Citation
Harold Gatty – International Aviator: the Richmond Village and Cambridge Aerodrome connection, Tasmania 1931-39. Peter MacFie and Bruce Brown, in Coal River Valley Historical Society Inc. Journal, No. 2, March 2003
Acknowledgement
Bruce Brown, author of Gatty, Prince of Navigators. Libra Books Pty Ltd, 1997
Outline
Harold Gatty is most visible in the park to his memory at Campbell Town, Tasmania, the place of his birth. However, he also had significant connections with Richmond and with the Cambridge Aerodrome.
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Harold Gatty – International Aviator – his links to Richmond Village (2018-07-10).pdf
Excerpt
It is not well known among Richmond locals that their town has strong links to the Tasmanian-born aviator, Harold Gatty, who was a household name in Australia in the 1930’s although, today, he is far better known among aviation enthusiasts in the United States than in his homeland.
Harold’s father, James Gatty, was the council clerk for the municipality of Richmond from 1923 until 1939 – a period which covered all of Harold’s famous flights. Often, Harold would visit his family in Richmond and two of his sons attended the local St. Joseph’s School for a number of years when in the care of James and his wife.
The Gatty link with Tasmanian local government goes back further than Harold’s father; with his grandfather John Gatty (a transported Irish highwayman ) being one of the signatories to a petition to the colonial governor in 1862 for the district of Fingal to be declared a municipality with its own local government.
One of John’s sons was James Gatty, who went on to become a teacher in a string of small country schools around the island, always followed by his long-suffering wife, Lucy. In 1901, he was appointed headmaster of the Campbell Town Government School and, in January, 1903, Harold Gatty was born there. Two years later, James was promoted to headmaster of the Zeehan State School and the family moved to the brawny, ramshackle mining town. In 1908, James left teaching and took up the position of council clerk of the Zeehan Municipality. In late February 1923, he was one of forty one applicants considered by the Richmond Council for the position of council clerk, and James was successful. He and Lucy left Zeehan in late March and records reveal that the first council meeting for which he took the official minutes was 4 April of that year.
(Drawn from Bruce Brown’s book: Gatty, Prince of Navigators)
End of Excerpt
To read more, download the pdf or read the book.
Indexed content
aerial navigation
air routes
aircraft
Bungana
Winnie Mae
Brown, Bruce
Cambridge Airport
Campbell Town
convicts
council clerk
Director of Air Transport
Douglas Aircraft Company
Fingal
Gatty, Alan
Gatty, Doris
Gatty, Harold
Gatty, James
Gatty, John
Gatty, Lucy (Mrs James)
Gatty, Ron
Holyman Airways
King’s Prize for shooting
landing rights
Library Board
Lindbergh, Charles
long distance flights
MacArthur, General Douglas
navigation instruments
Pan Am
Patricks Steamship Company.
Pinnacle Road
Post, Wiley
Richmond
rifle shooting
schools
Campbell Town Government School
St. John’s, Richmond
Zeehan State School
Tasmania
teachers
Western Junction Airport
Zeehan