St Mark's Church to celebrate 'scientific balloonist' Reverend John Mackenzie Bacon's 175th anniversary

St Mark's Church in Cold Ash is celebrating the 175th anniversary of the birth of Reverend John Mackenzie Bacon, the 'scientific balloonist'.

An exhibition in his memory will be held for Heritage Open Days this weekend in The Fisher Room at St Mark’s.

The exhibition will celebrate Mr Bacon's life by telling his story in words and pictures.

The young Bacon studied mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, and grew up to be a local benefactor, living at Collaroy Road, Cold Ash.

Newbury and District Amateur Radio Society (NADARS) will be at the exhibition to commemorate the event where John Bacon flew from Newbury to Crystal Palace, maintaining contact with the ground station in Newbury via Morse code.

Mr Bacon also co-invented the balloon hot-air burner and a replica has since been built by apprentices of Plenty’s of Newbury.

The replica of the burner will be on display at the exhibition, courtesy of The British Balloon Museum and Library.

The exhibition will be open on Friday from 3pm to 5pm, Saturday from noon to 5pm and Sunday from noon to 5pm.

Entry is free.