Original uniform from first British Airways Concorde flight up for auction

By Tom Bevan

An original uniform is among the historic items linked to the first Concorde flight being sold at auction.

Memorabilia from the estate of John Lidiard, one of British Airways' pioneering senior flight engineers on the iconic aircraft, is going under the hammer later this month.

Serving with British Airways during the flagship airliner's golden era, Lidiard was a key member of the flight deck crew tasked with managing the aircraft's intricate mechanical and electrical systems from its inception.

His place in history was established on January 21, 1976, when he served as the flight engineer alongside Captain Norman Todd and Captain Brian Calvert on British Airways' inaugural commercial Concorde flight from London Heathrow to Bahrain.

Following his passing, a selection of items from his estate are being sold - including his original uniform and a number of never seen before photos.

Andrew Stowe, of Auctioneum Ltd in Bristol, which is hosting the sale, said: "These early Concorde crew members weren't simply just crew, they were pioneers. There were so many 'unknowns' ahead of them, and they were pushing the boundaries of what was possible in commercial aviation at the time.

"To think this uniform was there, right in the midst of history being made is quite remarkable.

"This has to be the fastest uniform we've ever had in our saleroom. It would have traveled at Mach 2 several times over the years."

The uniform is estimated to fetch more than $535 and includes Lidiard's Officer's cap.

Elsewhere in Lidiard's effects are a selection of early photographs used during early training.

The photographs, which largely show the cockpit, gauges, and dash layout, would have been used to help the crew visualize the controls prior to stepping on board.

Andrew added: "There are also some great photographs of the crew testing out the emergency evacuation slide. They're just amazing snapshots of history."

The auction also includes a range of personal effects with several signed books dedicated to Lidiard from other Concorde crew, a large signed print featuring a fragment of original Concorde material, and various souvenirs from his time working for British Airways.

Bristol played a pivotal role in the story of Concorde, serving as the heart of Britain's supersonic aviation efforts.

Filton Airfield was the primary site where the British-built Concorde prototypes were assembled, engineered, and flight-tested.

Local engineers at Rolls-Royce in Patchway also helped develop its powerful Olympus 593 turbojet engines.

Andrew added: "There is such a deep connection between Concorde and Bristol. It's an iconic piece of our city's history.

"Every day I meet people who either worked on it personally, or a member of their family did. Bristol is so proud of its connection."

Items from the estate of John Lidiard go under the gavel at Auctioneum's special Military, History & Aviation auction on Sept. 30.