AS part of this year’s celebrations to mark 1000 years of Oxfordshire, a Thame-based balloon company has honoured the first ever flight by an Englishman, over 200 years ago, by recreating James Sadler?s balloon flight ? in full period dress – from Christ Church Meadows in Oxford.
The Altitude Balloon Company paid tribute to Oxford?s very own, born and bred, James Sadler, who was the first Englishman to fly and possibly Oxfordshire?s bravest man.
On October 4, 1784, Sadler took off in his home-made hot air balloon, made of silk and paper, lifted by a fire on an open grate, from Christ Church Meadows in central Oxford and ?ascended into the atmosphere?. He climbed to an altitude three quarters of a mile high, flew for half an hour before landing six miles to the north, at the village of Woodeaton. At the time it was considered to be nothing short of a miracle, and drew crowds of many thousands to witness the ‘impossible’ event.
The flight was easily visible from Thame, as well as from Bicester, Didcot, Banbury, Witney, Wantage and Wallingford, and people from all of those towns would have been present for the occasion. This early balloon flight would have caused great consternation amongst those who witnessed it, since there is much evidence that early balloon flights were mistaken for devils and demons coming to earth.
Sadler?s exploits didn?t end there. He was nearly drowned trying to be the first person ever to fly between Ireland and England. He broke airspeed records, was a great celebrity of his time, and was much admired by King George III.
As we celebrate 1000 years of Oxford?s history, we can ask the question: ?Was James Sadler Oxfordshire?s Bravest Man??
Ian Woodmansey, Director of the Altitude Balloon Company said: ?James Sadler is one of the great Oxfordshire heroes of the last 1000 years, and possibly the bravest man in our county?s history. He broke all the barriers of his time, and showed enormous determination and daring to become the first Englishman ever to fly. He flew a home-made balloon, and had numerous brushes with death in his early flying career. He is a man to be celebrated and remembered. I?m just glad that modern ballooning does not rely on the same technology as that used by Sadler.?
Catherine Nightingale of Oxford Inspires said: ?Oxfordshire?s millennium year turns the spotlight on the county, its people and its achievements ? and James Sadler exemplifies the spirit of creativity, inspiration and imagination that we are celebrating today.?
Stuart Skinner, a balloon pilot who lives in Thame and who was assisting at the launch said:
?Men like Sadler are a great inspiration to us all. They dreamt big and then went out and acted on those dreams. Without Sadler, England could have been left behind in the aviation race that developed in Europe in the 1780s?.
Amazingly, James Sadler died peacefully of old age in his Oxford house in George Lane, at the age of 75. There is a plaque next to Merton fields commemorating his first ever flight, and he is buried in the churchyard at St. Peter in the East, which is now part of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford.
He was truly one of the great Oxonians.