Griffith Brewer
Griffith Brewer (1867–1948) was an aeronaut, inventor, and patent agent from London.
In 1903 he joined the Royal Aeronautical Society. He was a founding member of the Royal Aero Club. He became a fellow in the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents in 1900.[1] He was a Royal Aero Club delegate to international conferences in Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Vienna, and the Hague. He was secretary of the Wilbur Wright Memorial Fund and delivered the fourth Wilbur Wright lecture.[2]
Brewer attended King's College, London (and studied "abroad"). He trained to become a patent agent and joined his father's business (Brewer & Son) in 1885. From 1891–1899 he ran the company's Yorkshire office.[1]
In May 1891 at the Naval Exhibition in Chelsea, Brewer took his first trip in a balloon. The pilot was Auguste Gaudron. He proceeded to study ballooning with Percival Spenser, making 8 more ascents in the same year, and in 1892 he became a pilot for Spencer Brothers.[1][2]
He participated in the 1st Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race in Paris, the 2nd Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race in St. Louis, and the 3rd Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race in Berlin. He won the 1908 International Balloon Race at Hurlingham.[1][2]
Brewer met Wilbur Wright in France and on 8 October 1908 became the first Englishman to fly in an airplane. In 1909 he arranged for the Short Brothers to buy six Wright airplanes. He became good friends with the Wrights, whom he visited 30 times. In 1912 he helped to incorporate the British Wright Company to handle their foreign patents.[1][2]
He learned airplane flying in Dayton—on the Wright field, flying a Wright aircraft—from Mr. Reinhart. On 15 August 1914 he earned his U.S. flying license, then returned to the UK.[1]
During the War, Brewer was Honorary Adviser to the Royal Naval Air Service, and gave two lectures a day to Allied air officers at the Roehampton Kite Balloon Station.[1] These lectures were reprinted with permission by the U.S. Navy and Army.[2]
In 1908 he conducted "experiments on the breaking away of kite balloons" which he described in a paper read to the Royal Aeronautical Society on 26 November 1919.[1]
He married Beatrice Swanston, first woman to cross the English Channel in an aerial balloon.[1]
Letters sent by Griffith Brewer
- Griffith Brewer to Alexander Ogilvie 26-Nov-1912
- Griffith Brewer to Orville Wright 11-Jan-1913
- Griffith Brewer to Orville Wright 13-Feb-1914
- Griffith Brewer to Orville Wright 18-Jan-1913
- Griffith Brewer to Orville Wright 24-Apr-1914
- Griffith Brewer to Orville Wright 31-Mar-1914
- Griffith Brewer to Orville Wright 9-Aug-1913
Letters received by Griffith Brewer
- Katharine Wright to Griffith Brewer 13-Sep-1914
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 10-Oct-1913
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 13-Apr-1914
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 16-July-1913
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 17-Oct-1912
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 19-Nov-1913
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 2-Mar-1914
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 20-Mar-1914
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 22-Apr-1913
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 23-Jul-1912
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 27-Oct-1914
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 31-Aug-1912
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 31-Jan-1913
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 4-Aug-1913
- Orville Wright to Griffith Brewer 9-May-1914
Publications
- Brewer and Alexander, 1893, Aeronautics
- Brewer, 1905, Captive Balloon Photography
- Brewer, 1918, Theory of Ballooning
- Brewer, 1919, Some Kite-Balloon Experiments (reprint? in Aeronautics)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Griffith Brewer" obituary, The Engineer, http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/images/1/1b/Er19480312.pdf 12 March 1948, p. 259. (hosted by Grace's Guide; text version).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Pioneers of British Aviation—XVIII: Mr. Griffith Brewer, F.R.Ae.S.", Aeronautics, 27 November 1919, p. 488.
