The "Flying Dentist"

 Many people have been cremated at the Italianate style but very art-deco inspired Rookwood Crematorium since its earliest beginnings in 1925. 

One such man is the subject of today's blog. A man who led a rather exciting life in the early days of flight in the country.

WILLIAM EWART HART

William was born on 20 April 1885 in nearby Parramatta NSW, the third of nine children of William Hart, timber merchant, and his wife Maria Alice, who were both born in that city. Educated locally, William was apprenticed to a dentist at the age of sixteen and registered as one on 26 June 1906. He practised at West Wyalong, Newcastle and Sydney.

William Ewart Hart in his bi-plane - National Library of Australia

Mechanically minded, Hart was interested in aviation. In September 1911, he bought a Bristol, Box-kite from Joseph Hammond, who was touring Australia as a demonstration pilot for the British & Colonial Aeroplane Co. Ltd. William received some tuition from Hammond's mechanic and first flew solo on 3 November. By 16 November he had completed flying tests conducted by the Aerial League of Australia.

Presented with Australian aviator's licence No. 1, dated 5 December 1911, he was the first airman to qualify as a Pilot in Australia.

On 18 November 1911 Hart flew 76kms from Penrith, via St Marys to Sydney, completing the first cross-country flight in NSW in 55 minutes. He was awarded a special plaque for his achievement. On 3 January 1912 the Postmaster General, C.E. Frazer, opened Hart's aviation school in Penrith and in March Hart had transferred his operations to Ham Common (now Richmond aerodrome). On the 29 June he won Australia's first air race where he defeated the American, A.B. Stone, who had lost his way, over a 32 km course from Botany to Parramatta Park. During that year the cinematographer Ernest Higgins made eighteen flights with Hart and obtained enough footage for three movies; The Camera in the Clouds (1912), Among the Clouds with a Camera (1912) and Australia Calls (1913).

Willam Ewart Hart in his Bristol Box-kite plane - Wikipedia

In August 1912, Hart constructed a two-seat monoplane which he successfully tested at Wagga Wagga, but it was wrecked in a serious accident at Richmond on 4 September. He was badly injured and never flew in that regard again.

Whilst WW1 raged, Hart wrote imploring letters to those in charge advising them he had extensive aerial experience and was now fit after recovering from his terrible accident in 1912 and wanted to render assistance in any way possible. In January 1916 he was accepted into the Australian Imperial Force , as a Lieutenant in No.1 Squadron, Australia Flying Corps. He went to the Egypt and Britain and took up a position as a flying instructor. It was not long before he was found to be medically unfit; he was suffering from epilepsy and had severe rheumatism in his legs from old injuries. He returned to Australia and was discharged on 11 September 1916. 

William Ewart Hart in uniform- Australian War Memorial 

Resuming his career as a Dentist, Hart opened spacious new surgeries on a complete floor of Boomerang House, King Street, Sydney in 1918. In the 1930's he visited Britain and the USA where he observed the latest developments in dentistry and introduced several new dental theories upon his return. 

William Ewart Hart died of heart disease in Sydney on 29 July 1043. He was cremated at Rookwood Crematorium whilst the RAAF flew overhead in salute. His wife, Thelma and son survived him. At the time of his death Hart was Vice President of the Air Force Association; it's minutes recorded that he was a "resourceful, courageous pioneer, soldier, airman, loyal friend and good citizen, lovable personality and gallant gentleman". A memorial to him in Parramatta Park was unveiled in 1963.

When they were fielding names for the second major Sydney Airport to be built in Badgerys Creek, a petition was set up to push William's name forward as a candidate. However it  was named after Nancy Bird Walton, who became the first woman in the Commonwealth of Australia to obtain her Commercial Pilots Licence in 1933 and a very fitting recipient of that honour.

William Ewart Hart's memorial in Parramatta Park - photo author's own.

I'm hoping there is a suitable place  within the new airport that can carry the name William Ewart Hart,  "the Flying Dentist", a man who should not be forgotten.

There are many references to William Ewart Hart via a google search or in Trove Australia. The Australian Dictionary of Biography also has a large article written by Keith Isaacs in 1983 about him.

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