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Actions	Photographs and Papers Relating to Jack Alcock Remove from selection Add to selection TitlePhotographs and Papers Relating to Jack Alcock ReferenceYA1997.36 CreatorAlcock, John William First became interested in aviation whilst working at the Empress Motor Works, Manchester a year later he went to Brooklands to be a mechanic for the French pilot, Maurice Ducrocq. In 1914 joined the Royal Naval Air Service as an instructor, having held a flying certificate for two years. In 1916 he was posted to the Middle East, where he was a member of the Number 2 wing in the Eastern Mediterranean. Operating out of the base in Mudros, Alcock made many daring bombing raids. He nearly lost his life in 1917 when his plane experienced engine failure and he and his crew were forced to ditch their plane at sea. When they swam ashore, they were taken prisoners by the Turks. After the armistice, he was released, and he left the Royal Air Force in March of 1919. On June 14, 1919, Alcock, along with his navigator, Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, left St. John's, Newfoundland and flew across the Atlantic, a distance of 1,960 miles to Clifden, Ireland in 15 hours and 57 minutes. For this record-breaking flight he was created Knight Commander Order of the British Empire, by George V at Buckingham Palace on June 21, 1919. On December 18, 1919, Sir John Alcock, KBE, DSC, flew to Paris to exhibit a Vickers Viking amphibian aircraft. On his landing at Cote d'Evrard he sustained a skull fracture. He was taken to a hospital in Rouen, but he never regained consciousness and he died that very same day. Empress Motor Car and Aviation Co Ltd As well as manufacturing motor cars the company also explored the early craze for flying, it received a request to build an aeroplane for a wealthy customer. Charles Fletcher, Manager of the company accepted the order and set about building the aircraft to his own design. It was tested in 1910 at the Manchester Race Course however, the aircraft only managed short hops across the course and as a consequence no further aircraft were built. The company was also responsible for introducing John Alcock to flying, he joined the company in 1908 as an apprentice and continued to work for the company until 1911. Date 1903-1990 Scope and ContentCollection of original and copied material, collected by Joseph Tonge of the Empress Motor Car company, and related to early development of aircraft in Manchester consisting of the following items; Copy of Empress Motor Car & Aviation Co Ltd share certificate Early driving licence Thank you note sent out by the Alcock family following John Alcock's death Early photographic prints for a Farman type aircraft and early aircraft engines Hanriot Monoplane at Lark Hill Postcard celebrating First UK Aerial Post service in 1911 Photographic portrait of Joseph Tonge Notes and information on early aviation in North-West Autographed photographic portrait of Jack Alcock in dress uniform Extent0.1 Linear metres Physical descriptionFair LanguageEnglish Archival historyThe material originally belonged to the donor's father, Mr Joseph Tonge, who worked at the Empress Motor Car and Aviation Co. and who was a friend of John Alcock. Levelfonds Repository nameScience and Industry Museum Associated people and organisationsTonge, Joseph SubjectRoad transport, Civil aviation Conditions governing accessOpen access. Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions. Copyright in original works by members of the Alcock family has been transferred to the museum by their heirs. Copyright in third party works has not been transferred to the museum. Related object Photographs of Alcock and Brown Photograph of Jack Alcock and mechanics working on aircraft (copy) Photograph of Spectators at Transatlantic Flight Competition (copy) Photographs of Alcock and Brown and related material

TitlePhotographs and Papers Relating to Jack Alcock

ReferenceYA1997.36

CreatorAlcock, John William
Empress Motor Car and Aviation Co Ltd

Date

1903-1990

Scope and ContentCollection of original and copied material, collected by Joseph Tonge of the Empress Motor Car company, and related to early development of aircraft in Manchester consisting of the following items;

Copy of Empress Motor Car & Aviation Co Ltd share certificate
Early driving licence
Thank you note sent out by the Alcock family following John Alcock's death
Early photographic prints for a Farman type aircraft and early aircraft engines
Hanriot Monoplane at Lark Hill
Postcard celebrating First UK Aerial Post service in 1911
Photographic portrait of Joseph Tonge
Notes and information on early aviation in North-West
Autographed photographic portrait of Jack Alcock in dress uniform

Extent0.1 Linear metres

Physical descriptionFair

LanguageEnglish

Archival historyThe material originally belonged to the donor's father, Mr Joseph Tonge, who worked at the Empress Motor Car and Aviation Co. and who was a friend of John Alcock.

Levelfonds

Repository nameScience and Industry Museum

Associated people and organisationsTonge, Joseph

SubjectRoad transport, Civil aviation

Conditions governing accessOpen access.

Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions. Copyright in original works by members of the Alcock family has been transferred to the museum by their heirs. Copyright in third party works has not been transferred to the museum.

Related object

Photographs of Alcock and Brown

Photograph of Jack Alcock and mechanics working on aircraft (copy)

Photograph of Spectators at Transatlantic Flight Competition (copy)

Photographs of Alcock and Brown and related material