Frederick Marriott
Encyclopedia
Frederick Marriott was an early aviation pioneer and creator of the Avitor Hermes Jr. which was the first unmanned aircraft to fly under its own power in the United States. Marriott is given credit for coining the term "aeroplane," and intended to build an air transport system that would bring people from New York
to California
without the perils of the normal voyage particularly of the 19th century. The company he formed (with Andrew Smith Hallidie
) in 1866 was called the Aerial Steam Navigation Company.
Marriott was described as "an English gentlemen, of eccentric habits, much shrewdness and enterprise, and entire originality" by the publisher of the Northern Indianian on March 19, 1874.
The News Letter was officially subtitled, "The Authorized Organ of the Aerial Steam Navigation Company." One of the lead columns in the San Francisco News Letter and California Advertiser was called "Town Crier" and was written by Major Ambrose Bierce
. Frederick Marriott is credited as the publisher of San Francisco News Letter.
While Marriott's name was mentioned in one reference as a founder of the London Illustrated News, this does not seem to be the same publication as the Illustrated London News
, which was founded in 1842 in London, at a time when Marriott was already an established publisher, but not, seemingly, associated with the News. The early history of the Illustrated London News does not mention Marriott.
The California China Mail and Flying Dragon was a Chinese language publication and one of the first sources of advertisements encouraging Chinese emigrants to work on the Western railway. It was subtitled, "Issued Every China Steamer Day."
The California News Notes was illustrated and many of the beautiful woodcut
s remain for sale typically depicting the linkages of various railway lines.
As a publisher, Marriott was one of the first to print works from Mark Twain
in his newspapers.
and William Samuel Henson
). Marriott was responsible for the illustrations and publicity campaign for their planned airship, the "Ariel". The plane captured the imagination of the public and the company constructed and flew a small glider, but after a failure to build a larger working model and lacking funds, the company folded. Henson married and moved to the United States, while Stringfellow continued aeronautical experiments. Marriott moved to California during the Gold Rush
of 1849.
The Hermes Avitor Jr. was built in the basement of the publishing building largely by candlelight
and took flight at San Jose, CA
's Shellmount Park racetrack near the current San Francisco International Airport
. According to a Scientific American
journalist (July 31, 1869) the aircraft took about 6 minutes to fill and flew at about 5 miles per hour. On a subsequent flight, however, the aircraft burned completely and was lost. A replica
of the craft is on display at the Hiller Aviation Museum
. This was not a manned craft.
Black Friday
, a stock market crash
in 1869 put an end to the efforts of Marriott to fly a lighter-than-air plane, although he did work on a heavier-than-air triplane
in the mid 1870s. His nephew, John Joseph Montgomery was inspired by these experiments and became a significant figure in the history of flight.
Frederick Marriott died in San Francisco, CA on December 16, 1884.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
without the perils of the normal voyage particularly of the 19th century. The company he formed (with Andrew Smith Hallidie
Andrew Smith Hallidie
Andrew Smith Hallidie was the promoter of the Clay Street Hill Railroad in San Francisco, USA. This was the world's first practical cable car system, and Hallidie is often therefore regarded as the inventor of the cable car and father of the present day San Francisco cable car system, although...
) in 1866 was called the Aerial Steam Navigation Company.
Marriott was described as "an English gentlemen, of eccentric habits, much shrewdness and enterprise, and entire originality" by the publisher of the Northern Indianian on March 19, 1874.
Publisher
- 1856-1928 San Francisco News Letter and California Advertiser
- London Illustrated News
- Pacific Coast Mining Journal
- 1867-1876 California China Mail and Flying Dragon
- 1854-1855 California Mail Bag
- California News Notes
The News Letter was officially subtitled, "The Authorized Organ of the Aerial Steam Navigation Company." One of the lead columns in the San Francisco News Letter and California Advertiser was called "Town Crier" and was written by Major Ambrose Bierce
Ambrose Bierce
Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was an American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist and satirist...
. Frederick Marriott is credited as the publisher of San Francisco News Letter.
