| Collection |
Marlborough Province - down the decades from early days |
| Photographer |
Brayshaw, Norman Henry |
| Description |
A black and white photograph showing the Southern Cross aeroplane parked in a paddock at Woodbourne amongst a very large crowd of interested onlookers.
There are a number of photographs of the Southern Cross in the MHS collections from a number of different donors. Without catalogue images of all of them it is impossible to say who might have donated this one, therefore, it has been catalogued here as 'found in collection'.
Information as typed by Norm Brayshaw: "The Southern Cross at Woodbourne, near Blenheim. Taken 1928, from tower erected for wind and wireless."
Information in pencil as written by unknown: "Not Woodbourne as crowd is too big. According to Don Furness. Maybe Christchurch."
Copied by Norm Brayshaw in 1961 from a negative supplied by J.H. Alexander of Wellington. The Brayshaw negative is missing.
A scan of this photograph will be used in the Changing European History Gallery 3 display in commemoration of the Marlborough Provincial 150th anniversary on 1 November 2009.
................................................................................................................................................................................Caption December 2009:
Kingsford Smith's triple-engined Southern Cross Fokker aircraft attracted a curious crowd after it
landed from Christchurch on 28 September, 1928.
The crew of four had flown the craft up to Woodbourne Farm's specially prepared landing
ground by removing a few fences. The Southern Cross was housed in a temporary hangar before a final refuel and take off back to Sydney on 13 October.
1928 THE SOUTHERN CROSS MADE THE FIRST TRANS - TASMAN FLIGHT
10-11 September
The Southern Cross left Richmond Aerodrome, Sydney at 5.25 p.m. on 10 September, landing at Christchurch shortly after 8.00 a.m. on the next day (a flying time of 11 hours and 35 minutes).
11-28 September
Based in Christchurch.
28 September - 13 October
Based at Fairhall's Woodbourne Farm.
13-14 October
At 5.00 a.m. on 13 October, the Southern Cross left Blenheim, and after a flight of 22 hours 51 minutes, landed at Richmond Aerodrome, Sydney. (The return flight was into a head wind and took almost twice the outward time. The aircraft only just made it back.)
With a full load of fuel, the aircraft could not lift clear of the Southern Alps, hence the selection of Woodbourne as the fuelling point, with an easier departure via Cook Strait. The visit gave great impetus to Marlborough Aero Club, and prepared the way for selecting Woodbourne as Marlborough's premier Airport, and the Air Force Base.
A copy of this photograph is in the wine exhibition.
|
| Year Range from |
1928 |
| Object ID |
2009.067.0064 |
| Object Name |
Photograph |
| People |
Alexander, J.H.
Smith, Charles Edward Kingsford |
| Place |
Blenheim |
| Title |
Southern Cross at Woodbourne |
|
