Patrick Young Alexander
Encyclopedia
Patrick Young Alexander (28 March 1867 – 7 July 1943) was a British aeronautical pioneer fascinated by the prospect of heavier-than-air flight. He was an enthusiastic balloonist and he was also particularly active in meteorology
. He performed many metrological and aviation experiments, designing and building his own equipment. He travelled widely, visiting Australia
in his youth and later making many visits to USA — crossing the Atlantic at least 50 times — he travelled widely in Europe
and visited Mexico
, Russia
, Siberia
and Africa
in pursuit of his interests.
Patrick Alexander was respected by fellow aeronautical pioneers and close friends of such eminent people as Octave Chanute
, brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright
, Alberto Santos-Dumont
, Lawrence Hargreaves, Louis Blériot
, Henry Farman
, Ferdinand von Zeppelin
, Charles Rolls
of Rolls-Royce
, Major Baden Powell
to name only a few, as well as head of states and royalty in Europe. Patrick, a world traveller, arranged meetings with aeronautical people and gave lectures on the development and progress being made in aviation.
, Kent
, England. His mother was Harriotte Emma and his father was Andrew Alexander from Scotland
. Patrick had a brother, John Edmond, three years his senior.
Patrick's father, Andrew Alexander, was a civil engineer of some standing and a mechanical engineer. He was interested and active in aeronautics
and he was a founder member of the Aeronautical Society in 1866. He presented some papers to the society including "Power in Relation to Weight in Aerial Navigation". In 1875 he went to see Thomas Moy's Aerial steamer at The Crystal Palace
. This woefully underpowered machine illustrated many interesting design features and on demonstration may have achieved a brief hop into the air (accounts vary). That same year, Andrew Alexander became manager of the Cyclops works of Charles Cammell and Company in Sheffield
— a city famous for metalworking — there he worked on the problem of improving the quality of armour applied to warships.
Andrew Alexander was a practical-minded man, unlikely to be prone to flights of fancy, yet at a time when many ridiculed the idea of heavier-than-air flight, he told Patrick he was sure that the problems of aviation would be solved. He was clearly a major influence on Patrick's life.
In 1878, Patrick Alexander, doubtless encouraged by his father, built an elastic driven model aeroplane of the "Penaud" type. In the late summer of that same year, Patrick was taken by his father to see the Paris Exhibition
of 1878. One attraction was irresistible: the enormous hydrogen balloon of Henri Giffard
, it had a capacity of 25000 cubic metres (882,866.7 cu ft) and was capable of taking 52 passengers at a time on a tethered ascent to 500 metres (1,640.4 ft). The experience left a deep impression on young Patrick.
When Patrick Alexander's father left the Cyclops works, the Alexander family moved from Sheffield to Bath and Patrick determined on a career in the Merchant Navy.
of 478 tones bound for Fremantle
in Western Australia
, a distance of 12500 miles (20,116.8 km) in a vessel powered only by the wind.
60 days into the journey, while aloft helping with the sails, Patrick lost his grip and fell. As he hit the deck, he broke his leg. The ship was still three weeks away from port and there was little that could be done other than to strap Patrick into a bunk for the rest of the journey, letting the leg heal without expert attention.
The 'Minero' had left England with a crew short by one member. At Fremantle, two of the crew jumped ship, possibly encouraged by rumours of gold being found in the desert; replacement crewmen were hard to come by and only one could be found. The 'Minero' set sail for Cossack and Port Walcott some 1000 miles (1,609.3 km) to the North, seeking a cargo, probably of wool and pearl shell, for the return to London. Patrick was getting about with the aid of a crutch and, given the shortage of crew, he was helping as best he could. On 10 August, in rough weather on a wet and slippery deck, Alexander fell again and re-broke his injured leg. He was taken to Victoria Hospital at Geraldton
. The 'Minero' returned to London without him. Patrick returned to England; despite treatment, it was clear that his injuries would leave him lame for life.
