Herbert Sykes

Herbert Sykes who was the landlord of the hotel at the start of the 1930s. He was a test/stunt pilot for Whitehead Aircraft during WWI and then an instructor at the Central Aircraft Company at Northolt just after the war. He was in the habit of naming the various aircraft that he owned as 'Psyche' - a nickname that he himself went by later in life.

Whilst at New passage he was secretary of a local gliding club and apparently built his own experimental glider from a collection of old WWI aircraft parts.

It is believed he was related to the Lidbury family that took over the running of the hotel prior to the start of WWI.

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A Wnderful Airmen - Mr Sykes - click image to play video

Herbert Sykes