British Balloon Museum and Library

23/10/2026

Last call for tickets to enjoy a sumptuous lunch and hear from our wonderful speaker, Allie Dunnington!

There are only a few tickets left, so be quick.

The annual lunch and AGM will be at the Donnington Valley Hotel, Newbury, RG14 3AG on Sunday 25 October.

Allie describes her approach to life as …” love flying, travelling, hiking, cycling, swimming, horse-riding and drinking a good gin tonic!” And of course, she is actively adding as many different countries to her balloon log book as possible. Well over 100 so far !!!

Don't miss out - find out more and book your tickets here: https://ow.ly/K9gQ50ZZiNv

22/10/2026

On this day, 22nd October 1797, at Parc Monceau, Paris, André-Jacques Garnerin rode in a basket attached to the bottom of the parachute; at a height of approximately 3,000 feet (1,000 m), he severed the rope that connected his parachute to the balloon.

The balloon continued skyward while Garnerin, with his basket and parachute, fell. The basket swung violently during descent, but Garnerin emerged uninjured.

Garnerin's first parachute was made of white silk with a diameter of approximately 23 feet (7 m). The umbrella was closed before he ascended, with a pole running down its centre and a rope running through a tube in the pole, which connected it to the balloon.

Find out more about the history of aviation here: https://ow.ly/9uG350ZZkXg

21/10/2026

The British Balloon Museum and Library AGM and Annual Luncheon is this Sunday at Donnington & Co, Newbury.

We are delighted to welcome Allie Dunnington as our after dinner guest speaker. Allie describes her approach to life as …” love flying, travelling, hiking, cycling, swimming, horse-riding and drinking a good gin tonic!”

We still have a few tickets remaining so be quick and head on over to https://www.bbml.org.uk/product/ticket-bbml-agm-and-annual-luncheon-25-october-2026/ and book your place!

See you there!

Ticket for the BBM&L AGM and Annual Luncheon on Sunday 25th October 2026 at the Donnington Valley Hotel, Newbury RG14 3AG. Price £35 per person.

18/10/2026

A few tickets left so be quick. The annual lunch and AGM will be at the Donnington Valley Hotel , Newbury,RG14 3AG next Sunday 25 October. Tickets on the website under 'SHOP'
https://www.bbml.org.uk/product/ticket-bbml-agm-and-annual-luncheon-25-october-2026/

The hotel need to know numbers so ACT QUICKLY!

We are lucky to have Allie Dunnington as speaker. She describes her approach to life as ...* love flying, travelling, hiking, cycling, swimming, horse-riding and drinking a good gin tonic!* And of course, she is actively adding as many different countries to her balloon log book as possible. Well over 100 so far !!!

So it's a day not to be missed and you will leave with a warm inner glow knowing you have contributed to the rosy future of the British Balloon Museum & Library.

Thank you !

18/10/2026

Do you know what a Ballonet is?

It is one or more compartments inside the GASBAG of a SEMI-RIGID or NON-RIGID AIRSHIP that can be filled with air to maintain a constant internal pressure and control pitch angle.

Find more commonly used terms when flying a lighter-than-air craft in our Glossary here: https://ow.ly/Cttb50ZVpBm

14/10/2026

Can you guess what this item is?

See if you guessed right here: https://ow.ly/rF6j50ZVr4C

09/10/2026

🎉📬 Happy World Post Day! 🌍✉️

Today, we celebrate the magic of letters and connections that transcend borders!

Back in 1902, the organising committee for the Beckenham coronation celebrations decided to organise a balloon flight for which a specially overprinted postcard commemorating the coronation would be available, to be conveyed by balloon and sent to the addressee once the balloon had landed.

Two such postcards were overprinted with the inscription “Beckenham Celebrations Despatched from the clouds by balloon post, coronation day, Aug 9th 1902”. Three bags of mail, or possibly 3 bundles consisting of as few as 100 cards per bundle, were conveyed and dropped from the balloon over 3 different regions of Kent at Leeds Castle, Godmersham and South Foreland, just before flying out to sea - the balloon eventually landing in Calais.
Onboard the balloon were Dr Barton, a leading medical practitioner of the parish and M. Gaudron, the aeronaut. It is believed that fewer than 10 cards of either type have survived from this flight.

Find more ballooning history here: https://ow.ly/wqro50ZVvpC

📮

06/10/2026

*** R E M I N D E R ***
Our Annual Luncheon is Sunday 25th October at the gorgeous Donnington Valley Hotel in Newbury. Don’t miss out on hearing from our wonderful speaker Allie Dunnington!

If you haven’t already, please do book a seat by the end of this week and we look forward to seeing lots of you there!

BBM&L AGM and Annual Luncheon 25th October 2026By robin.batchelor / September 1, 2026 The British Balloon Museum & Library are holding their AGM and Annual Lunchon Sunday 25th October 2026 12:00 for 12:30pm at the Donnington Valley Hotel, Newbury RG14 3AG. Website: www.donningtonvalley.co.uk or call...

05/10/2026

On this day, 5th October 1907: The British Army Dirigible No. 1, named Nulli Secundus, was flown from Farnborough to London.

After passing over Buckingham Palace and the War Office, and circling round St. Paul’s Cathedral, Colonel John E. Capper and Samuel Frederick Cody attempted to return to Farnborough, but strong head winds forced them to moor the airship in the grounds of Crystal Palace.

The flight covered a distance of 40 miles (64 km) and took 3 hours and 25 minutes.

Find out more about the history of lighter-than-air flight via the link in our bio or copy and paste the link here: https://ow.ly/kCv450Zzvaz

02/10/2026

This is a Cameron Hopper Servo-30 special shape, serial number 3077, named Servo Connectors.

There is a very unusual video of this balloon taken from inside, on our website on the collection page - watch it here:

https://ow.ly/fpG150ZSJAN