Royal Gardens, Vauxhall, Grand Day Fete
Dates
- July 1837
Creator
- Balne, Giles, -1838 (Printer, Person)
Conditions Governing Use
Access to the Theodore Newton Vail Collection of Aeronautical Images, Broadsides and Clippings is not authorization to publish. Separate written application for permission to publish must be made to the Institute Archives. Copyright of some items in this collection may be held by respective creators, not by the donor of the collection.
Biographical / Historical
Robert Cocking (1777-1837) was a watercolor painter and amateur scientist who was inspired to design and launch a parachute after witnessing André-Jaques Garnerin’s 1802 parachute descent. His design, an inverted cone-shaped parachute, was heavily influenced by Sir George Cayley’s article On Aerial Navigation (1810). On July 24 1837, Cocking and his invention were attached to the Royal Nassau (or Vauxhall) balloon, piloted by Charles Green with Edward Spencer, as it made an ascent from the Royal Gardens at Vauxhall in London. When the balloon reached a height of 5000 feet, Cocking called out "Goodnight Spencer, goodnight Green" and the parachute was released. However, it failed to operate as planned, crumpling rapidly and crashing within three minutes. Cocking died very shortly after his fall. Following the fatal accident, several aeronauts, including Charles Green, made ascents to benefit Cocking's widow.
Language of Materials
English
Existence and Location of Originals
Box 9
Physical Description
Broadside
Dimensions
42.0 x 21.9 cm
General Note
Broadside advertising a fete in Vauxhall Gardens on July 24, 1837, featuring an ascent by Charles Green in his Nassau balloon and the descent of Robert Cocking is his newly designed parachute.
Sources used for Biographical/Historical note
Hodgson, J.E., History of Aeronautics in Great Britain (Oxford University Press, London, 1924), 331-334.
Rolt, L.T.C., The Aeronauts (Walker and Company, New York, 1966), 127-130.
- Balloon ascensions Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ballooning -- Accidents Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Balloonists Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Broadsides Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Cocking, Robert
- Concerts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Green, Charles, 1785-1870
- Inventors Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Parachutes Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Theater Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Vauxhall Gardens (London, England) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- bands (ensembles) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- fêtes Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Creator
- Balne, Giles, -1838 (Printer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Libraries. Department of Distinctive Collections Repository
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