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Site updated 14th November 2009
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Ed Millar's drawings - page 2
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" A Flying Start to the Day"
An early morning scene at Longman Aerodrome,
Inverness, in 1937, showing Highland Airways' aircraft preparing for the
first of the day's services. Capt Fresson, OBE, the founder and Managing
Director, is seen (left foreground) in customary "Plus Fours" in the
centre of a group of his most famous pilots, and elsewhere in the
painting are many of his friends, colleagues and business associates of
the time - including Robert Donald, MBE (extreme right), Chairman of
Highland Airways and founder of Macrae & Dick, the local Motor
Engineering concern. This painting now hangs in Inverness Museum.
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"Air Road to the Isles"
Wideford aerodrome, Kirkwall, on a busy day in the mid 1930's, with
Highland Airways aircraft departing on services from Inverness and
Shetland. The aircraft depicted are (from left to right) De Havilland
Rapide G-ADAJ, De Havilland Dragon G-ACIT, and a General Aircraft
Monospar G-ACEW. Another Rapide is approaching to land. The pilots and
passengers include (left to right) Robert Donald, Capt. Ted Fresson,
Capt. Henry Vallance, Mrs. Gwen Fresson and her young son Richard,
Capt's. Adam Smith, Eric Rae and Capt. Eric Coleman (the taller of the
two men carrying the morning's "Scotsman" newspapers from the Monospar).
This painting is now on display at Kirkwall Airport. |
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"Mails to Orkney"
The scene at Longman Aerodrome, Inverness, on May 12th 1934 at the start
of the first official scheduled Air Mail Service in the British Isles,
carrying mail at normal surface rates. Captain Ted Fresson, OBE, Capt
Fresson, OBE, the Managing Director of Highland Airways, is shown
receiving the specially made Air Mail Pennant from Gen. Sir Frederick
Williamson, KCB, Director of Postal Services in Britain. This painting
now displayed at Inverness (Dalcross) Airport. |
"Wings Across the Minch"
A summer's morning at Stornoway's original grass aerodrome,
constructed on part of the Melbost golf course, and completed in August
1939, a few days before the Second World War began. Designed by Capt.
Fresson, OBE, it set the trend for RAF wartime airfields by having
runways to land on, in this case between the golf bunkers. This painting
is on display at Stornoway Airport. |
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"Wings over
the Glens"
A typical scene at Glen Brittle Aerodrome, in the shadow of the
Cuillin Hills on the Isle of Skye in summer of 1937, with aircraft of
Northern and Scottish Airways arriving and departing on their way
between Renfrew Airport (Glasgow), and aerodromes of the Western Isles.
George Nicholson, founder of the airline, can be seen in the right
foreground between Capt. David Barclay, the Chief Pilot, and a lady
passenger. The local Aerodrome Manager, Ewen MacRae, stands on the
extreme left. |
"Rivals in the North"
A morning scene at Sumburgh Aerodrome, Shetland in the
mid 1930's showing aircraft of the two rival airlines, Highland Airways
Limited and Aberdeen Airways Limited, arriving and departing on their
scheduled services to the mainland. Capt. Ted Fresson, OBE, the founder
of Highland Airways is seen in the right foreground in "Plus Fours"
talking to Capt. Henry Vallance (who flew for both companies at
different times), while Eric Leslie Gandar Dower, MP, founder of
Aberdeen Airways, is seen in the left foreground pointing at the map and
talking to his Chief Pilot, Capt. Eric Starling. This painting is on
display at Shetland Museum. |
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Copies of the
original drawings may be obtained from the address below for the sum of £30 plus
£5 post and packaging,
Peter Clegg
Esq.,
Fresson Trust.,
Squirrel's Leap,
9 Park Chase,
Godalming,
SURREY.
GU7 1TL.
Tel. 01483 422469
All proceeds will go
to the Fresson Trust | |
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