On this day back in 1930, a Canadian pilot called Erroll Boyd and an American navigator called Harry Connor, landed their Bellanca monoplane – recently rechristened The Maple Leaf – on Prince Edward Island.
It was here, at Tea Hill, which you can visit today just outside of Charlottetown in a place called Stratford. At the time the property was called Upton Farm and was owned by the aviation-minded Col. Jack Jenkins and Louise Jenkins.
They were on their way from Montreal to Newfoundland to attempt the first Canadian flight across the Atlantic to England. But they hit bad weather and turned back to PEI, where they were welcomed with open arms and celebrated for ten days until they could finally reach Newfoundland!
Hopefully my new picture book about this fun and fascinating piece of history will land in the Nimbus warehouse this week! Can’t wait to see Jennifer DesRoche’s illustrations ‘in the flesh’ and hold the real book in my hands – and share it at the Cavendish Literary Festival on Sept 26.
I’m still working on my patience, like the famous flyers of 1930, and kids of all generations!
