This is in my local Cemetery ?

Gower went missing in late July 1885 – all information I have seen indicates he was on his own

This is from an article describing the founding of the pilot station at the port of Alger in 1852. They use the term ‘aspirant pilote’ in this connection:

‘C’est dans le cadre de ce décret du 19 juillet 1852 qu’eut lieu le 6 octobre le premier examen organisant, sous la présidence du lieutenant de vaisseau de Maisonseul directeur du port, l’institution nouvelle du service du pilotage.
Sur six candidats examinés, quatre seulement furent retenus :
MM. Pons Antoine -Alexandre et Meric Jacques -François en qualité d’aspirant- pilote. MM. Allemand Bernard -François et Pourcin Jean- François aux fonctions de pilote.
Le 12 novembre 1852, la première réunion de la commission administrative, marque officiellement la naissance de la station de pilotage d’Alger avec un effectif de :
Deux pilotes dont un chef pilote,
Deux aspirants pilotes,
Six canotiers lamaneurs.’

http://www.alger-roi.net/Alger/port/texte/6_hommage_pilotes_palomba.htm

Martin

Pilote is also “driver” in French, IIRC. Could said chap have popped his clogs in one of the earliest motor accidents?

Corrections to the last post . Frederick Gower was famous to do with the Gower-Bell telephone system,hence being able to be an aeronaut. He was the first husband of the American Lillian Nordica. his body was never found and i believe Albert Guerrier was more likely washed up at Falmouth.

A Frederick A Gower disappeared on a ballon flight across the English Channel in 1885. Could Albert Guerrier have been one of the crew men washed ashore at Le Havre ? Frederick Gower was dating a famous opera singer Lillian Nordica at the time.

This may not be the answer but if somebody can check the dates in 1885 we may have a positive outcome.

Heck!, that sounds more like it.

Thanks Mondariz,

John.

Poor old warlike Albert.

Guerrier is a surname in France and his first name would have been Albert-Edouard.

So:

In memory of Albert-Edouard Guerrier.

The following is my translation (and i don’t really know much french).

Pilot trainee (Maritime i would think).

Born 1st April 1852

Deceased 14 September 1885

Here is the ‘electronic’ translation of the text…….

in memoir of warlike Albert edouard aspirant flies not on the April 1st, 1852 to harve France decede on September 14th, 1885

Any French speakng experts out there who can put it right as I am not sure it’s got it right.

John.

Aye – 8 hours bottle to throttle and all that.

8 hours? I thought it was ‘3 feet”?

Aye – 8 hours bottle to throttle and all that.

Maritime looking more likely (at this stage of the game) but never let us forget another ill-fated flyer who was Brother Elmer, who in 1010 repeated Icarus’ attempt by attaching a set of wings to his arms and jumping off the tower of Malmesbury Abbey. Needless to say the hopeless hanglider was seriously injured and never walked – or flew again. Presumbaly the pre-flight briefing was not as exhaustive as it might have been – or had Brother Elmer been engaged on “Cellar Testing” duties before his pre-flight?!!
Respects
Resmoroh

Hello Mondariz,

Perhaps you are correct.
I admit that i never even thought of a Maritime connection.
Saw the word and automatically thought of an aviator.
Gues I will have to search elswhere and start off with a local newspaper archive.

Thanks

Alex

I’m pretty sure its a Maritime pilot and not anything aviation related. I don’t even think the term “pilot” was associated with aviation untill much later.
Back they they were aerialist, aeronaut, or maybe even aviators.

Aspirant Pilote

Surely with the Le Havre/Falmouth connection we are looking at a trainee pilot of the nautical kind, Alex?

One can see why he was an ‘Aspirant Pilote’ for – at time of his death – nobody had actually invented aeroplanes!! We may be looking at a Ballooniste here? But how come a u/t French Pilot comes to be buried in Falmouth (before aeroplanes had been invented) is something I would dearly like to know!
It will, at least, take my mind off the continuing saga of the Brunty Tin Triangle (much heat generated, but not much light!)
Respects
Resmoroh

Your local newspaper might be a good start.

Either for their archives if they were publishing then, or for local knowledge from the readers.

Do keep us informed.

Moggy