Pre war Hawker Hart crash in Edmonton north London

[Pagem_j]

The Times of 8 September 1938 reported that the Inquest was held on Wednesday 7 September 1938 at the North Middlesex Hospital, Edmonton.

Captain Weighill, an instructor at the Elementary Flying Training School at Hatfield, said that on an earlier flight that Sunday the aircraft piloted by Morris was seen over Highgate between 1200 and 1240 hours. When he landed he just wrote in the flight book that he had been doing what he had been instructed to do, no mention of his totally unauthorised excursion over Highgate. He had no authority the Coroner's Court was told to fly over Edmonton on the final fatal flight.

It was Mr Neil Lawson appearing for the relatives of the then deceased civilians, not a juror, who requested an adjournment pending a full RAF Court of Enquiry. His request was rejected by the Coroner on the grounds that such matters were never revealed to the public.

Several of the injured died after the inquest.

[gedburke3]

This recent article, see link below, is in error on some very minor details. Morris had over 100 hours of flying experience according to the Air Ministry, and joined the Royal Auxiliary Air force in 1937.

Hi Pagem,
Where did you read that Morris had 100 hours of flying experience?
I am interested in this event because I'm in contact with the other pilot that took off that day and had trained with Morris.
His version of events tells me that Morris was still a novice (certainly from other incidents Morris had been involved in in he weeks leading up to the fatal crash). He is also convinced that Morris was showing off to a girlfriend at the time of the accident.
The Letch brothers died of injuries recieved whilst trying to rescue people trapped in houses.

Stig - I'm not sure about the data plate, I had assumed it was accurate though no doubt someone will be able to confirm this one way or another.
Gerry

[gedburke3]

Incidently,
The instructor at Hatfield, Captain Weighill was killed later in the war when he flew a bomber into the ground returning from ops.
Gerry

[Pagem_j]

Morris' flying experience was quoted at the inquest at exactly 101 hours 40 minutes solo flying by Weighill, and I now see a further 43 hours 10 minutes under initial flying training instruction. Weighill said Morris was a quote "fully qualified pilot".

[gedburke3]

This is interesting.
I have copies from the newspapers at the time and also RAF publications but no copy of the inquest. 101 hours solo is certainly not a novice!
Do you still have access to the inquest report?
I would be interested to see if there is any mention of other flights from Hatfield that day.
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.
Gerry

[Pagem_j]

Stig

I think I am right in saying that some relics of the crash are held in Edmonton, possibly the local Central Library archivist would know whether the plate depicted came from the aircraft.

[Pagem_j]

GED Burke I have not got the full inquest, just a copy of The Times article of the 8 September 1938.

I imagine the full inquest would be available in the Public Records at Kew or elsewhere.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Pagem

I am not questioning if the plate is coming from the correct aircraft or not.
What I am wondering is if Hawker at the time had a single general c/n plate for the complete aircraft or if this is a part identification plate.

Cheers
Stig

[Pagem_j]

Stig

I am not an expert on aircraft, so cannot help you with your query.

Pagem

[Icare9]

According to a thread on the Great War Forum, there is a Memorial tablet in Edmonton Cemetery carrying details of this incident.