scareships » The Times

Cardiff, Cardiff

Brett Holman — Tue, 08 Apr 1913 12:04:32 +0000

Just before 9pm, crowds of people in Cardiff (including, once again, the Chief Constable of Glamorganshire, Captain Lionel Lindsay), watched an aeroplane or airship with a brilliant light travel from the north-west to the south-east. It appeared to be travelling at 60 to 70 mph at a considerable height, and disappeared over the Bristol Channel.

The Times, 9 April 1913, p. 10.

North Sea, 170 miles from Spurn Head, East Riding of Yorkshire

Brett Holman — Fri, 28 Feb 1913 11:55:58 +0000

At 8pm, the crew, including Captain J. H. Parker and the chief engineer, of the trawler Othello out of Hull saw an airship with a powerful searchlight. Initially it was distant, but within five minutes it was close enough to circle their trawler twice; in fact Captain Parker was afraid that it would crash into the mast. As it left to the west he saluted it with his siren and was answered by a flash from the searchlight. It had two lights aft. The Moon and stars were not visible.

The Times, 5 March 1913, p. 7; Manchester Guardian, 5 March 1913, p. 7; Standard, 5 March 1913, p, 8; Globe, 5 March 1913, p. 10.

Hucknall, Nottinghamshire

Brett Holman — Thu, 27 Feb 1913 11:29:58 +0000

At 2am, a policeman saw an airship with ‘a powerful searchlight’ travelling from the direction of Nottingham towards Mansfield; it was seen also by a number of colliers.

The Times, 28 February 1913, p. 5; Manchester Guardian, 1 March 1913, p. 9.

Papplewick, Nottinghamshire

Brett Holman — Thu, 27 Feb 1913 10:55:54 +0000

Witnesses saw a moving light for about 5 minutes.

The Times, 28 February 1913. p. 5.

Portland Harbour, Dorset

Brett Holman — Wed, 26 Feb 1913 11:05:45 +0000

An airship was seen by a postman, a government official, and a nurse; all the usual elements were present — the brilliant searchlight, the whirring propeller and the ‘clear outline’ of the airship itself. The lights sometimes went out.

The Times, 28 February 1913, p. 5; Manchester Guardian, 1 March 1913, p. 9.

Liverpool, Merseyside

Brett Holman — Tue, 25 Feb 1913 10:39:22 +0000

What initially looked like ‘an exceptionally bright star’ at a great height was soon revealed to possess the shape of an airship; ‘the throbbing of a motor and the whirring of a propeller’ was heard. This was observed by residents to circle overhead between 8.15pm and 9pm and disappeared in the direction of Seaforth to the north.

The Times, 27 February 1913, p. 6; Manchester Guardian, 1 March 1913, p. 9.

Hunstanton, Norfolk

Brett Holman — Tue, 25 Feb 1913 09:26:18 +0000

At about 8.30pm, three bright lights were observed to rapidly approach the town from the east by a postman and numerous residents. They were visible for half an hour over the town, were sometimes stationary, and moved off to the north-west. No shape was discernible.

The Times, 27 February 1913, p. 6; Manchester Guardian, 1 March 1913, p. 9; Norfolk News, 1 March 1913, p. 12; Globe, 26 February 1913, p. 2.

Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire

Brett Holman — Tue, 25 Feb 1913 09:24:48 +0000

‘[C]rowds of excited people’ in the centre of the city watched an airship, which came from the east, for over an hour from about 8.30pm before it disappeared to the west; it had bright lights with an occasional ‘patch of red’.

The Times, 26 February 1913, p. 8; Manchester Guardian, 26 February 1913, p. 6, 27 February 1913, p. 7, 1 March 1913, p. 9; Norfolk News, 1 March 1913, p. 12; Standard, 26 February 1913, p. 7; Globe, 26 February 1913, p. 2.

Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire

Brett Holman — Tue, 25 Feb 1913 09:19:44 +0000

An airship with a bright light was seen to the west for about an hour after 8pm by coastguards, who observed it with binoculars. A resident claimed it came in from over the North Sea, changing course frequently, and departed westwards at speed; another resident Falconer Jameson was able to discern a discern a cone-shaped airship through binoculars; a patch of red was visible.

The Times, 26 February 1913, p. 8; Manchester Guardian, 26 February 1913, p. 6, 1 March 1913, p. 9; Norfolk News, 1 March 1913, p. 12; Standard, 26 February 1913, p. 7; Globe, 26 February 1913, p. 2.

Off Sanday Isle, Orkney

Brett Holman — Mon, 24 Feb 1913 08:51:12 +0000

An airship was seen from the steamer Orcadia at 5pm.

The Times, 28 February 1913, p. 5; Manchester Guardian, 1 March 1913, p. 9.