In 1886, while he was away from England, Patrick Alexander's elder brother died. The following year, Patrick's mother, Emma, died. In 1890, Patrick's father, Andrew, died at the age of 62. Now aged 23, Patrick was quite alone. Patrick's father had left him everything: almost £60,000 (equivalent to £ in .) At the time it was enough for a gentleman to live in some comfort. Patrick was to use his inheritance to pursue his various interests.
On 9 June 1891, Patrick Alexander made a gas balloon
ascent in the company of aeronaut Griffith Brewer
, this was the first of a number of balloon ascents that would lead to his becoming a licenced balloonist. Patrick ordered a three-man (some say five-man) balloon from balloon manufacturer Percival Spencer
, he named his balloon "Queen of the West". Throughout the summer of 1892, Patrick and his friend Philip Braham made a number flights. They collected metrological observations and measurements, and they took photographs. Their adventures were recorded in a number of local newspapers.
Also in 1891, Patrick Alexander acquired an 8 inches (203.2 mm) aperture refractor telescope which was erected in Bath. The telescope was a substantial instrument, which together with its mounting, must have weighed several tons. The telescope was fully equipped for astronomical observations and Patrick became a fellow member of the Royal Astronomical Society
up until 1921. Although he enjoyed showing his telescope to friends and distinguished visitors, any interest he had in astronomy was overshadowed by his other passions; the telescope was probably a scientific toy. Barry Bellinger suggests that the telescope was used to track pilot balloons released into the air, before releasing any main balloons; however, a telescope of this size and type seems unsuited to such a task.
In 1893, Patrick Alexander ordered a balloon of 100000 cubic feet (2,831.7 m³) capacity from Percival Spencer. At the time, C.G. Spencer and Sons' largest advertised balloon was of 80000 cubic feet (2,265.3 m³) and when it was made it attracted much public interest. Capable of lifting 12 passengers, it was one of the largest balloons yet made. Alexander named her "Majestic". In 1894, Patrick took his huge balloon to Germany where he conducted scientific ascents that excited interest among German scientists and lay public as well as that of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Ever since the first balloon ascent by the Montgolfier Brothers in 1783, it had been realised that for balloons to be really useful, they had to be navigable. Patrick Alexander applied his mind to this problem of airship
propulsion. In 1893 and 1894 he filed a number of patents. His ideas included reciprocating oars and an adjustable-pitch propeller that resembled a pair of fans. One patent includes a means of heating the gas in the balloon envelope by using piped steam, the steam pipe also served to support the balloon in the shape of a parachute in the event of the balloon being burst or punctured. None of Patrick’s ideas ever came to anything; but throughout his life, he never lost faith in the practicality of airships.
In Bath Patrick Alexander set up the first of a series of workshops. His most prestigious workshop was "The Mount" at Batheaston purchased in 1900 and here he had a gas supply brought into the garden and a balloon inflation valve installed. Town gas, although not as light as Hydrogen
, was readily available and very much less expensive; it was, of course, highly flammable. His workshops were fully equipped and employed several people, there he designed and manufactured experimental balloons and meteorological instruments.
Patrick Alexander joined the Aero clubs of Berlin, Paris and America and, at one time, that of Austria.
In 1900 the first Zeppelin
made its maiden flight — naturally Patrick Alexander was there. The Zeppelin was launched from a floating assembly hall on Lake Constance
; Patrick observed from a motor boat to be as close as possible to the action. Later that year, at the invitation of the Berlin Metrological Institute, Patrick Alexander made a flight in the world's largest balloon: a non-dirigible with a monstrous capacity of 9000 cubic metres (317,832 cu ft). The objective was to make metrological measurements and break the existing endurance records. It is indicative of the esteem in which Patrick was held that he, a non-German, was offered a place. The balloon was equipped against every eventuality and stocked with rations for 20 days. The balloon took off on 27 September, just before 6 pm. That very evening, their trailing rope became stuck in trees and gusty winds caused the crew to lose control, in the dark it was decided to release the gas and land the balloon. The ambitious expedition ended in failure just 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the start.
