The Coronation Aerial Post - 1911.

Sutton Coldfield, Francis J. Field, [1934]. 8vo. Original maroon cloth, front cover lettered in gilt; pp. 82, [4, advertisements], illustrations after photographs; spine a little faded, otherwise a very good copy, bookplate to front fly-leaf. Very rare first edition, privately published, of this celebration of the first aerial postal service. 'The Centenary of the Coronation Aerial Post 1911 is an historic event in the record of pioneer aviation in Great Britain and the cooperation of the Postmaster General and the British Post Office. The First United Kingdom Aerial Post owed its existence to the foresight and initiative of Captain (later Sir) Walter Windham, RN. It was Capt Windham who successfully organised the world’s first Official Aerial Post in India during February 1911 at Allahabad, in connection with the United Provinces Exhibition … On his return to England soon afterwards, it occurred to Capt Windham that a similar project might be an appropriate and novel addition to the celebrations in London to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King George V in Westminster Abbey on 22 June, that same year, 1911' (Peter Jennings, Centenary of the Coronation Aerial Post, in: Aerial Philately, online). Francis J. Field was an flight historian and dealer in collectables relating to aviation.