Collyns Price Pizey

COLLYNS PRICE PIZEY
1883-1915
AKA C. P. Pizey

Collyns Pizey
from Aviation Archive: Aviation Heritage

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
via email from Ian Sayer, 10-10-06 Flight Lieutenant Collyns Price Pizey
     Flight Lieutenant Pizey , born 1st April 1883, at Clevedon, was one of the early pioneers of flying, having gained his certificate No 61, in a Bristol Box-Kite, on Salisbury Plain, 14th February 1911, that same year he took part in the Daily Mail Air Race. He was educated as an engineer, and passed through all the shops of the Bristol Tramway Company, where he gained the attention of Sir George White, who detailed him to assist Mr Sidney Smith when the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company was formed in late 1909 early 1910.
     He later took charge of the flying schools at Salisbury Plain and Brooklands, where he and his assistant Harry Fleming were known as "Little Appy" and "Big Appy". They were masters at the art of flying training, and in September 1913 Pizey was appointed by the Admiralty as Flying Officer to the British Naval Mission to Greece, to carry out experimental and instructional work to organise the Greek Naval Air Service.
     Little is known of his exploits in Greece, but sadly he died of dysentery in Athens, 11 June 1915.
     Flight Lieutenant Collyns Price Pizey, Royal Naval Air Service acting Commander Royal Greek Naval Air Service. Died 11-6-1915 Athens, Greece. Buried Athens New Protestant Cemetery Greece Row A2 Grave 5
Regards
Ian

"Volplaning in Flames British Aviator and Passenger Descend 1200 Feet. Just as the Men Spring from the Machine the Gas Tank Blows Up, But They Escape Practically Without Injury,"
Daily Journal and Tribune,
Knoxville, Tennessee: Tuesday, May 27, 1913,
Transcribed by Bob Davis - 8-26-06 "Salisbury, England, May 26. - Volplaning from a height of 1,200 feet in a blazing biplane, the British aviator Coloyns Pizey and passenger, H. Fellows, reached the ground in safety this evening and stepped from the machine just as an explosion of the gasoline tank wrecked it. The aeroplane was in easy flight over the outskirts of the town, when suddenly the carbureter took fire breaking the inlet valve, the aviator shut off the gasoline and started a steep volplane. The rush of air fanned the flames and to those who witnessed the incident, it seemed as though the men had but a slender chance for life. Tongues of fire swept under the passenger seat and Fellows drew hinself up and clung to the stays while the aeroplane made its swift descent.
Pizey held the wheel in firm grip although the flames scorched his hands and succeeded in making a splendid landing. Just as the men sprang from the machine the gas tank blew up, but they practically escaped injury."

ONLINE RESOURCES If you search for " Pizey" +aviation, using Google, (8-28-06), you will find about 230 links, several of them relevant and very helpful. The one cited immediately below, which was also suggested to me by Matthew H. G. Bryan on January 15, 2006, is most informative.

The Round Britain Race
The Daily Mail £10,000 Prize
22 July - 7 August 1911
On this page you find a fascinating story of the race, illustrated with many photographs and including some important links. It presents a list of the 30 entrants into the race, including F. Conway Jenkins, (No. 22), along with their aeroplanes and country of origin. Eight of them are also to be found on my website at this time. (1-14-06)

H. J. D. Astley (2)
E. Audemars (13)
G. Blanchet (11)
André Beaumont (1)
Gustav Hamel (24)
C. Howard Pixton (19)
S.F. Cody (20)
James Valentine (14)
Jules Védrines (9)

C. Compton-Paterson (7)
Olivier de Montalent (23)
C.P. Pizey (17)
C.T.Weymann (28)
Lt. Reynolds, R.E. (25)
Lt. H.Bier + passenger (30)
B. C. Hucks (27)
Lt. R.A. Cammell, R.E. (12)

If time permits, I am sure you will want to read the whole interesting story of this historic event. You can access the site by clicking on the title above.

Portrait of Collyns Pizey This page on the Aviation Heritage section of the Transport Archive website offers a beautiful portrait of Pizey, a copy of which you see at the top of this page. In addition to a complete description of the photograph, you will find a brief, but very helpful biography of him. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.
If time permits, you will find a wealth of information is available on the history of transportation, including a section on aviation history, on this valuable resource.

Mr. Collyns Pizey, of the Brooklands Bristol School, and
his cousing, Mr. C. H. Pizer, in the passenger's seat. 1912
from Aviation Archive: Aviation Heritage

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Flight Lieutenant Collyns Price Pizey died 11-6-1915 Athens, Greece. Buried Athens New Protestant Cemetery Greece Row A2 Grave 5.
Personal communication from Ian Sayer, 10-10-06

Editor's Note:
If you have any more information on him or his career,
please contact me.
E-mail to Ralph Cooper

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