St Michael's Mickleham -
Exploring our churchyard
Douglas Graham Gilmore
3 – Our Early Aviator ‘Too
reckless to live’
I can provide some biographical notes on Douglas Graham
Gilmore who featured in Roger Clark’s article in
the June 2005 magazine [see Gilmour entry in the database,
below]. When I first came to live in Mickleham approximately
thirty years ago the marble tablet on the Gilmore’s grave
was in better condition, the inset aeroplane stood out and roused
my curiosity. Asking around, I found a number of old residents of
the village remembered him. He lived with his parents at
Mickleham Downs and grew up disturbing the peace. They all said
he was reckless and foolhardy. He had a motorbike and rode round
the village with great speed and noise frightening the horses and
the residents. He used to drink in the William IV and when
leaving would mount his motorbike and career down Byttom Hill
straight out onto the main road without slowing. The usual result
of this activity was bolting horses, causing a number of
accidents to carts and carriages. None of my informants were
surprised when he had a fatal accident.
Gilmore learnt to fly in Paris in the autumn of 1909 and bought a two-seat Bleriot monoplane, which he called ‘Big Bat’. He worked for a time for the Bristol Aviation Co. and flew dangerously despite frequent mishaps. He flew low over Hampton Court and he flew at the Henley Regatta with his landing wheels touching the water. For this he had his flying certificate suspended for one month by the Royal Aero Club. He flew dangerously over the 1911 University Boat Race for which he got a warning, and he had to attend the Royal Aero Club to explain the circumstances of a flight he made round the spire of Salisbury Cathedral. He was cautioned about flying over towns and populated areas so he flew low up the Thames past the Houses of Parliament.
On 17th February 1912 he took off from Brooklands in a new make of monoplane designed by Martin and Handasyde with a four-cylinder engine similar to an Antoinette. He flew along the river and was seen passing over Twickenham before his arrival at Richmond where he crashed in Richmond Park. It is almost certain that the fatal accident was caused by a wing failure and was not the fault of the pilot. Dr. Saward of Richmond witnessed the crash. The left wing doubled up, the machine pitched forward and the other wing gave way. Monoplane and airman fell to the ground. The engine was buried in the earth, only one cylinder was visible and the whole machine had turned over. There was a hopeless tangle of wires, splintered and broken spars and torn canvas. Mr. Gilmore lay under the machine with a fractured skull and hardly a sound bone in his body.
Gilmore left a sealed letter dated May 1911 to be opened after his death. It contained details of his funeral wishes. He requested that there should be no bell tolled and no mourning. Any flowers were to be brightly coloured and his body was to be transported on a four-wheel farmer’s cart or a motor lorry. He desired to be buried with his mother and father at Mickleham and the letter concluded, ‘I want everyone to be merry and bright, for I don’t believe in moaning’. The body was brought to Mickleham from Richmond on a motor chassis driven by an airman, J. Radley. Many other airmen attended the funeral, including Tommy Sopwith. The grave was lined with pink azaleas and a newspaper report stated that the funeral was as unconventional as Mr. Gilmore had wished.
If the accident had not occurred Gilmore would
have certainly been flying in the First World War where life
expectancy, for pilots, was not great. I am sure he would have
relished a meeting with the Red Baron!
Mike Boyle
| I am sure the curious amongst you
will want to see what a typical database entry looks
like. I hope the publication of the following record (see
below) does not cause any distress, but it should be
remembered that most of the civil records of births,
deaths and marriages, are published on the internet for
all to view. Additionally, census records are now being
published on the internet from 1861 for ten yearly
intervals until 1901, which is the latest census to be
released under the 100 year privacy rule. This is one of
our more famous memorials as it features the death of one
of the pioneering aviators. The full format of the database also includes the facility for entering details of undertakers' cremations, coroner's reports and side notes made in the Register by the vicar or verger.
Grave type: Grey granite,
tall monumental, carved Celtic cross surmounting a two-
stage, chamfered, granite plinth. Grey granite bevelled
kerb. In the bed is a separate granite plinth covered by
a white marble tablet with aircraft. Grave condition: The
inscriptions cut into the lower granite plinth are
difficult to read but are capable of being traced. The
names on the upper plinth are more easily read. The cross
and its column are in fine condition. |
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