Patrick Alexander was very interested in the development of heavier-than-air flying machines. Early in the 1890s, he travelled to Germany to meet Otto Lilienthal
who was experimenting with gliders, and he continued to study ideas from a wide variety of sources. In 1896, Hiram Stevens Maxim
came tantalisingly close to achieving flight when his huge steam-powered contraption briefly lifted from the rails that also restrained it. Patrick was in contact with Octave Chanute and others experimenting with flight. In the USA, sometime before 1903, Patrick visited Samuel Pierpont Langley
whose successful models had attracted much attention. At Christmas 1902 he visited the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk
. These were halcyon days for experimenters in aviation, the possibility of heavier-than-air flight was, so-to-speak, in the air.
On hearing that Patrick Alexander was planning a return trip to the USA in October 1903, the Wright brothers - not known for welcoming interruptions to their work - said they would be happy to meet with him. However, Patrick missed a crucial telegram and never received their message. Patrick must have been most disappointed that he missed the opportunity to witness the first flights of the Wright Flyer
on December 17, 1903.
Aldershot
in Hampshire
was an insignificant village until, in 1854, it was selected as the home of the British Army
. It was in Aldershot that the army established the Army Balloon section. In June 1904 the American born aviation pioneer Samuel Franklin Cody
came to Aldershot to test his kites. There, in collaboration with the Army, he worked on balloons, kites and aeroplanes. That same year Patrick Alexander moved to nearby Mytchett in Surrey
where he was involved with the Army Balloon section. He shared a house with Cody who later went on to become the first man in England to fly an aeroplane
.
1905 was a year of public generosity. Chard
in Somerset
was, in 1848, the location of some remarkable aviation experiments by John Stringfellow
: he constructed a model aeroplane that is claimed to have achieved the first ever power flight. Some of the relics of these experiments were eventually bought for the Washington Museum. Patrick Alexander obtained and had restored at his expense, Stringfellow's earlier models and presented them to the Victoria and Albert Museum
in London. Also, Patrick offered his telescope - the 8" refractor - to the War Office. The offer included the cost of construction of a suitable observatory to house it. The offer was accepted and a site was chosen. In December 1906 the Aldershot Observatory
was officially opened, the opening ceremony was attended by several high-ranking officials and guests from Aldershot civic council, and Patrick Alexander himself.
In January 1910, Patrick Alexander issued the conditions of a £1,000 Alexander Award, a prize that he would offer for the development of a lightweight engine suitable for aviation. The prize was offered through the auspices of the Aerial League of which Alexander was a founding member and the testing would be performed by the National Physical Laboratory. (The prize, which was Alexander's own money, was a considerable sum; £1,000 in 1910 is equivalent to £ in .) Tests were carried out one year later. The Green Engine by Aster Engineering Ltd performed particularly well and, by unanimous agreement, won the prize.
at the Metrological Office at Falmouth
; here he worked until the end of the war.
He spent the rest of his life at the Imperial Service College
, Windsor
. There he taught students the basics of aeronautical principles.
He was a generous man — generous with his time, his intellect and with his money. An inheritance and his business ability made him wealthy, but financial success meant little to him. He was driven by native curiosity and ambition, and yet he was always supportive of the efforts of others, often making generous financial contributions, and was not jealous of their achievements.
Patrick Alexander was buried in a small churchyard in Windsor. Ironically his headstone faces the flight path from Heathrow Airport
, and features a simple inscription:
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
. He performed many metrological and aviation experiments, designing and building his own equipment. He travelled widely, visiting Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in his youth and later making many visits to USA — crossing the Atlantic at least 50 times — he travelled widely in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and visited Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in pursuit of his interests.
Patrick Alexander was respected by fellow aeronautical pioneers and close friends of such eminent people as Octave Chanute
Octave Chanute
Octave Chanute was a French-born American railway engineer and aviation pioneer. He provided the Wright brothers with help and advice, and helped to publicize their flying experiments. At his death he was hailed as the father of aviation and the heavier-than-air flying machine...
, brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
, Alberto Santos-Dumont
Alberto Santos-Dumont
Alberto Santos-Dumont , was a Brazilian early pioneer of aviation. The heir of a wealthy family of coffee producers, Santos Dumont dedicated himself to science studies in Paris, France, where he spent most of his adult life....
