[GRAHAME-WHITE, Claude]. The London Aerodrome Hendon, First Annual Dinner Friday March 20th, 1914 [cover title]. London: Geo. Reynolds Ltd., Art Printers. 1914.
4to. Original card wrappers, printed in silver and with colour illustration after Cyril Cuneo mounted on front cover, Toast List mounted inside front cover, menu mounted on the flap of lower cover, inside this amounted colour illustration after Cyril Cuneo; pp. [28], highly illustrated after phographs and drawings; covers a little rubbed, initial page (for autographs) dusty and with margianl leasures do to shortness of front wrapper (part of the design); a remarkable survival from the infancy of flying in Britain.
The now defunct London Aerodrome in Hendon was at the beginnings of aviation in this country, where pioneers could hone their skills, train wannabe daredevils into trying to fly and set exams for people to take in order to be able to fly. It was at the epicentre of the early days of flying. So, with this, it attracted not just UK, but also Europe's best aviators and as the folder lists, they raced each other in front of the adoring public. The races drew large crowds as the small group of aviators pitted their wits against each other.
This folder was issued to the great and good at a large function in Pall Mall at the Royal Automobile Club on 20th March 1914. Famous guests such as H.G. Wells and Ernest Shackleton were in attendance and whoever received a folder also had an empty page at the front, so that they could go autograph hunting for either famous people, politicians or as was prized: the aviators. The owner of this menu wasn't so lucky, with only 3 signatures on this page.
Little did the guests in the Automobile Club do know through all the merriment and award giving, that Europe was on the brink of war, and that in August of that year the lives of many in the room would change dramatically. Many of the aviators from Hendon Aerodrome would go on to fly for the Royal Flying Corp and rather than race, would be in arial combat to the death.
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