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Thomas Harris (aviator)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Harris was a pioneering English
balloonist
who was killed in an accident. There is little information about his early career, but he invented the gas discharge valve, a device to release all the gas in a gas balloon
to prevent the balloon from dragging after landing.
scientist and held the military rank of Lieutenant
. He exhibited a hydrogen
balloon at the Royal Tennis Court in Great Windmill Street, Haymarket, in the spring of 1824. While not a professional aeronaut, he may have planned to become one.
In 1823, Harris made successful experiments on the River Thames
with a view to preventing ships from being struck by lightning
.
Harris invented the first mechanism for emptying a balloon canopy of gas or hot air, thus reducing the drag on landing. He designed a double valve, located at the top of the balloon bag, with a small valve fitted inside a larger one. One was for releasing the gases slowly, the other quickly. Harris commented that "The science of aerostation has lately fallen into much decay and been the subject of ridicule through the total want of invention".
, London
, on 25 May 1824. An account of his death is given by L. T. C. Rolt
, who states that it is likely that as gas gradually escaped from the balloon, the cord connecting the gas discharge valve to the gondola tightened, releasing the gas. In the resulting crash Harris was killed, and his travelling companion, an eighteen-year-old girl named Sophia Stocks "from the Haymarket", was badly injured.
From Vauxhall, the wind had carried the balloon towards Croydon
, where it crashed into an oak tree at Beddington Park near Carshalton
. The accident was later blamed on Harris's own valve.
The crash was observed by a gamekeeper, who gave evidence at the inquest
:
Harris's companion, Miss Sophia Stocks, was described by journalists present as an intrepid girl and was reported to have got into the balloon's gondola "with but slight appearance of fear".
The coroner's jury brought in the finding that "death might have been occasioned by the broken ribs, &c."
According to a less plausible theory of the cause of the crash, the release valve got stuck in the open position, thus releasing the hydrogen. In an attempt to prevent the balloon falling, Harris threw out all the ballast and even the woman's clothes. In the end, he jumped to his death, making the balloon light enough to save his companion's life.
, he would make a new ascent in Harris's balloon in order to raise funds for the dead man's widow and children. The Morning Chronicle
of 5 July 1824 reported on the success of the ascent. The fields around the hotel were thronged with people who had come to see the balloon's departure.
The disaster on 25 May was commemorated on a late 19th century collecting card depicting historical events in ballooning and parachuting
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
balloonist
Balloon (aircraft)
A balloon is a type of aircraft that remains aloft due to its buoyancy. A balloon travels by moving with the wind. It is distinct from an airship, which is a buoyant aircraft that can be propelled through the air in a controlled manner....
who was killed in an accident. There is little information about his early career, but he invented the gas discharge valve, a device to release all the gas in 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...
to prevent the balloon from dragging after landing.
Life
Thomas Harris was an inventive LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
scientist and held the military rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He exhibited a 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...
balloon at the Royal Tennis Court in Great Windmill Street, Haymarket, in the spring of 1824. While not a professional aeronaut, he may have planned to become one.
In 1823, Harris made successful experiments on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
with a view to preventing ships from being struck by lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
.
Harris invented the first mechanism for emptying a balloon canopy of gas or hot air, thus reducing the drag on landing. He designed a double valve, located at the top of the balloon bag, with a small valve fitted inside a larger one. One was for releasing the gases slowly, the other quickly. Harris commented that "The science of aerostation has lately fallen into much decay and been the subject of ridicule through the total want of invention".
Death
Harris died while flying the balloon Royal George from VauxhallVauxhall
-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on 25 May 1824. An account of his death is given by L. T. C. Rolt
L. T. C. Rolt
Lionel Thomas Caswall Rolt was a prolific English writer and the biographer of major civil engineering figures including Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Thomas Telford...
, who states that it is likely that as gas gradually escaped from the balloon, the cord connecting the gas discharge valve to the gondola tightened, releasing the gas. In the resulting crash Harris was killed, and his travelling companion, an eighteen-year-old girl named Sophia Stocks "from the Haymarket", was badly injured.
From Vauxhall, the wind had carried the balloon towards Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, where it crashed into an oak tree at Beddington Park near Carshalton
Carshalton
Carshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
. The accident was later blamed on Harris's own valve.
The crash was observed by a gamekeeper, who gave evidence at the inquest
Inquest
Inquests in England and Wales are held into sudden and unexplained deaths and also into the circumstances of discovery of a certain class of valuable artefacts known as "treasure trove"...
:
Harris's companion, Miss Sophia Stocks, was described by journalists present as an intrepid girl and was reported to have got into the balloon's gondola "with but slight appearance of fear".
The coroner's jury brought in the finding that "death might have been occasioned by the broken ribs, &c."
According to a less plausible theory of the cause of the crash, the release valve got stuck in the open position, thus releasing the hydrogen. In an attempt to prevent the balloon falling, Harris threw out all the ballast and even the woman's clothes. In the end, he jumped to his death, making the balloon light enough to save his companion's life.
Commemoration
A month after Harris's death a Mr Rossiter, described as a member of Harris's committee and an uncle of Mrs Harris, announced that on 1 July at the Bedford Arms Hotel, Camden TownCamden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
, he would make a new ascent in Harris's balloon in order to raise funds for the dead man's widow and children. The Morning Chronicle
Morning Chronicle
The Morning Chronicle was a newspaper founded in 1769 in London, England, and published under various owners until 1862. It was most notable for having been the first employer of Charles Dickens, and for publishing the articles by Henry Mayhew which were collected and published in book format in...
of 5 July 1824 reported on the success of the ascent. The fields around the hotel were thronged with people who had come to see the balloon's departure.
The disaster on 25 May was commemorated on a late 19th century collecting card depicting historical events in ballooning and parachuting
Parachuting
Parachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
.