Do you smell that? It is the faint scent of wood smoke from a hot air balloon. Right here, affixed to the wall of Merton College in Deadman’s Walk, is the James Sadler Plaque. This plaque commemorates James Sadler, the first English aeronaut.
James Sadler lived from 1753 to 1828. He was more than just a balloonist. He was also a chemist and pastry chef. Sadler worked in the family business. It was called The Lemon Hall Refreshment House in Oxford.
Sadler wasn’t the first person to fly in England. Vincent Lunardi, a Tuscan, flew first. But James Sadler was the first Englishman to do so. His ascent took place on October 4, 1784, from Christ Church Meadow in Oxford.
Imagine the scene. The air crackles with anticipation. The balloon, filled with hot air from a wood burner, rises. It soars to about 3,600 feet. Sadler eventually landed near Woodeaton. That’s about six miles away.
His second ascent was on November 12. This time, he used a hydrogen-filled balloon. He reached Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. The flight lasted twenty minutes.
In May of the following year, Sadler tried to reach France. He took off near Moulsey Hurst, Surrey, with W. Wyndham MP. They descended in the Thames Estuary. They failed to repeat Jean-Pierre Blanchard’s feat.
Sadler made two more ascents in May 1785. The first was from Manchester with a cat. The second was alone. He rose to 13,000 feet and traveled 50 miles. He landed near Pontefract, West Yorkshire. He was badly injured. The balloon dragged him for two miles.
In 1796, Sadler became a chemist in the Naval Works Department. He worked under Sir Samuel Bentham. He improved cannon design. Admiral Lord Nelson praised him.
Sadler resumed ballooning. He was devastated when his son died in a ballooning accident in 1824. James Sadler is buried at St Peter-in-the-East in Oxford. It is now part of St Edmund Hall.
Despite his fame, Sadler is largely forgotten today. He didn’t write any books. He was a pastry chef, not formally educated. The university mostly ignored him.
This James Sadler Plaque serves as a reminder. It honors a man of many talents. He was a pioneer. He dared to defy gravity. The plaque ensures that James Sadler’s achievements are not forgotten. It also shows his contribution to Oxford’s history. As you pass, remember the first English aeronaut. Picture him soaring above Oxford.