, Lawrence Hargreaves, Louis Blériot
Louis Blériot
Louis Charles Joseph Blériot was a French aviator, inventor and engineer. In 1909 he completed the first flight across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft, when he crossed the English Channel. For this achievement, he received a prize of £1,000...
, Henry Farman
Henry Farman
Henri Farman Henri Farman Henri Farman (26 May 1874 – 17 July 1958 was a French pilot, aviator and aircraft designer and manufacturer with his brother Maurice Farman. His family was British and he took French nationality in 1937.-Biography:...
, Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was a German general and later aircraft manufacturer. He founded the Zeppelin Airship company...
, Charles Rolls
Charles Rolls
Charles Stewart Rolls was a motoring and aviation pioneer. Together with Frederick Henry Royce he co-founded the Rolls-Royce car manufacturing firm. He was the first Briton to be killed in a flying accident, when the tail of his Wright Flyer broke off during a flying display near Bournemouth,...
of Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
, Major Baden Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
to name only a few, as well as head of states and royalty in Europe. Patrick, a world traveller, arranged meetings with aeronautical people and gave lectures on the development and progress being made in aviation.
Early years
Patrick Alexander was born at Hern Villa, Belvedere, ErithErith
Erith is a district of southeast London on the River Thames. Erith's town centre has undergone a series of modernisations since 1961.-Pre-medieval:...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England. His mother was Harriotte Emma and his father was Andrew Alexander from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Patrick had a brother, John Edmond, three years his senior.
Patrick's father, Andrew Alexander, was a civil engineer of some standing and a mechanical engineer. He was interested and active in aeronautics
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
and he was a founder member of the Aeronautical Society in 1866. He presented some papers to the society including "Power in Relation to Weight in Aerial Navigation". In 1875 he went to see Thomas Moy's Aerial steamer at The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
. This woefully underpowered machine illustrated many interesting design features and on demonstration may have achieved a brief hop into the air (accounts vary). That same year, Andrew Alexander became manager of the Cyclops works of Charles Cammell and Company in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
— a city famous for metalworking — there he worked on the problem of improving the quality of armour applied to warships.
Andrew Alexander was a practical-minded man, unlikely to be prone to flights of fancy, yet at a time when many ridiculed the idea of heavier-than-air flight, he told Patrick he was sure that the problems of aviation would be solved. He was clearly a major influence on Patrick's life.
In 1878, Patrick Alexander, doubtless encouraged by his father, built an elastic driven model aeroplane of the "Penaud" type. In the late summer of that same year, Patrick was taken by his father to see the Paris Exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
of 1878. One attraction was irresistible: the enormous hydrogen balloon of Henri Giffard
Henri Giffard
Henri Giffard was a French engineer. In 1852 he invented the steam injector and the powered airship.-Career:Baptiste Henri Jacques Giffard was born in Paris in 1825...
, it had a capacity of 25000 cubic metres (882,866.7 cu ft) and was capable of taking 52 passengers at a time on a tethered ascent to 500 metres (1,640.4 ft). The experience left a deep impression on young Patrick.
When Patrick Alexander's father left the Cyclops works, the Alexander family moved from Sheffield to Bath and Patrick determined on a career in the Merchant Navy.
At sea
On 1 April 1885, just 3 days after his 18th birthday, Patrick Alexander signed as an apprentice Merchant Navy officer. The very next day he sailed upon the 'Minero', a barqueBarque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
of 478 tones bound for Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, a distance of 12500 miles (20,116.8 km) in a vessel powered only by the wind.
60 days into the journey, while aloft helping with the sails, Patrick lost his grip and fell. As he hit the deck, he broke his leg. The ship was still three weeks away from port and there was little that could be done other than to strap Patrick into a bunk for the rest of the journey, letting the leg heal without expert attention.
