United/British Airways

On 30 September 1935, Allied British Airways Ltd was formed for the purpose of merging the publicly quoted company Hillman's Airways with the private companies of Spartan Air Lines and United Airways Ltd. In early 1936, aircraft and services of Hillman's Airways were transferred from Stapleford Aerodrome to Heston Aerodrome, the principal base of Spartan Air Lines and United Airways; the single-engine types and most of the DH.84s were then sold. The London to Liverpool services of United Airways were discontinued, and the services between Liverpool, Blackpool, Isle of Man, Belfast and Glasgow were transferred to Northern & Scottish Airlines, a subsidiary company. Most of the flights were continental but flights continued under United Airlines from Liverpool to Isle of Man. Commemorative first flight envelopes were issued by a dealer for the first flight on November 1st 1935 with a United Airlines cachet and also for the last flight with a British Airways Ltd cachet. The first flight for United Airlines with the new contract was on 1st November 1935. Although in theory this was now British AIrways, like Highland Airways it retained its livery at this point and still flew as United Airlines.

Last Flight Isle of Man to Liverpool.

Last Flight Liverpool to Isle of Man

Last Flight Isle of Man to Liverpool.

Last Flight Liverpool to Isle of Man

Last Flights as British Airways. October 31st 1936.

The history of the Airlines that made up British Airways gets quite complicated at this point, as they were no longer individual airlines but part of British Airways. Despite not being individual airlines, they flew as if their airlines still existed. United flew as United, Highland flew as Highland, Spartan flew as Spartan and Northern and Scottish flew as Northern and Scottish. This was further complicated as sometimes they flew as themselves and sometimes from a pool of planes as British Airways. In July 1936, United Airways handed its mail contract between Liverpool and Isle of Man over to Northern and Scottish Airlines who flew the route as British AIrways not as Northern and Scottish. For this reason, I have not included this route under the Northern and Scottish section, but as British Airways, even though Northern and Scottish flew the planes.

United Airways First Flight 1st November 1935

search tips

advanced search

site search by freefind

First Flight Liverpool to Isle of Man

British Internal Airmails of the 1930’s

British Airways had a red three-line cachet for general use. Sent from the Stamp Exhibition in London, with the special postmark.

Not entirely sure what this is. The first flight was on the 1st November under United AIrways livery with United Airways cachet as above. This cover, pilot signed is for the 5th November and has first flight by British Airways written in manuscript. Maybe it was the first flight under British Airways livery.

The following cover was flown for the first voyage of the Queen Mary on the 12th June 1936.

This scarce cachet was used on the first flight from Liverpool to Isle of Man. As this cover was sent by the Liverpool dealer J. Stephen (J. Davis) 100 of these were sent from Liverpool to the Isle of Man, but none were sent in the opposite direction. All envelopes are pilot signed. See the Davis communication at the bottom of this page.