Monday 8th June 1908

The first powered flight by the British aviator Algenen Vernon Roe took place along the Finishing Straight of the Brooklands circuit, Surrey, England. After encountering problems with the management of Brooklands he moved his flight experiments to Walthamstow Marshes, where he rented space under a railway arch at the western end of the viaduct. Despite many setbacks, Roe persisted with his experiments and there is now a blue plaque commemorating his first successful flight (in July 1909) at the site. His aircraft, Avroplane, a triplane, is preserved in London’s Science Museum. In addition, a working replica was unveiled on 7 June 2008 at the Brooklands Museum in Surrey.