Following the Wright Brothers’ 1903 flight, aircraft developed quickly. Steel began to replace wood as the construction material of choice. Influential businessmen and politicians in Sheffield quickly recognised that building an airport (or aerodrome in the terminology of the day) would give the city the opportunity to dominate a newly emerging industry. Over the next decade and a half, Sheffield City Council repeatedly searched for a site, but only the World War One Air Force aerodrome at Norton/Coal Aston ever met the criteria. This site was reckoned by Air Ministry experts to be one of the best in the whole country. Even better, it was made available to Sheffield at a giveaway price.
Through fast moving, financially stressed, politically tense and dangerous times, and with the city heavily in debt and with conflicting priorities, the Council repeatedly avoided this obvious choice. When they finally selected a site, it was Todwick! The proposal appears to have been chaotic and ill-thought out from the start. As more detailed information emerged, the council seems to have ignored, alienated or trampled on most of the influential stakeholders. Finally, after much work, the Council’s Parliamentary Bill to obtain official approval to proceed was suddenly withdrawn without notice or debate. The intention to build an aerodrome for Sheffield was declared dead.
Phil Thornewell and Alan Turner will unpack the story of ‘Todwick’s First Airport’ at Todwick Historical Society’s meeting on June 10 at Todwick Village Hall at 7.30pm.
Phil Thornewell
