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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 3, 2009 11:26:11 GMT 12
One of the key men in the Auckland (Territorial) Squadron (which will be included as a chapter in my history of the RNZAF"s General Reconnaissance squadrons) from 1938-1940 was Flt Lt Ian Chisholm Horton.
Ian Horton was a journalist as his day job for the New Zealand Herald newspaper at the time he was a Territorial Air Force officer. He had also served prior to this squadron in the No. 1 (Army Co-op) Squadron, NZAF.
Some of you may have already twigeed his name Horton in connection with the New Zealand Herald, which was owned by the Wilson and Horton comapny. That company was co-founded by Alfred George Horton, who married Jessie Haliburton Chisholm. Their son Henry took over the newspaperwhen Alfred died in 1903, but the name of Ian Chisholm Horton must 100% indicate he was family and probably a grandson or great-grandson of the founder. I don't know Ian's date of birth but he'd have been in his 30's I'd think by 1938.
So, with the fact that he worked at the Herald and was a member of the famous family, plus he was a pilot in the NZAF and TAF, and a pilot with the Auckland Aero Club, I am wondering was it Ian Horton who arranged for the Herald Moth to be donated to the Auckland Aero Club? The New Zealand Herald presented a de Havilland DH60 Moth to the AAC, and it carried the name of the newspaper on the cowl as a sort of sponsorship logo.
Ian Horton had previously owned Moth ZK-AAO, was that the same aircraft that became the Herald Moth with the AAC?
Can anyone here please fill in the gaps, when was the Herald Moth donated, and what became of it? And any info on Ian Horton's career would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Also, are Wilson and Horton still the owners of The Herald or has some foreign group bought it out? Are there Hortons still involved with aviation? Does the Herald have an archive of its newspaper and staffs' history?
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Aug 3, 2009 12:27:40 GMT 12
The New Zealand Herald is now owned by Aussies (APN).
I understand one of the younger Hortons is still involved in the publishing business, but the family don't have anything to do with the NZ Herald any more.
I don't know anything about aviation connections with the family, but someone more knowlegable no doubt will.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Aug 3, 2009 12:41:58 GMT 12
The 'NZ Herald Gift Machine' of the Auckland Aero Club was DH60G G-NZED c/n 928. This had been initially registered to the DH agents Air Survey & Transport Co.Ltd., Hobsonville in October 1928, and went to the aero club in July 1929. It became ZK-AAE in December 1929 and did not last long - dived into ground from 2500ft & DBF near Mangere 22Dec30, pilot Cyril Olsen killed.
Ian Horton bought DH60X Moth c/n 922 new as ZK-AAO in April 1929. He later sold it to the NZ Government for £650 and it then went to the Wellington Aero Club under the Government Gift Scheme, becoming transferred to their name in March 1932. It survived there to be impressed into the RNZAF as NZ502 in September 1939, later relegated to INST21 from mid-1940 in the Wellington area (again!).
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 3, 2009 13:30:06 GMT 12
Thanks for the info.
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Post by shamus on Aug 3, 2009 19:36:48 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 3, 2009 20:17:03 GMT 12
Wow, fantastic!! Thanks Sahmus.
Do you own Ted Harvie's album?? Are there any photos of Cambridge in there, particularly the Cambridge aerodrome which he occasionally flew into? He lived in Cambridge for some years off and on as his father was the vicar here, and he had other extended family. He lived with his aunt here after his father was posted elsewhere.
Also that tour of the North Island was to look out new sites for forming aerodromes and they landed at Cambridge, which was the inception of our local aerodrome at the racecourse from 1929 till about the war. See my website for pages on both the Cambridge aerodrome and on Teddy Harvie.
Those photos above are brilliant. What does it say on the side of Ian Horton's Moth?
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Post by Peter Lewis on Aug 3, 2009 21:58:36 GMT 12
Posted here is two pages from the Ted Harvie photo album showing the Herald aeroplane and some others of the aeroplanes. Marvellous! |
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Post by shamus on Aug 3, 2009 22:16:36 GMT 12
I do have the Ted Harvie Album and will go through it to see if their is anything on the aerodrome.
I think I may only have the aircraft section and not the personal one. If nothing comes up I will
contact Mrs Harvie and see what else comes up.
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Post by shamus on Aug 3, 2009 22:46:59 GMT 12
Here are some close up ones o both AAE and AAO in which I think you can read the captions on the sides. Can't bring them up any more as they are small photos and don't think it would make them any more readable.     |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 3, 2009 23:26:05 GMT 12
Cool, thanks for those.
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Post by ZacYates on Jan 2, 2021 19:04:57 GMT 12
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Post by planewriting on Jan 2, 2021 21:20:12 GMT 12
Wow, fantastic!! Thanks Sahmus. Do you own Ted Harvie's album?? Are there any photos of Cambridge in there, particularly the Cambridge aerodrome which he occasionally flew into? He lived in Cambridge for some years off and on as his father was the vicar here, and he had other extended family. He lived with his aunt here after his father was posted elsewhere. Also that tour of the North Island was to look out new sites for forming aerodromes and they landed at Cambridge, which was the inception of our local aerodrome at the racecourse from 1929 till about the war. See my website for pages on both the Cambridge aerodrome and on Teddy Harvie. Those photos above are brilliant. What does it say on the side of Ian Horton's Moth? In the 1970s I met Ted Harvie when he gave a talk to the Auckland branch (discontinued in 1979) of the Aviation Historical Society. On later discussing the talk with my parents they told me that Harvie hadbeen a boarder with my father's parents (Jack and Mary Layne), I think in the 1930s. They had lived in various Waikato towns including Te Awamutu and Hamilton city throughout their married life but I'm not sure where they were when he was their boarder. |
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Post by kevsmith on Jan 3, 2021 0:03:46 GMT 12
Amazing what arises in this website. Ian Horton had other talents and was, I think, a member of the St Georges Rowing Club, Panmure, Auckland. In fact we named a new racing 4 skiff after him, the Ian C Horton, in 1960 that was one of two boats purchased new from England. The CLub had two crews that used these new "Sims" boats exclusively and we had some success particularly in the North Island but also at the NZ championships in Picton in 1961 where we won the Youths fours - beat 22 other crews stretched out across Picton Harbour from the start near Mabel Island to the finish abeam the present ferry terminal. Ian's son, Christopher Horton died suddenly in Feb 2015 so the other brother David may still be around. I rowed with David and we had some success also in the eights around 1961/62. When I knew them they were all active in the family newspaper business. Todays trivia!! UPDATE!!Further to the post on Ian Horton I have done a bit more research and found that he had held a number of positions in the St Georges Rowing Club (President 1952, Patron 1960-66, Club Captain 1931-32) and I have attached a photo of the two Sims boats at Panmure in 1960. On the further away boat you can make out the name Ian C Horton. I am the rower on the far side of that boat , at the right, bending over and David Horton is the 2nd from right obscuring part of my head. Rgds Kevin Smith Melbourne  |
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Post by rone on Jan 3, 2021 13:23:22 GMT 12
The Herald has been owned by o/seas interests now for more than 20 years. Michael Horton was the last chairman/managing director. He has a sister still living in Remuera, who was the last of the shareholding Hortons to sell out, she owned 1%. Sold for a very tidy sum, I will not disclose the amount as she is a very old close friend.
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