The 'Minero' had left England with a crew short by one member. At Fremantle, two of the crew jumped ship, possibly encouraged by rumours of gold being found in the desert; replacement crewmen were hard to come by and only one could be found. The 'Minero' set sail for Cossack and Port Walcott some 1000 miles (1,609.3 km) to the North, seeking a cargo, probably of wool and pearl shell, for the return to London. Patrick was getting about with the aid of a crutch and, given the shortage of crew, he was helping as best he could. On 10 August, in rough weather on a wet and slippery deck, Alexander fell again and re-broke his injured leg. He was taken to Victoria Hospital at Geraldton
Geraldton, Western Australia
Geraldton is a city and port in Western Australia located north of Perth in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958...
. The 'Minero' returned to London without him. Patrick returned to England; despite treatment, it was clear that his injuries would leave him lame for life.
In 1886, while he was away from England, Patrick Alexander's elder brother died. The following year, Patrick's mother, Emma, died. In 1890, Patrick's father, Andrew, died at the age of 62. Now aged 23, Patrick was quite alone. Patrick's father had left him everything: almost £60,000 (equivalent to £ in .) At the time it was enough for a gentleman to live in some comfort. Patrick was to use his inheritance to pursue his various interests.
Taking off
Patrick Alexander became increasingly interested in aviation related subjects of meteorology, parachutes, balloons, and propellers. By about 1888 he was working on wireless telegraphy. Charles Dolfus recorded that Patrick Alexander was the first to suggest that wireless could be used for the automatic direction of airships and aeroplanes and said Patrick Alexander was a "Pioneer of Space".On 9 June 1891, Patrick Alexander made a gas balloon
Gas balloon
A gas balloon is any balloon that stays aloft due to being filled with a gas less dense than air or lighter than air . A gas balloon may also be called a Charlière for its inventor, the Frenchman Jacques Charles. Today, familiar gas balloons include large blimps and small rubber party balloons...
ascent in the company of aeronaut Griffith Brewer
Griffith Brewer
Griffin Brewer was a pioneer English balloonist and aviator, who made his first balloon flight in 1891. Brewer met Wilbur Wright in Pau, France, in 1908, and became a very close friend and supporter of the Wright brothers. He made 30 trips to the United States to visit them, earning his pilot...
, this was the first of a number of balloon ascents that would lead to his becoming a licenced balloonist. Patrick ordered a three-man (some say five-man) balloon from balloon manufacturer Percival Spencer
Percival Spencer
Percival Spencer might refer to:*Percival Spencer , an American aviation pioneer*Percival Spencer , a Jamaican sprinter...
, he named his balloon "Queen of the West". Throughout the summer of 1892, Patrick and his friend Philip Braham made a number flights. They collected metrological observations and measurements, and they took photographs. Their adventures were recorded in a number of local newspapers.
Also in 1891, Patrick Alexander acquired an 8 inches (203.2 mm) aperture refractor telescope which was erected in Bath. The telescope was a substantial instrument, which together with its mounting, must have weighed several tons. The telescope was fully equipped for astronomical observations and Patrick became a fellow member of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
up until 1921. Although he enjoyed showing his telescope to friends and distinguished visitors, any interest he had in astronomy was overshadowed by his other passions; the telescope was probably a scientific toy. Barry Bellinger suggests that the telescope was used to track pilot balloons released into the air, before releasing any main balloons; however, a telescope of this size and type seems unsuited to such a task.
In 1893, Patrick Alexander ordered a balloon of 100000 cubic feet (2,831.7 m³) capacity from Percival Spencer. At the time, C.G. Spencer and Sons' largest advertised balloon was of 80000 cubic feet (2,265.3 m³) and when it was made it attracted much public interest. Capable of lifting 12 passengers, it was one of the largest balloons yet made. Alexander named her "Majestic". In 1894, Patrick took his huge balloon to Germany where he conducted scientific ascents that excited interest among German scientists and lay public as well as that of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Ever since the first balloon ascent by the Montgolfier Brothers in 1783, it had been realised that for balloons to be really useful, they had to be navigable. Patrick Alexander applied his mind to this problem of airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
propulsion. In 1893 and 1894 he filed a number of patents. His ideas included reciprocating oars and an adjustable-pitch propeller that resembled a pair of fans. One patent includes a means of heating the gas in the balloon envelope by using piped steam, the steam pipe also served to support the balloon in the shape of a parachute in the event of the balloon being burst or punctured. None of Patrick’s ideas ever came to anything; but throughout his life, he never lost faith in the practicality of airships.
