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Charles Henry Lutman 2nd 1930 – 1995

We hope you enjoy this article on the Lutman Family. Discovering Heritage is an historical research business with expertise in family history and the history of houses. If you would like to talk to us about a commission please book a call HERE

Charles Henry Lutman photographed above lived in Gosforth during the 60s and 70s. His family have a rich association with early flight. It began with an 1899 flying machine built in a backyard. This was followed by early flight attempts from Newcastle Town Moor. The family had a long and successful attachment to Newcastle. They traded as The Model Shop for eighty years. This family heritage goes back through three generations. In this exceptionally detailed post David Wardell follows the Lutman family from 1873 to 1995.

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N.B.   Within this article, the members of this family with the same forenames are designated as (1^st) or (2^nd). This helps with identifying them. You will also find references to Q1, 2, 3 or 4. This refers to the first, second, third and fourth quarter of the year.

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A partial family tree for Charles William(1^st)  Lutman

Charles Henry(1^st ) Lutman was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire in 24^th July 1873 .  He was the son of  Charles William(1^st ) Lutman, who was a Pawnbroker’s Manager. His mother was Ellen Humphrey’s. They lived at 91, Bright Street, Attercliffe Cum Darnall, Yorkshire, England.

In 1881 the census shows the family were living at Attercliffe Common , Attercliffe Cum Darnal , Sheffield.   Father Charles William(1^st) Lutman is shown as a Pawnbroker’s Manager and mother Ellen is not working .  Charles Henry(1^st )  is a scholar

The 1891 census reveals that Charles Henry(1^st) Lutman, aged 17 years, is now a spring plate forger. His mother, Ellen Lutman, is a widowed milk dealer. His father is now deceased. They are living still at 68, Attercliffe Common, Attercliffe cum Darnal, Sheffield.

In 1897 Q2  Charles Henry(1^st ) Lutman married Rosetta JUBB at Sheffield.  Rosetta was a local girl , the daughter of Thomas and Harriet Jubb

1901 Census

• Charles Henry (1st) 24th July 1873
• Albert Edward 1876 – 1934
• Florence Emily 1878 -1970
• Lily Ellen 1881 – 1967

 

The 1901 census lists Charles Henry(1^st ) incorrectly as Charles Wm.  Charles is now shown as a railway spring fitter . Rosetta does not appear to be working . They now have a son  Charles Wm. ( – William )(2^nd )  just 2 years old .   Charles Henry’s mother in law Harriet Dawes is a twice married widow aged 68. His brother in law Albert Jubb is 35 years old and single. They are living with them. Albert is a tile grinder.  They are still at Attercliffe Cum Darnal but have moved to 15,Wilfrid Road.

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Children of Charles Henry(1^st ) Lutman and Rosetta Jubb

• Charles William (2nd) Lutman b. 4th May 1898 at 24 Ellison Street, Sheffield,  Yorkshire, England
• Albert Lutman b. 6th Sept 1903
• Frank Lutman b. 1905 d. 1984
• Reginald Lutman . 6th August 1908 d. 1974
• Arthur Henry ~(just 2..) b. 31st August 1908 d. 1974

1903

Charles Henry (1^st) Lutman had attempted flight on Newcastle town moor. It was said that this occurred even before the Wright brothers. Charles Henry (1^st) Lutman was reputed to be the youngest pilot in the country. He and his brother, Albert Edward, entered a powered flight competition on the Town Moor in 1903. Unfortunately they did not win but continued with their interest in flight. However, flying efforts scared the grazing cattle on the town moor. The Newcastle Freemen controlled the area and stopped all future flying attempts at that time. All future flying was diverted to Gosforth Park racecourse and aerodrome.

By 1911 the family have moved again to 4, Berkeley Terrace, Newburn, Northumberland – just outside Newcastle upon Tyne. Charles Henry (1^st)  is listed as a spring maker at a steel works. Rosetta is still not working. They now have five sons.  Charles William (2^nd) 12, Albert 8, Frank 6, Reginald 4 and Arthur Henry just 2. All were born in Sheffield.

Charles Henry (1^st) Lutman became a major importer of balsa wood in the late 1800’s. This wood was used for making model aeroplanes. Balsa wood is light. It has a very high strength to weight ratio compared to any other material available at that time. Scale models of larger aircraft were often produced for testing in wind tunnels. These tests were done before producing the full-size craft.

Charles William (2^nd)  Lutman

b.4/5/1898   d. 29/10/1969

Born from 24 Ellison Street, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England on 4th May 1898 to Charles Henry Lutman and Rosetta Jubb.   

Charles William(2^nd) married Elizabeth J Hartley at The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Ridley Terrace, Scotswood, Newcastle upon Tyne. Their wedding took place in July 1925 Q3. They were living at 1 Beacon Road, Newton on the Moor. Described as Engineer in a coalmine at Ashington. They had two children . 

Children of Charles William2 Lutman &  Elizabeth J Hartley

• Charles Henry (2nd) Lutman 1930 – 1935
• Glenda Lutman 1935 – 2014

1924

In 1924  Charles William (2^nd) Lutman opened ‘The Model Shop’ in Barras Bridge in  Newcastle. It was said to be the first model shop in the World. The Model Shop supplied balsa wood to the Air Ministry and several aeronautical companies.  Those working on the full size aeroplanes normally had to sign the Official Secrets Act. However, no one bothered about the model makers. They produced a rubber motor powered flying model plane for sale to the public.

