Gospel According To Harry Hargreaves

Harry Hargreaves was present on the 1st October 1967, and was asked to give his individual comments on this vital day's activities. This is what he wrote :-

" I remember well the trial flights at Cock Hill, but much of the drama would be difficult to publish. For some weeks, as you are aware, we had been pushing Jack to authorise the trip from Samlesbury, and it was a poor day, and we set off rather late as well. Jack was obviously reluctant, but we managed to push him.

Again, at the site, his trial flights were exploring the west face, which at that time was not producing lift. If you had not been fortunate in getting a flight, I think that would have been the last of the enterprise. However it was successful and things have gone well ever since. The price of the farm would soon have been out of our reach. I have tried to remember the people present, but apart from Malcolm Eaves and yourself, I can't be sure. I don't think Ivor Stretch was with us that time. I do remember the farmer Mr. Jolly giving every assistance, this was obviously to sell the farm. What a pity for him that he did not wait a couple of years, because land prices rocketed up. We were very fortunate with the sale.

I have fond memories of the flight in the Falke with Bill Scull from Samlesbury. He really made me tuck the glider into the hill side and sweat it out.

In retrospect the whole affair was highly successful and only came about due to the push and zeal of a very few people like yourself. I have no doubt that if this opportunity had not been grasped at that time, the club would have had a limited future. We must be grateful to Jack however for his efforts at Blackpool when he instructed in the T.21 for Sunday after Sunday during the years that I know of."

Thank you Harry for confirmation of my own impressions. Our persistence against Jack's reluctance has surely been vindicated. One further snippet from Harry concerns the Silver C cross-country flight that he achieved in an Eon 465 from Compton Abbas.

"At that time Jack was anti-X-country flying, so that I never asked for permission to do any. At Compton Abbas the C.F.I. asked me if my C.F.I. had ever refused me permission to fly cross-country. I replied 'of course not', and went !!" Plus some further memories :-

"Prior to Samlesbury, I well remember flying at Blackpool airport. This at times was interesting - like Jack and I pulling the cable wire taut at right angles to Runway 28 whilst a Dakota landed."

"Or the cable break on the T.21, when Sandra McKinnon's bra strap broke. As you remember, she was well endowed........" That's my boy!