In Bath Patrick Alexander set up the first of a series of workshops. His most prestigious workshop was "The Mount" at Batheaston purchased in 1900 and here he had a gas supply brought into the garden and a balloon inflation valve installed. Town gas, although not as light as Hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
, was readily available and very much less expensive; it was, of course, highly flammable. His workshops were fully equipped and employed several people, there he designed and manufactured experimental balloons and meteorological instruments.
Patrick Alexander joined the Aero clubs of Berlin, Paris and America and, at one time, that of Austria.
In 1900 the first Zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
made its maiden flight — naturally Patrick Alexander was there. The Zeppelin was launched from a floating assembly hall on Lake Constance
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
; Patrick observed from a motor boat to be as close as possible to the action. Later that year, at the invitation of the Berlin Metrological Institute, Patrick Alexander made a flight in the world's largest balloon: a non-dirigible with a monstrous capacity of 9000 cubic metres (317,832 cu ft). The objective was to make metrological measurements and break the existing endurance records. It is indicative of the esteem in which Patrick was held that he, a non-German, was offered a place. The balloon was equipped against every eventuality and stocked with rations for 20 days. The balloon took off on 27 September, just before 6 pm. That very evening, their trailing rope became stuck in trees and gusty winds caused the crew to lose control, in the dark it was decided to release the gas and land the balloon. The ambitious expedition ended in failure just 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the start.
Patrick Alexander was very interested in the development of heavier-than-air flying machines. Early in the 1890s, he travelled to Germany to meet Otto Lilienthal
Otto Lilienthal
Otto Lilienthal was a German pioneer of human aviation who became known as the Glider King. He was the first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful gliding flights. He followed an experimental approach established earlier by Sir George Cayley...
who was experimenting with gliders, and he continued to study ideas from a wide variety of sources. In 1896, Hiram Stevens Maxim
Hiram Stevens Maxim
Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim was an American-born inventor who emigrated to England at the age of forty-one, although he remained an American citizen until he became a naturalized British subject in 1900. He was the inventor of the Maxim Gun – the first portable, fully automatic machine gun – and the...
came tantalisingly close to achieving flight when his huge steam-powered contraption briefly lifted from the rails that also restrained it. Patrick was in contact with Octave Chanute and others experimenting with flight. In the USA, sometime before 1903, Patrick visited Samuel Pierpont Langley
Samuel Pierpont Langley
Samuel Pierpont Langley was an American astronomer, physicist, inventor of the bolometer and pioneer of aviation...
whose successful models had attracted much attention. At Christmas 1902 he visited the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk
Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
Kitty Hawk is a town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,000 at the 2000 census. It was established in the early 18th century as Chickahawk....
. These were halcyon days for experimenters in aviation, the possibility of heavier-than-air flight was, so-to-speak, in the air.
On hearing that Patrick Alexander was planning a return trip to the USA in October 1903, the Wright brothers - not known for welcoming interruptions to their work - said they would be happy to meet with him. However, Patrick missed a crucial telegram and never received their message. Patrick must have been most disappointed that he missed the opportunity to witness the first flights of the Wright Flyer
Wright Flyer
The Wright Flyer was the first powered aircraft, designed and built by the Wright brothers. They flew it four times on December 17, 1903 near the Kill Devil Hills, about four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, U.S.The U.S...
on December 17, 1903.
Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
was an insignificant village until, in 1854, it was selected as the home of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It was in Aldershot that the army established the Army Balloon section. In June 1904 the American born aviation pioneer Samuel Franklin Cody
Samuel Cody
Samuel Franklin Cowdery was born in Birdville, Texas, USA. He was an early pioneer of manned flight, most famous for his work on the large kites known as Cody War-Kites that were used in World War I as a smaller alternative to balloons for artillery spotting...
came to Aldershot to test his kites. There, in collaboration with the Army, he worked on balloons, kites and aeroplanes. That same year Patrick Alexander moved to nearby Mytchett in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
where he was involved with the Army Balloon section. He shared a house with Cody who later went on to become the first man in England to fly an aeroplane
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
.
