Before the Wright Brothers, before Blériot, before the age of the aeroplane - there were the British eccentrics. Men (and the occasional woman) who launched themselves into the sky in contraptions made of bamboo, silk and sheer optimism, inspired by dreams too large to be grounded.
 
Historian and author Charles Spicer brings this remarkable and largely forgotten chapter of history back to life in Flying Pianos - a story of obsession, ingenuity, danger and triumph. In conversation with author Midge Gillies, he will reveal the colourful cast of characters who helped Britain take flight, and ask what their spirit might teach us today.
 
A treat for history lovers and aviation enthusiasts alike.
 
Format: Interview & Q&A
Themes: Non-Fiction, Adults, Headliner, Local Interest, History
 
Charles Spicer Books: Flying Pianos, Coffee with Hitler
Charles Spicer is the author of Coffee with Hitler (A Telegraph and Spectator book of the year in 2022) and Flying Pianos: The Eccentric Birth of British Aviation (October 2026). He has a PhD from London University and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Married with two adult daughters, Charles lives in Pakenham, Suffolk.  
 
Midge Gillies Books: Atlantic Furies
Midge Gillies’s most recent book is Atlantic Furies: The Women Who Risked Everything to be the First to Fly. She has also written a highly regarded biography of pioneering airwoman, Amy Johnson.  Midge teaches creative writing for Granta and the University of Cambridge and supports writers through Gold Dust Mentoring.