James Sadler Celebration: Private Launch Event 12 November

The Freemen of Oxford intend to erect a permanent fully public memorial to James Sadler (1753-1828), ‘The First English Aeronaut’, on the 200th anniversary of his death in 2028. This is the launch event, to which you have been invited either as an interested individual or as representative of a relevant organisation or college.

Support for the concept has already been expressed by Oxford Civic Society, Oxford Preservation Trust, Oxford Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Oxfordshire Local History Association, Oxfordshire Family History Association, the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board, and the Museum of Oxford.

As well as being the first Englishman – arguably Briton – to fly (achieving with his son many other aviation firsts over a period of 40 years) Sadler was also an engineer, inventor, and naval chemist. And as a High Street pastry cook and confectioner he was also a Freeman of Oxford. Yet despite all these achievements he is virtually unknown today.

The afternoon will consist of short talks covering:

• Sadler's remarkable accomplishments by his biographer, local historian Mark Davies;
• Sadler’s hot-air ballooning feats in context by John Gilbert of the Oxford Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society;
• ‘The Boy who Floated like a Cloud’: a Bodleian Library picture book about Sadler, written by Jackie Holderness and illustrated by Korky Paul;
• Sadler’s legacy: hot-air ballooning today by a current balloonist.

The talks will commence at 2.30pm, and conclude at about 3.15pm, followed by time for questions and discussion. Light refreshments will be provided.

The Freemen intend to erect the Sadler memorial in March 2028, and also to arrange appropriate celebratory events, before and after. We hope that you, either as an individual or as a representative of your organisation, will want to be involved. This event is the first chance to consider the most effective way for this to happen. Please do join us.

[The image of Sadler's 1784 ascent (a drawer pull on display at the Museum of Oxford) is included by kind permission of The Warden and Fellows of Merton College, Oxford.]