The August 2012 edition of Spaceflight, the monthly magazine of the British Interplanetary Society, carried an article in which I discuss the Northwest of England’s contribution to Rocketry during the 1930s. An extended version of that article is available for free download on Astrotalkuk.org – here.

So on to today’s episode.

In 1937, two teenagers, Harry and Stanley, with an outrageous ambition to design and build rockets for space travel, joined a newly formed group with a name to match – the Manchester Interplanetary Society. Soon, each met a girl, fell in love, exchanged wedding rings and got married. They went off on their separate ways but pledged to stay in touch. In addition to his interest in rockets, he was also strongly interested in science. In the late 1930, he went by train to London to hear a talk from H.G. Wells. Had he not died prematurely, he, like Harry, would have immersed himself in the sci-fi fandom movement that was blossoming in Britain from the early 1930s.

Two years later, the ferocious and violent events of World War II began that would shatter their dreams and lives, along with those of millions of others around the world. Harry Turner spent much of the War in India and, following his return, enjoyed a successful career as an artist. Stanley Davies died in August 1941 from injuries he had sustained at Dunkirk.

Recently, this shared story brought together Harry’s son, Philip, and Stanley’s daughter, Ann.  In episode 50, Philip recalls his father’s memories, and in this episode, Ann Sutcliffe remembers her father, Stanley Davies.

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