Richard William Pearse

 Richard William Pearse was born on the 3rd of December 1877- at waitohi flat, temuka, the fourth of nine children. He played the cello. He was kind and gentle. After finishing primary education he wanted to go to canterbury college but his family could not afford it. When he was 21, he was given a 100 acre farm block where he built a workshop, designed his own forge and lathe. He spent most of his time inventing things. In 1902 he first patented a new style of bike. But he was focusing on flying, not cycling. There is evidence that he was working on ideas for powered flight from 1899. He built his first two cylinder petrol engine, by 1902. He then built (Using bamboo, tubular steel, wire, and canvas), a Monoplane. He made his first public fight attempt down a road next to his farm. After around 50 meters, he crashed into his own gorse fence. Later he wrote that he did not achieve proper flight, and did not beat the Wright Brothers. A great deal of eyewitness testimony suggests that 31 march 1903 was the likely first flight attempt. He continued to experiment, achieving sevale more powered take offs or long hops, most of them witnessed. None of them was considered a true flight, in terms of length and controle. In July 1906, he patented his aircraft.  A failure as a farmer and treated unkindly by his neighbours, Richard moved to South Otago in 1911, where he farmed at loudons gully near milton. He thought up ingenious farming equipment, before being conscripted into the otago infantry Regiment in may 1917. He was sent overseas in January 1918, but an illness prevented him seeing any action and he returned in October the same year. In 1921, he moved to Christchurch, where he built three houses. In the early 1930’s,in the garage workshop of one in woolston he set about designing and building a second aircraft. He applied for a patent in November 1943, and it was finally approved in 1949. Constructed in great secrecy, Pearse's plane had some of the main features of the Harrier jump jet, with a tilting engine to allow for vertical take-off and landing. Pearse became bitter that aeroplane companies did not show more interest. He became increasingly paranoid and was admitted in June 1951 to Sunnyside Mental Hospital. There he died on 29 July 1953 following a heart attack. He had never married.

1877- he was born on the third of december

1898- he was given a 100 acre farm block,  he built a workshop, designed his own forge and lathe

1899- There is evidence that he was working on ideas for powered flight 

1902- he first patented a new style of bike, He built his first two cylinder petrol engine. He then built  a Monoplane, using bamboo, tubular steel, wire, and canvas. He made his first public fight attempt down a road next to his farm. After around 50 meters, he crashed into his own gorse fence. He latter said he did not beat the Wright brothers.

1906-  he patented his aircraft

1911- Richard moved to South Otago, where he farmed at loudons gully near milton.

1917- he was conscripted into the otago infantry Regiment after thinking up  ingenious farming equipment

 1918- he was sent overseas in january, but due to illness he came back in october.

1921- he moved to Christchurch, where he built three houses.

Early 1930’s- he set about designing and building a second aircraft ,in the garage workshop of one of his houses in woolston

1943- He applied for a patent in November 

1949- It was finally approved

1951- he was admitted to Sunnyside Mental Hospital

1953- he died after a heart attack on the 29th of july. He never married