that you will take the fame from me. I wish you could make up £150 or £100, we might then make such arrangements that might serve both. Two could do much, if honourable, but not without it.
The work on Aerostation, do not be in a hurry to publish it yet, should I be able to see you, I will talk to you on this subject too. As for repaying ←37 | 38→me, do not give yourself any trouble about this. I shall be most happy to attend to anything in my power for you. What does poor Green’s friend mean to do? Has he got the balloon safe? I hope he has. I will send you an Examiner. It has the best account about me. Let me hear from you soon.
To Mr Hampton, Aeronaut, Meanwood Road, Leeds, [Not dated.] August, 1849.
I was exceedingly sorry to hear of your misfortune at Cork, but these things cannot be prevented, and you are not the only one who has caused such disappointment to the public for Green’s Victoria balloon burst in a similar manner last year at Halstead, owing to a high wind.6 Only last Thursday Gale failed at Norwich for want of gas. It was very well no disturbance was made. I hope by this time that all may have gone off well.
The death of Richard Green, the aeronaut, is a very mysterious affair, for when the balloon was found it was not at all injured, and Mr Wadman states that he found in the car the large grapple, ballast bags, and other loose articles, weighting in the whole three quarters of a hundred weight, which, if Green had parted with judiciously, he might have kept up till day-break. He was seen at a great height above the water as late as ten at night, and the balloon was found at two in the morning. Wadman says also that Green might have cut away the car, which weighs 40 pounds. Wadman himself does not know what to attribute Green’s death. Green’s body was not found in the middle of Bristol Channel, as stated in some of the papers, but on the sands at Kewstoke near Weston Super Mare where a few boards were nailed together for a coffin and he was buried immediately in the sand. The balloon contained 70,000 gallons, not feet, it weighed two cwt, and would raise four cwt more according to Wadman’s statement.
You will have heard by this time of the accident with the Nassau balloon.7 This is rather a curious affair. The Illustrated London News states ←38 | 39→that Green explained the cause as follows. His nephew William Green had hold of the valve line, the balloon had become elongated, and instead of letting the cord slip through his hand he had held it tight. The valve opened, and about 14,000 feet of gas escaped. Another paper states that Green attributes it to the peculiar electrical state of the atmosphere which had deprived the gas of its power.
To Mr Hampton. Meanwood Road, Leeds, August 10, 1849.
The exploits of the female aeronaut, Margaret Graham, had already been noted in Brown’s correspondence. There was also the fact that this large lady – who was reported as weighing 220lbs, close on 100kg – had gained a certain notoriety through taking female passengers aloft, a practice frowned upon by the aeronautical fraternity and male members of the public.
I received the paper you were so kind in sending to me, and was glad to find you were more successful.8 I have enclosed you a bill announcing Green’s farewell visit to Leeds and will send you a paper containing an account of the ascent. He is engaged by Alfred Ormond who married Miss Waverley Scott, the actress. This gentleman has been getting up two or three galas at the Botanical Gardens, but has not been well encouraged.
Mrs. Graham has again made her appearance as an aeronaut. She made two ascents on Monday and Tuesday in Lieut. Gale’s new balloon La Ville de Paris from Cremorne. On the first occasion she was accompanied by one of her daughters and Mrs. Gale, and on the second by her two daughters.
Gale went up from Birmingham on Monday and on Wednesday from Cremorne. Green went up yesterday from Liverpool, having been engaged to ascend at the Fancy Fair which I mentioned to you in a former letter.
From Mr Hampton, Aeronaut, 11 Georges Street, Cork, August 14, 1849.
Queen Victoria visited Ireland from the 2nd to the 12th of August. The country was in the grip of a famine, the devastating effect of which many attributed to England’s want ←39 | 40→of appropriate remedial action, yet surprisingly Victoria was well received, drawing large crowds wherever she went.
I have just received your letter which I thank you for and the enclosed. I shall leave here tomorrow for Limerick. The Queen had not done much for me as she came before her time here, and as for Dublin, a balloon ascent would not have done much for all was taken up by the Review, and gas could not be had when it would have been wanted owing to the illumination, the same as it was here. I have made well without the Queen and I think I have cleared about £120.
If you see Green speak of me, but do not say you are in communication with me or he will not speak his mind to you. Mind and not give him any idea of what you are about doing; he will give the ideas to his son or brothers.
I should have been glad if things could have been arranged so as you could have joined me in my new undertaking this winter. I am sorry to say that I have been made such a tool of since this balloon has been made, that I have not the means to carry out my plans. I would sooner meet with someone without advertising if I could do so. I have not a doubt but a fortune could be made if properly managed and with two honourable men one to the other. Ballooning by itself will not be worth following, but connected with my plan much may be done. Let me hear from you soon with all particulars of Green. Be on your guard with Green.
From Mr Hampton, 12 Cecil Street, Limerick, August 25, 1849.
I received the newspaper and your letter. You have seen Green, and you have found him to be the man I represented.9 He does not like me or my name it seems. I have the most reason to dislike him, but it does not matter much his bad feeling. You will see by the bill that I ascend here on Monday week.
←40 | 41→
To Mr Alfred Ormond. Leeds, [Not dated.] August, 1849.
Alfred Ormond, a local identity and would-be entrepreneur, had already sponsored some balloon ascents at Leeds. Brown, still at work on his Montgolfier balloon, hoped to induce Ormond to fund the completion of the project. Subsequent events would indicate that Ormond’s enterprise and ambition exceeded his means.
Allow me to draw your attention to the following; I have made several improvements in the balloon and am anxious to meet with a gentleman who will assist me in carrying out my designs, not having money sufficient to do it myself. A small sum would only be required, about £30 or £40 and, if the parties were honourable to each other, it could not fail to make a fortune for both. My balloon would be so constructed that it would be impossible for it to burst or take fire, the latter causing it to be more suitable for firework ascents. It could be inflated in about ten or fifteen minutes at any place or time without the aid of a gas company. I would fill it myself. The expense would not exceed twenty or thirty shillings. With this balloon I would produce exhibitions equal to those of Vauxhall or Cremorne. I would ascend by night or day. Should you feel disposed to give me a trial I shall be most happy to meet you at any time when I shall be able to give you the particulars more fully. I am well acquainted with all the details of the art of Aerostation. Communications to be addressed Aeronaut, Post Office, Leeds.
To Mr Hampton, Aeronaut, Meanwood Road, Leeds, [Not dated.] August, 1849.
I received your letter enclosing the bill for which I am obliged. I am glad to hear of your again being on the ascendant. I hope all may again go off well. I see Warman has got another young man of the name of Green to pilot his balloon. He has made four
