Society News
Having now completed the Society’s restructuring programme, several members of the team departed the Society at the end of October. We regret the loss of colleagues such as these who represent so much talent and experience and who have contributed so much to the Society, some over an extended period including Brian Riddle, Steve Smith and Gail Ward.
Poster for the 1935 International Aircraft Exhibition which was displayed at the 2012 ‘Flight and the Artistic Imagination’ exhibition at Compton Verney.
Following a Royal Aeronautical Society staff reorganisation, the staff role of Chief Librarian was made redundant at the end of October 2020, thus bringing to an end over 36 years of continuous service of Brian Riddle to the Society, having originally joined the Library staff in August 1984.
Oil in board by Cyrus Cuneo, the restoration of which was sponsored by Dr I C Perry FRAeS under the Library’s ‘Adopt-a-Picture’ programme and now displayed on the staircase at No.4 Hamilton Place. RAeS (NAL).
During this time Brian has arranged reviews and compiled abstracts of thousands of books, researched enquiries, catalogued numerous books/ journal articles, compiled over 100 articles about the Library’s collections for the Society’s publications, arranged for the archival conservation and digitisation of many of its treasures (including the ‘Adopt-a-Picture’ and ‘Adopt-a-Book’ projects), arranged the loan of historic material to exhibitions, curated the 2003 Pioneers of Flight exhibition and co-edited Letters of the Wright Brothers: Letters of Wilbur, Orville and Katharine Wright in the Royal Aeronautical Society Library (Tempus Publishing. 2003).
The following years witnessed the major relocation of the Library to Farnborough that occurred from 2004 onwards, culminating with the opening of the National Aerospace Library in December 2007.
The www.aerosociety.com/movies site launched at the end of May this year which showcases historic aviation films held in our archives was the latest of the Library’s digital projects which have been developed in recent years using today’s technology to share material from the Library’s archives with the rest of the world – attracting a number of favourable comments/interest via social media from around the world – and include the web-based catalogue (www.aerosociety.com/catalogue) [2013], images collection (www.aerosociety.com/printsandposters) [2012], heritage collections (www.aerosociety.com/heritage) [2015] and the National Aerospace Library Sound Archive (www.aerosociety.com/podcast) [2017], all of which Brian originated.
A 2007 photograph of Steve Smith.
Steve has been a stalwart of the No.4 Hamilton Place team, providing venue support for over 20 years, by setting up meeting rooms, solving technical and logistical issues and catering to the needs of our members, clients and staff. Those of our members with long memories may even recall being served a drink or sandwiches in the Members’ Bar by Steve.
Gail Ward with the Master of Ceremonies at the 2018 RAeS Annual Banquet she had organised.
Gail joined the Events Team as a Conference Co-ordinator in 1994 and has served the Society and its members for over 25 years, most recently as the Event Manager for all our Corporate and Society events. During this time Gail has organised hundreds of events for members and our Corporate Partners and played a key role in celebrations for 100 years of powered flight, the Centenary of British Aviation and the Society’s own 150th-anniversary activities. With her outstanding customer service skills and event management, some of the highlights of her work have included a Gala Dinner at the Science Museum with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, the Centenary Gala Dinner at Farnborough Aerodrome where Lesley Garrett CBE entertained guests and the RAeS 150th Anniversary Gala Banquet at the Guildhall with our Guest Speaker, Per Lindstrand and Guest of Honour, HRH Prince Michael of Kent.
We thank all the staff for their hard work, dedication and loyalty over the years and wish them well for the future.
Handley Page Jetstream, G-NFLC, flight mechanics laboratory. Cranfield.
The National Flying Laboratory Centre, Cranfield University In-Flight Measurement and Research
Professor Nicholas Lawson CEng FRAeS Chair in Aerodynamics and Airborne Measurement and heads the National Flying Laboratory Centre at Cranfield University 6pm, 19 November 2020
To book: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/events/events-2020/handley-page-lecture-2020