Windham William Sadler

He was the fourth son of James Sadler and his second wife, Martha Hancock, though two of his older brothers had died in infancy.

Sadler was unsuccessful in applying for the post of engineer at the rival Liverpool Oil Gas Company in October 1822.

He made his first solo ascent at Cheltenham on 7 September 1813 after insufficient gas had been generated to carry his father also; he successfully landed an hour later near Chipping Norton.

[3] During the Grand Jubilee of 1814 Sadler ascended in a balloon from Green Park, London, to distribute favour and programmes onto the crowd below.

A flight with Edmond D. Livingston in November from Richmond Barracks, Dublin, intended to be the first to cross the Irish Sea by air.

[9][10] A contemporary print by engraver Robert Havell shows Sadler's balloon carrying a banner reading "Erin go bragh" (Irish: Ireland forever).

[11] Sadler married Catherine Richards in 1819 and afterwards combined his professional aviation exploits with management of a medicated bathing pool in Liverpool.

[1] On 28 September 1819 Sadler and companion Mr Armstrong ascended from Kirkby Fair, Liverpool, in his balloon Loyalist watched by 120,000 spectators.

In danger of being blown out to the North Sea he pulled a ripcord to release gas from the balloon at Norton, County Durham.