While Marriott's name was mentioned in one reference as a founder of the London Illustrated News, this does not seem to be the same publication as the Illustrated London News
Illustrated London News
The Illustrated London News was the world's first illustrated weekly newspaper; the first issue appeared on Saturday 14 May 1842. It was published weekly until 1971 and then increasingly less frequently until publication ceased in 2003.-History:...
, which was founded in 1842 in London, at a time when Marriott was already an established publisher, but not, seemingly, associated with the News. The early history of the Illustrated London News does not mention Marriott.
The California China Mail and Flying Dragon was a Chinese language publication and one of the first sources of advertisements encouraging Chinese emigrants to work on the Western railway. It was subtitled, "Issued Every China Steamer Day."
The California News Notes was illustrated and many of the beautiful woodcut
Woodblock printing
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later paper....
s remain for sale typically depicting the linkages of various railway lines.
As a publisher, Marriott was one of the first to print works from Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
in his newspapers.
First flight
In 1841, in London, England, Marriott was one of three board members in the Aerial Transit Company (the other two were John StringfellowJohn Stringfellow
John Stringfellow was born in Sheffield, England and is known for his work on the Aerial Steam Carriage with William Samuel Henson....
and William Samuel Henson
William Samuel Henson
William Samuel Henson was a pre-Wright brothers aviation engineer and inventor.Henson was born on 3 May 1812 , in Nottingham, England. Henson was involved in lace-making in Chard, which increasingly was mechanized at that time, and he obtained a patent on improved lace-making machines in 1835...
). Marriott was responsible for the illustrations and publicity campaign for their planned airship, the "Ariel". The plane captured the imagination of the public and the company constructed and flew a small glider, but after a failure to build a larger working model and lacking funds, the company folded. Henson married and moved to the United States, while Stringfellow continued aeronautical experiments. Marriott moved to California during the Gold Rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
of 1849.
The Hermes Avitor Jr. was built in the basement of the publishing building largely by candlelight
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
and took flight at San Jose, CA
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
's Shellmount Park racetrack near the current San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
. According to a Scientific American
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
journalist (July 31, 1869) the aircraft took about 6 minutes to fill and flew at about 5 miles per hour. On a subsequent flight, however, the aircraft burned completely and was lost. A replica
Replica
A replica is a copy closely resembling the original concerning its shape and appearance. An inverted replica complements the original by filling its gaps. It can be a copy used for historical purposes, such as being placed in a museum. Sometimes the original never existed. For example, Difference...
of the craft is on display at the Hiller Aviation Museum
Hiller Aviation Museum
The Hiller Aviation Museum, located in San Carlos, California, USA at the San Carlos Airport, is an aircraft history museum. The museum was founded by Stanley Hiller, Jr., in June 1998. and is endowed by members of the Hiller Family . It specializes in Northern California aircraft history and...
. This was not a manned craft.
Black Friday
Black Friday (1869)
Black Friday, September 24, 1869 also known as the Fisk/Gould scandal, was a financial panic in the United States caused by two speculators’ efforts to corner the gold market on the New York Gold Exchange. It was one of several scandals that rocked the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant...
, a stock market crash
Stock market crash
A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a significant cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth. Crashes are driven by panic as much as by underlying economic factors...
in 1869 put an end to the efforts of Marriott to fly a lighter-than-air plane, although he did work on a heavier-than-air triplane
Triplane
A triplane is a fixed-wing aircraft equipped with three vertically-stacked wing planes. Tailplanes and canard foreplanes are not normally included in this count, although they may occasionally be.-Design principles:...
in the mid 1870s. His nephew, John Joseph Montgomery was inspired by these experiments and became a significant figure in the history of flight.
Frederick Marriott died in San Francisco, CA on December 16, 1884.
Sources
- Twain Quotes
- Holding Record from the University of California, Berkeley for a copy of the California China Mail and Flying Dragon
- Drury, William, Norton I, Emperor of the United States (Dodd, Mead, & Company, 1986)
- Johnson, Kenneth M., Aerial California. An Account of early Flight in Northern and Southern California, 1849 to World War I (Dawson's Book Shop, 1961)
- Parramore, Thomas C., First to Fly: North Carolina and the Beginnings of Aviation (University of North Carolina Press, 2002) ISBN 0-8078-2676-6