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Home » Articles » James Brothers of Clynderwen: aviation pioneers, 1913James Brothers of Clynderwen: aviation pioneers, 1913
Five photographs of an attempt at flight by the Pembrokeshire aviation pioneers, Henry Howard James and John Herber James of Clynderwen, 25 September 1913.
Five photographs of an attempt at flight by the Pembrokeshire aviation pioneers, Henry Howard James and John Herber James of Clynderwen, 25 September 1913.
Henry Howard James (1891-1958) and his brother John Herber James (1894-1944) were the first men in Pembrokeshire to build and fly their own aeroplane. They did this in 1913 and gained the county's first Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificates.
Their plan was to build and fly their aeroplane from their home town of Narberth. Several local people assisted with its manufacture including Mary Ann and Charlotte James who helped their brothers by stitching the wing fabric.
These photographs chart the dramatic events of the evening of 25 September 1913, when the brothers made their first attempt at flight. Unfortunately, it resulted in disaster with the byplane dropping 60 feet to the ground. Hebbie James was lucky to escape with only cuts and bruises.
Another attempt was made on Saturday, 22 November, when a short flight was achieved. On 20 April 1914, a flight of twenty minutes was recorded without mishaps and, the following day, Hebbie James achieved his ambition of flying over his home town of Narberth.
Source: Paul Williams, 'The James Brothers, Pembrokeshire's Aviation Pioneers' (Pembrokeshire Aviation Group, 1992)
