Talk "Thomas Sopwith: Aviation Pioneer" by David Hassard (Leatherhead)

A welcome return for David Hassard, one of SIHG's favourite speakers, for his first live talk to us since before Covid. He'll be speaking about Sir Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith, CBE, whose astonishingly busy life included spells motor cycling, ballooning, competitive yachting (he nearly won the America's Cup once), and playing sports like ice skating and hockey to a very high level (he was also a member of the Great Britain ice hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1910 European Championships.) But it is pioneering work in aviation that he is most remembered for: Sopwith Aviation, in Kingston-upon-Thames, made no fewer than 18,000 aircraft for Britain in World War One, and his contribution to aviation didn't end there, e.g. he became chairman of Hawker Aircraft, Later Hawker Siddeley. Come along and learn more!
Doors 13:30, talk starts at 14:00. Duration c90 mins including a tea & coffee break
FREE entry for members of SIHG and Oddfellows! Others £3
Oddfellows Hall is 10 minutes walk from Leatherhead railway station.

Nearest parking is 52 Bridge St car park, over the road from Oddfellows; Church Street Short Stay Car Park KT22 8DW is 5 minutes walk, the Swan Centre Car Park KT22 8AH is and a little further away.