Stanley Spencer designed and built the first British airship (named, appropriately, ‘No. 1’) which flew for 30 miles on 22nd September, 1902. This is the story of a previous, doomed, flying machine.
“A tramp named William Williams was charged at Droxford on Monday with having set fire to a shed on Sunday morning at Denmead. The shed contained the airship on which Mr. Buchanan, the inventor, had been at work for a considerable period, and which was ready for inspection by Mr. Spencer, aeronaut, on behalf of the syndicate which has acquired the patent rights. The airship was completely destroyed. When arrested Williams said he lighted a fire outside the shed because he was cold, and then smoked his pipe. He was remanded.”
Stamford Mercury, 7th February, 1902.