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Episode 104 – William Leitch. The forgotten Scottish Rocket Pioneer

By Gurbir Dated: October 28, 2022 Leave a Comment

When it comes to the pioneers of rocketry, tradition has it that it was Tsilokosky, Goddard and Oberth. in this episode, author Rob Godwin talks about William Leitch from Scotland. Leitch was writing about the principles of rocket propulsion and space travel in 1861. Decades before Tsiolkovsy. Over the last few years, Rob has been researching Leitch’s story and published a book – William Leitch Presbyterian Scientist & The Concept of Rocket Space Flight 1854-1864

In this interview recorded via Zoom, Rob Godwin recalls how he came across Leitch’s work and the research activity that eventually led him to uncover this remarkable story.

The following 19th-century publications, that Rob refers to are now available online, and pdf versions can be downloaded. Links are available on the episode page

  • Half hours in air and sky – Contains the essay “A Journey through Space” P143-168
  • Good Words Magazine
  • God’s Glory in the Heavens

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Episode 54: 23 July 2012 – Manchester Interplanetary Society and Stanley Davis

By Gurbir Dated: July 23, 2012 1 Comment

Stanley Davis

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

So on to today’ 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 stay in touch. In addition to his interest in rockets he had a strong interest in science. In the late 1930’s 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 blossoming in Britain from the early 1930s.

Wooden Statue of Abraham Lincoln. Carved by Stanley Davis

Members of the Manchester Interplanetary Society. Harry Turner is 1st on the left

Two years later began the ferocious and violent events of World War Two that would shatter  their dreams and lives along with 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 endured at Dunkirk.

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

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A public event to commemorate Manchester’s first rocket pioneers

By Gurbir Dated: May 9, 2012 Leave a Comment

Manchester has a world renowned international airport, and if had a group of rocket engineers had had their way, could Manchester have had a spaceport to launch rockets, too?

A group of rocket engineers lead by Eric Burgess formed the Manchester Interplanetary Society in 1936. Working closely with the Sci Fi community, their headquarters were initially on Ashton New Road before moving to member  Harry Turner’s house near Plymouth Grove where the young Arthur C Clarke attended meetings.   Their ambitious choice in naming their society was reflected in the name of their bi-monthly publication – “The Astronaut” published a quarter of a century before Yuri Gagarin made the first flight in to space. It was probably the first time the word “Astronaut” and the idea of human spaceflight entered the Mancunian vernacular.

A brass plaque will be unveiled to a commemorate the Manchester Interplanetary Society on the original site they used to test launch rockets they designed and constructed seventy five years ago. If you would like to attend, download this ms word summary which includes a map.

When: 15:00 – 15:30 Monday 14th May 2012

Where: Clayton Vale, near the city of Manchester stadium.  Download leaflet. Postcode of the nearby Bay Horse Public House is M40 1GR.

Refreshments: will be available for small charge. Limited free parking.

Who is invited: Local astronomers, writers in science and sci fi, press, local politicians, members of the local community and members of Salford Astronomical Society & Manchester Astronomical Society and anyone with an interests in history of spaceflight.

Clayton Vale, a stone’s throw from the velodrome in East Manchester, is now a small picturesque park with the river Medlock running through its length.  In 1936 and 1937 it was undeveloped and used by the MIS members as launch site to test rockets they designed and built.  Their achievements were limited by the prevailing legislation which forced them to use inherently inefficient, solid rocket fuel. Their contemporary rocketry groups in Germany, the Soviet Union and the USA experienced huge success by using liquid fuels.

Clayton Vale March 1937 - The cine film was shown at local cinemas over the following weeks

On 14th May 1937, the key member of the MIS found themselves in court accused of making explosives. Explaining that they were testing propulsion techniques for rocket engines, the judge dismissed the case. About the same time, Philip Cleator, who had founded the British Interplanetary Society in Liverpool in 1933, lobbied the government to repeal the 1875 Explosives Act, without success.

At the Chingford home of R.A.Smith (then HQ of the British Interplanetary Society) on Sunday 17 July 1938 L to R: J.H. Edwards, Eric Burgess, Harry Turner, Guest of Honour Midshipman Robert C. Truax, USN, holding an experimental liquid-fuel rocket motor, R.A. Smith, Maurice Hanson & Arthur C. Clarke. Source: http://www.htspweb.co.uk/fandf/romart/het/footnotes/fanpix/bis1938.jpg

Eric Burgess wrote many books including one of the earliest dedicated to rocket propulsion. In one, Satellites and Spaceflight published in early 1957, he  published images taken with the 8” telescope currently used by the members of the Manchester Astronomical Society, which he had joined in 1936. He also published images of the Moon taken by the 18” telescope now in the observatory at Salford Astronomical Society but at the time located at Jodrell Bank.

Today Astronomical Societies in Manchester, Salford, Didsbury, Altrincham, Bolton, Heaton Park, Altrincham and others continue to inspire the northwest to look up and dream. Arthur C Clarke achieved international success for his science fiction and non-fiction. He wrote both in equal measure. In the 1950s, he permanently moved to Ceylon – today Sri Lanka.   About the same time Eric Burgess emigrated to America and worked for NASA and the space industry.

The inscription on the plaque reads

Ambitions of Spaceflight


Manchester Interplanetary Society

tested their early rockets here in Clayton Vale from 1936

Their legacy is alive today

14 May 2012

British Interplanetary Society

Manchester Astronomical Society

Salford Astronomical Society

The outbreak of World War two brought dramatic developments in rocket technology around the world and to the fortunes of the members of the MIS. In early 1945 as the war approached its end, Burgess, Clarke and others rapidly consolidated the disparate rocket societies around the UK in to a single unified organisation – The British Interplanetary Society – which continues to flourish to this day.

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National Astronomy Meeting 2012

By Gurbir Dated: March 28, 2012 Leave a Comment

Moon, Venus and Jupiter just after sunset 27 March 2012

A cram packed week – so much going on and the weather for the first half of this week is particularly cooperative for visitors to Manchester and observing the night sky.  The weather can’t possibly last. I chose to miss out a couple of the evening events and do some observing.

I was not able to get to all the talks I wanted (there really is so much going on!) but did the following three audio recordings

  • Professor Michael Kramer – Director Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIfR) and a Professor of Astrophysics as well as an Associate Director at Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics. Just what you need for a joint UK/Germany Astronomy event. We spoke mostly about the Square Kilometer Array
  • Professor Fran Bagenall. A planetary scientist from Colorado University. We spoke about the Juno mission on its way to Jupiter.
  • Professor Carl Murray. Amongst other things Carl’s interests include Planetary Dynamics. We spoke mostly about the Cassini mission currently (still!) in orbit around Saturn. Not in the recording but it was fascinating to talk to Carl about his time at Cornell and his contact in those days with the only other Carl I know in Astronomy – Carl Sagan.

My thanks to all three and I will tweet once the podcasts are online. Now back to NAM2012..

 

 

 

 

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