The Airship
Heritage Trust was set up in 1985 by a group of dedicated
enthusiasts and relatives of the original crew members.
Over the last few years from its humble beginning the Trust
has grown and worked very hard to where it is today, with
it's membership spanning many countries, worldwide.
The work
carried out by a dedicated band of enthusiasts can be followed
in "Our History",
which gives the full insight in to a lot of the little known
trials and tribulations regarding how difficult the road we
have traveled to get where we are today.
The Trust
has Council which is a group of "next generation"
enthusiasts, whom are younger than the original members but
are just as enthusiastic about Cardington, the Airships and
belonging to an organisation dedicated to protecting the history
for the future
Many of
the membership do not live in the Bedford area, however still
help out in promoting the Trust with lectures and displays
in their own locale. We have an extensive photo archive, a
large number of display photots and also many materials and
artefacts which we can show to a school or societly. We are
always looking for new members and volunteers who have an
interest in lighter than air history, and so please contact
us.
We work
alongside the Higgins Museum, Bedford, the Fleet Air Air,
Yeovilton to assist with displays and funding for special
LTA events, as well as working with Bedfordshire Country Council
to assist with local historical knowlege.
Our inhouse
magazine "Dirigible"
is distibuted free to members worldwide, and is also recorded
as a science journal by the British Museum, and the Smithonian
Mueuem and Library in Washington, USA. The lecture programme
is proving very popular, as member undertake lectures to history
societies and also other interested organisations, often requesting
further talks in to other parts of the British lighter than
air history.
We are
also very active on our social media pages, so check out our
Facebook
Airship Heritage Trust Page and also our Facebook "Book
Club" to offer advice on how to find long out of
print books, and also reviews of new books.
Some
the work carried out by the Trust.
About
Us....Airship Heritage Trust an Overview
Following
the closure of the Royal Airship Works in 1936, it was
the forethought of employee, Leslie Speed who worked on
the airship programme, to salvage and store many of the
original records, artifact and photographs.
The Organisation
Set up
in 1985 by the relatives of the 1921-36 airship programme
and originally known as F.O.C.A.S
(Friends of the Cardington Airship Station).
The Trust
has been determined to establish a national airship museum
at a suitable location but changes in ownership and use of
the airship sheds at Cardington has meant that the Trust has
had to look elsewhere for a home.
An alternative
venue at the nearby Shuttleworth Collection was explored but
proved unsuitable. The Trust is now in active discussions
with the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton for some of the
Trust's collections to be incorporated into their displays
- reflecting the historic links between British airships and
the Royal Navy. Throughout this period, the AHT has been supported
by the Rope Trust, a charitable organisation linked to the
family of Sqn Ldr Michael Rope, a highly talented airship
engineer who died on the R101.
With
much of the original collection added to over the years, the
collection includes many unusual artifact and rare photographs.
The AHT records and administers a major source of British
airship history.
Our
Objectives
The main principal objectives
of the Trust are
To
foster and promote the study of the history of airships
in its every aspect and to present the results of such
study to the public
To
stimulate public interest in the role of Cardington as
an airship base and in the conservation of the principal
buildings thereof
To
promote and assist in the formation of, or to build and
operate, or assist in the operation of a museum and study
centre devoted to the airship and its related technology
To
assist in the formation and operation of museum and library
facilities devoted to lighter-than-air vehicles generally
Since
1987, one of our four principal objects of the Airship Heritage
Trust, as set out in it's Articles of Association has been
to "stimulate public interest in the role of Cardington
as an airship base and in the conservation of the principal
buildings thereof". It has not - and never has been -
the Trust's role to seek the preservation of the whole of
the Cardington site nor to seek the retention of the flying
field for current or future airship operations. Following
the restoration
of the Shorts Building our main aim must be now to try
to ensure that the two Cardington Sheds are preserved as historic
structures, irrespective of whether they are used for lighter-than-air
purpose's in the future. It has been the policy of the Trust
over a number of years not to comment on planning applications
relating to the Cardington site because these have not, generally,
been in conflict with the Trust's principal objects. However
individual members of the Airship Heritage Trust have been
entirely free to submit comments and objections to the relevant
planning bodies if they have wished to do so. Following discussions
with both English Heritage and Bedford Borough Council regarding
the current planning applications submitted by Fosbern Manufacturing
Limited, the Trust's Council has found no reason to depart
from this policy in the present case.