1939

By 1939 the National Register shows the Charles Henry (1^st ) Lutman’s family living at 80 Westmacott Street, Newburn. Charles is a laminated spring maker. Rosetta is at home on unpaid domestic duties and son Frank (single) is a tool – maker-model aeroplanes. 

Their dates of birth are given in the register as:

• Charles Henry (1st) 24th July 1873
• Rosetta 3rd May 1876
• Frank 13th April 1905

Charles Henry(2^nd) Lutman a schoolboy aged 9  Staying at Brokenheugh Cottages,  Hexham. with  Cecil Temperley (a tractorman) and Jane his wife. Other residents have been redacted since they may still be alive. Probably Charles has been evacuated here for the war.

In 1936 an article appeared in the Evening Chronicle about Charles William (2^nd) Lutman. He had been flying a large scale model of an aeroplane with a wingspan of 4’ 6”. It was said to incorporate revolutionary and powerful features. The flight occurred during a competition with the Newcastle Model Aero Club on the town moor. After climbing to 800 feet, the plane disappeared in the direction of the Royal Victoria Infirmary. It was later found in Strawberry Lane. The plane had been airborne for approximately 45 minutes. Thus, it was believed to have beaten the current record by seven minutes. The plane had incorporated the ‘bird theory’ and thermal gliding principles. When it disappeared, people initially suspected it was stolen for these revolutionary ideas. Charles William (2^nd) decided to patent these improvements.

1940. The reporter visited Lutman’s model making factory. They described seeing highly detailed models. These included a Spitfire and a Messerschmidt B.F.W.M.E 109. As well as being in great demand by schools and boys alike there had also been high demand from R.A.F. depots all over the country for these models, many being used as mascots in the real planes. These models were made up of over 300 individual parts and built exactly to scale. Mr Lutman had been designing and building model aircraft since he was a young boy. He said that 3 years before, one of his planes had flown from Newcastle Town Moor. It flew round Shiremoor to Forest Hall. This was a three-hour non-stop flight. This was a world record.

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1940  Death of Charles Henry (1^st ) Lutman

At Leazes Wing, RVI Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne.  Age: 67 . His son C W Lutman who was described as Spring works manager of 8 Fairfield Road was in attendance .

1969 Death of Charles William (2nd) Lutman

Death of Charles William Lutman (1898) 29^th Oct 1969 of   729 West Road, Newcastle death at RVI Newcastle from a. Exsanguination, b. Ruptured aortic aneurism lnformant – Charles Henry, son.

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Charles Henry (2^nd) Lutman b. 1930

Charles Henry (2^nd), known to his friends as Charlie, was born on 15^th July 1930 at Ashington. He was the son of Charles William (2^nd) Lutman. Charlie was another keen aviator. This time, however, he had more than an interest in model aeroplanes. He had a desire to fly the real things. Charles Henry (2^nd) Lutman obtained his pilot’s licence in 1948 at the early age of 17 ½ years. He claimed to be the youngest pilot in the country, as reported in the local press.

On 21^st July 1954, Charles Henry (2^nd) Lutman graduated as a pilot. He was in the University Squadron at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk.

Jan 1949

RAF, Wittering, Northamptonshire, England. 607 Squadron No 25 Pilot Course

RAF Wittering is located in Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It is the main operating base and headquarters for the RAF A4 Force. The station is also a major hub for flying training. The A4 Force deploys the vital engineering and logistic support needed to sustain RAF operations and exercises around the world. Their support ranges from explosive ordnance disposal to catering. It also includes aircraft repair and ground transport vehicles.

1956 June International Netherlands Trophy was presented to Charles for winning the event.

1957 Worked as a pilot with BKS airlines from Newcastle Airport. This airline was known as BKS Air Transport until 1970. Then it became Northeast Airlines (NEA). It was an airline based in the United Kingdom. It operated from 1952 until 1976, when NEA’s operations and fleet were merged into British Airways.

1961  on 23rd Oct at Saint Anne’s Church, Dunbar. Charles Henry (2^nd) married. Banns were read by Rev Edmund Ivens . Charles Henry (2^nd) Lutman married Patricia Barnett. Patricia (Pat) was from the Barnett family who  many will recall owned the High Class grocery business on St.Georges Terrace in Jesmond. (Her parents lived at 41 High Street, Dunbar.)

Charles’ wife Pat worked for many years running the Model Shop.

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The Lutman family is proud of their heritage with regards to the development of the Spitfire Plane. They subsequently opened the Lutman Aero Works. Today, this company manufactures half-size Lutman Spitfire MK XII’s for memorials and garden sculptures for enthusiasts.

Model kits produced by the Model Shop were of a very high quality. They were superior compared to many others. This quality allowed model makers to build high-performance and detailed scale replicas. 

By the mid-60s, Charles William (2^nd) Lutman’s daughter-in-law, Pat, ran the shop. His grandson, Charles Henry (2^nd) Lutman, sometimes assisted. Charles Henry was Pat’s husband and a commercial airline pilot. He helped when he was not flying. Pat and Charles’s  two sons later joined the business.  

The Model Shop closed down in 2005. It achieved sales of more than a million model aircraft during its 80 years in Newcastle. Three generations of the Lutman family managed it.

Charlie Lutman, the BKS pilot, was a very well-known local character in Gosforth. However, he developed extremely poor vision. He became partially sighted and had to stop flying.

Charles Henry Lutman (2^nd)  Died 11^th Oct 1995

At Conrad House, Newcastle On Tyne. Aged 65. 

Copyright David Wardell

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