1905 was a year of public generosity. Chard
Chard, Somerset
Chard is a town and civil parish in the Somerset county of England. It lies on the A30 road near the Devon border, south west of Yeovil. The parish has a population of approximately 12,000 and, at an elevation of , it is the southernmost and highest town in Somerset...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
was, in 1848, the location of some remarkable aviation experiments by John Stringfellow
John Stringfellow
John Stringfellow was born in Sheffield, England and is known for his work on the Aerial Steam Carriage with William Samuel Henson....
: he constructed a model aeroplane that is claimed to have achieved the first ever power flight. Some of the relics of these experiments were eventually bought for the Washington Museum. Patrick Alexander obtained and had restored at his expense, Stringfellow's earlier models and presented them to the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
in London. Also, Patrick offered his telescope - the 8" refractor - to the War Office. The offer included the cost of construction of a suitable observatory to house it. The offer was accepted and a site was chosen. In December 1906 the Aldershot Observatory
Aldershot Observatory
Aldershot observatory is a circular red-brick building with a domed roof standing on Queens Avenue in Aldershot Military Town near Aldershot, England, home to the British Army since circa 1854. Inside is an refracting telescope on a German-type equatorial mount with a clockwork drive which will...
was officially opened, the opening ceremony was attended by several high-ranking officials and guests from Aldershot civic council, and Patrick Alexander himself.
In January 1910, Patrick Alexander issued the conditions of a £1,000 Alexander Award, a prize that he would offer for the development of a lightweight engine suitable for aviation. The prize was offered through the auspices of the Aerial League of which Alexander was a founding member and the testing would be performed by the National Physical Laboratory. (The prize, which was Alexander's own money, was a considerable sum; £1,000 in 1910 is equivalent to £ in .) Tests were carried out one year later. The Green Engine by Aster Engineering Ltd performed particularly well and, by unanimous agreement, won the prize.
First World War
With the outbreak of war, Patrick Alexander was keen to make himself useful. He was soon in America again, here he aided British propaganda by making statements in the American press. He was well known to New York journalists who reported his views at length and naturally Patrick expressed his view on the importance of aviation in the conflict. In 1917 he was given a job by the newly formed Air MinistryAir Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
at the Metrological Office at Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
; here he worked until the end of the war.
Teaching
At the end of the First World War, Patrick Alexander was fifty years old and his inheritance was all but gone. Even his prodigious energies had been unable to keep up with the developments in aviation that had taken place during the conflict.He spent the rest of his life at the Imperial Service College
Imperial Service College
The Imperial Service College ' was a leading English public school based in Windsor.In 1942, it merged with Haileybury to form Haileybury and Imperial Service College...
, Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
. There he taught students the basics of aeronautical principles.
Legacy
Patrick Alexander died on 7 July 1943, almost penniless — having given most of his money away. Today, he is not well known; having failed to make any singular, lasting contribution to aviation and there being just a few modest memorials to his name. His primary contribution to the history of aviation was that through his tireless efforts, many journeys, writings, public speeches, and generous donations he was responsible for collecting and disseminating ideas across nations and continents without which development in the field would have proceeded more slowly.He was a generous man — generous with his time, his intellect and with his money. An inheritance and his business ability made him wealthy, but financial success meant little to him. He was driven by native curiosity and ambition, and yet he was always supportive of the efforts of others, often making generous financial contributions, and was not jealous of their achievements.
Patrick Alexander was buried in a small churchyard in Windsor. Ironically his headstone faces the flight path from Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
, and features a simple inscription:
External links
- Thomas Moy's Aerial Steamer.
- The story of Patrick Alexander and the Aldershot Observatory.
- Farnham Astronomical Society: The Aldershot Observatory.
- Windsor Cemetery and Patrick Alexander's grave.
- A history of United Services College.
- An Aldershot Connection With Astronomer Kenneth E Edgeworth - Farnham Astronomical Society.