meeting of Bishop Monkton’s Local History Group .

The talk on the history of Harrogate and early aeroplanes event is expected to be busy.

Although protected by Act of Parliament, the Stray was no stranger to take-offs and landings.

The town even hosted the Daily Mail’s Round Britain Air Race in July 1911, though all didn’t go well for the brave fliers.

At least one of the competitors crash landed in the town, though there were no fatalities.

That year saw some locals complaining about the use of the Stray in this way.

But more than 70,000 people still crammed onto the Stray to watch the air race land and take-off in the town.

These days, fixed-wing airplanes no longer land on the town’s precious parkland, though emergency medical helicopters such as the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and military aircraft like RAF Chinook helicopters have occasionally utilised the wide-open spaces.

Places for the talk are limited.

Tickets cost £10 but are free to BM Local History Group members.