The town of Thames has been home for many famous people, many of those who have made it 'big' are in danger of being forgotten as our older generations pass away.
Noah Jonassen, 1930s Thames garage owner, is an example of a man from Thames who was renown throughout the country. What for? As a sky jumper - balloonist.
Noah Jonassen's Thames Business
Then & Now Corner Pollen and Cochrane Streets.
Left: 1930s - Jonassen's garage is far center right by the car parked in the foreground.
Right: The view today via Google Streets.
Around 1921 took over the Motor Power Station (Garage) at the corner of Pollen and Cochrane Streets Thames. The garage offered a wide range of services at the Grahamstown section of Pollen Street.
Thames Star 1 April 1921 and Thames Star 21 November 1934
Achievements
Before Noah Jonassen came to Thames he was 'famous' throughout the Dominion.
Captain Jonassen as he was known, performed at demonstration events. For example for the 12 December 1907 at Timaru, he advertised a 6000 feet ascent in a monster balloon followed by a parachute jump.
Left: Timaru Herald 10 December 1907
Right: Balloon Ascent at Day's Bay Wellington 9 November 1907.
Whites Aviation Limited. 1907. Noah Jonassen, 15-1225. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
Captain N. Jonassen the "Aerial King" on balloon ascent at Days Bay, Wellington.
Whites Aviation Limited. 09 Nov 1907. Balloon Flights [Pre 1914], 15-1163. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
1929 April 18 Thames Star: Airman's Feat banned read the headlines. Mr Jonassen had been interviewed by the Thames Star newspaper about his ballooning activities. He said “They talk about wishing to establish an air sense in New
Zealand, but, as far as I can see, they don’t want to learn anything and they
won’t let anyone else touch them.” The paper noted that Jonassen was one of the
pioneers of aviation in New Zealand. That he was involved with experimental
work long before the war, had built a ‘plane, and taken part in ballooning.
Mr Jonassen had studied life saving methods for when
accidents happened in the air, in particular the use of the parachute. He had recommended the use of a parachute for all pilots to Massey’s
government - to which they rubbished the proposal. Ironically it was only later that the value of the
parachute was acknowledged.
The argument in 1929 was that Mr Jonassen wanted to
provide a demonstration to the Auckland Aero Club on the value of the parachute
as a safety devise - the Defence
Department subsequently prohibited the display.
1930 February 10 Thames Star: News that Mr Jonassen had applied to the Defence Department for permission to do parachute descents from military aeroplanes. The application was approved, Jonassen was given the green light to go ahead with four exhibition jumps. The first to take place at Hastings. The paper reported that Noah Jonassen "had considerable experience in parachute jumps from balloons" including exhibitions in overseas countries.
BIG PARACHUTE DESCENT. Captain Jonassen (left), of Thames, prior to making a descent of 3000 ft. from an aeroplane at the Hawke's Bay Aero Club's pageant.
NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 22 MARCH 1930
Noah Jonassen, balloonist in Thames about 1933 - showing equipment.
LEFT: Whites Aviation Limited. 1933. Noah Jonassen, 15-1224. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
RIGHT: Whites Aviation Limited. 1930s. Noah Jonassen, 15-1228. Walsh Memorial Library, The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
In August 1930, the interest in planes and air travel was growing. People were going on flights in Captain Money's Moth. A special edition of the newspaper was printed and flown to Whitianga in just 25 minutes. Mr Jonassen was involved with looking for a suitable site for an aerodrome and would be available to help with the establishment of an aero club. Plus Jonassen promised to so a parachute jump in the near future.
Mishaps still happened despite Captain Jonassen's experience. He recounted in 1930 that he had once had a problem during descent and ended up breaking his angle. While in his latest jump, he was blown half a mile off target. All part of the experience reassured Noah Jonassen!
Amazing Thamesite
Noah Ezra Obed Samuel Jonassen was born 24 August 1888 at Akaraoa, New Zealand. Married Agnes Maud Wells in 1910 and the couple had three daughters. The family lived in Queen Street, Thames - just north of the Mary Street intersect on the eastern side of the road. Mr Jonassen died at Thames Hospital 17 April 1959 and was cremated at Purewa in Auckland. (Source: Family trees at ancestry.au)
A true aviation pioneer who called Thames home for forty years.
Further Information
- Photographs relating to Noah Jonassen at National Library of New Zealand
- Those Daring Young Men in their Flying Machine: Sandford-Miller biplane flights at Avondale, 1913, on Timespanner Blog 29 September 2008
- Family Tree on Geni accessed 30/6/2020
- Ballooning at Te Ara The encyclopedia of New Zealand accessed 30/6/2020
- Off the Ground - 1, The First to Fly, NZONSCREEN at 11.08 minutes (Photo snip below)
Captain Noah Jonassen - 'The Aerial King'