Trust
has moved it's collection with partnership with the Fleet
Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton with a major part of the Trust's
collections to be incorporated into their displays. The Trust's
extensive library is housed at Cranfield University Library
and is available to members and the public. Today the AHT
continues to strive to carry out it's objectives in the promotion
of the study and history of airships. Many of our members
offer lectures to organisations and along with a mobile display
which can be seen at local events. The Trust has close links
with the RAF Museum, British Balloon Museum and Library, the
Airship Association and many other organisations.
The 2010
80th Anniversary year showed an extensive display
of the some of the collection in the new gallery at the Bedford
museum. Details of the display
can be found here
Talks
and Lectures
We believe
passionately at sharing the story of British airships and
their fascinating stories of the people behind the ships,
the technology and their place in history, which is often
overlooked. If you would like us to come and give a talk to
you, then please contact us
The
Trust's council and members also offer talks and lectures
to history societies and schools, those detailed below are
some of the talks in the last 3 years:
Organisation
Location
Irchester
Historical Society
Irchester
Library
Institute
of Mechanical Engineers
Luton
St
Albans Rotary Club
St
Albans Saints Rugby Club
Rotary
Club of Walton-on-Thames
Burhill
Golf Club. Walton-on-Thames
The
Aston Martin Owners Club
The
Kings Arms, Cardington
ATC
Biggin Hill 2427 Squadron
Biggin
Hill Airfield, Biggin Hill
St
Pauls Church, Bedford
St
Pauls Sq, Bedford
White
Waltham Flying Club
White
Waltham.
AGM
of the Airship Association
London
Shortstown/Bedford
- For Resident
Shorts
Bldg,Shortstown
Milton
Keynes Aviation Society
Miton
Keynes
International
Nevil Schute Conference
Baliol
College, Oxford
Shuttlewoth
Collection Annual Lecture
Shuttleworth
Collegel(Old Warden)
Leighton
Buzzard Archaeological and Historical Society
Leighton
Buzzard
Honourable
Company of Air Pilots
RAF
Club,Piccadilly
Olney
Archaeological and Historical Society
Olney
Leighton
Buzzard Old Glory Group
Billington
Village Hall
Cambridgeshire
Vintage Tractor Club
Bourn
Village Hall
Dacorum
National Trust Association
St
John's Church Hall, Boxmoor
Colne
Valley Classic Car Club
Colne
Valley
Newport
Pagnell Historical Society
Newport
Pagnell
Rolls
Royce Owners Club and Sir Henry Royce Memorial Lecture
Paulsbury,
Northamptonshire
Ellington
Womens Institute
Ellington,
Cambs
Bromley
House Library members.
Bromley House Library Nottingham
RAeS
(Derby & Hucknall branch)
Rolls-Royce Leisure, Nightingale Rd, Derby
Rolls-Royce
Heritage Trust.
Rolls-Royce
Learning & Development Centre, Derby
Kempston
Over 50's Club
Kempston,
Bedford.
RAeS
(Weybridge Branch)
Brooklands
Museum, Weybridge, Surrey
Local
Support
The Airship
Heritage Trust realises the importance of local support for
history, and so finances the improvement and is committed
to the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the R101 memorial
tomb, at the St Mary's Church, Cardington. Click
here to show the work being undertaken
For the
children of Shortstown Primary School, the Airship Heritage
Trust financed a display of a model of the R101, with a scale
model of the school below the ship to show the true scale
of the airship. The Trust also financed the frame display
of the R101 tapestry, again on show to the children at Shortstown
Primary School. The Trust is also proud to offer financial
assistance to the Shortstown Heritage Gateway Project.
The Trust
also was instrumental and worked with the Transport Trust
to have the Short's Building (also known as the Adminstration
Block) recognised for it's historical importance, and had
a Transport Trust "Red Wheel" accreditation, placed
on the building.
The
R101 Memorial at St Mary's Church, Cardington
Shortstown
School R101 model and tapestry
Transport
Trust Red Wheel on the Shorts Building
Blue
Sky Thinking Exhibition at the Higgins Museum Bedford
Some
of our talks and lectures at our Annual General Meetings
Photo
Gallery
some of the contents of the collection and Museum - when based at
R A F Cardington, also activities taken by the Trust and it's members.
Above
are a selection of display items and detailed models by AHT member
George Ambridge
Some
of the Airship Heritage Trust items on dispaly at the Bedford
Museum display 2010
A
display set up for the Cardington Inflation Day
The
display put on for the Shuttleworth Millennium Event