Vivian Hewitt
| Vivian Hewitt | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1888 Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England |
| Died | 1965 (aged 76–77)[1] |
| Nationality | British |
| Aviation career | |
| Known for | Second flight from Great Britain to Ireland, 26 April 1912[2] |
| Flight license |
1 October 1912[3] London |
Vivian Hewitt (1888–1965) was a pioneering Welsh aviator. Born in Grimsby, he moved to Bodfari, Denbighshire, Wales, his mother's family home, on the death of his father during his childhood.[1]
On 26 April 1912, Hewitt successfully completed a flight between Holyhead and Dublin, landing in the Phoenix Park. Interviewed by the press, he expressed the view that Damer Leslie Allen, who had disappeared a few days earlier whilst attempting the same flight, had been insufficiently experienced as an aviator for a task of such difficulty.[2]
Although widely reported to be the first person to cross the sea from Great Britain to Ireland in an aeroplane, several days earlier,[1] on 22 April Denys Corbett Wilson had flown from Goodwick in Pembrokeshire to Enniscorthy.[4][5] Nevertheless, the view was expressed at the time that Hewitt's flight was "a more difficult and dangerous feat" than Corbett Wilson's.[6]
Hewitt was also a keen ornithologist and set up a bird sanctuary at his home of Bryn Aber at Cemlyn Bay, Anglesey, which is now managed by The North Wales Wildlife Trust.[7] He was known as the "world’s greatest private Great Auk collector", as he built up a collection of the skins and eggs of these extinct birds.[8] His specimens are now in museums in Cardiff, Birmingham, Los Angeles, and Cincinnati.[9]
References
- 1 2 3 Lewis, Alys (10 March 2010). "BBC: Captain Vivian Hewitt – the aviation pioneer". BBC News. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
- 1 2 "Aviation: Flight from Holyhead to Dublin – Mr Hewitt descends in the Phoenix Park". Irish Times. Dublin. 27 April 1912. p. 7.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ Flight Magazine 5 October 1912
- ↑ "Flying the Irish Channel" (PDF). Flight Magazine. London: Reed Business Information. IV (17): 379. 27 April 1912. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
- ↑ "Irish Aviator's Feat: St. George's Channel Crossed". Irish Times. Dublin. 27 April 1912. p. 23.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "Editorial". (Weekly) Irish Times. Dublin. 4 May 1912. p. 10.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ Wyn-Williams, Gareth (2017-05-22). "Anglesey home of famous airman put up for auction". northwales. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
- ↑ "Captain Vivian Hewitt ~ Lincolnshire Born Aviation Pioneer » Rod Collins". www.rodcollins.com. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
- ↑ Thomas, Jessica E.; Carvalho, Gary R.; Haile, James; Martin, Michael D.; Castruita, Jose A. Samaniego; Niemann, Jonas; Sinding, Mikkel-Holger S.; Sandoval-Velasco, Marcela; Rawlence, Nicolas J. (2017-06-15). "An ‛Aukward' Tale: A Genetic Approach to Discover the Whereabouts of the Last Great Auks". Genes. 8 (6): 164. doi:10.3390/genes8060164.