William Frost

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William (Bill) Frost (28 May 1848 – March 1935) was a Welsh amateur aviator, who, some believe, made the first manned flight by a heavier-than-air aircraft.

Bill Frost was a carpenter who was born, died and lived most of his life in Saundersfoot a village on the Pembrokeshire coast of South Wales. His father was John Frost and his mother Rebecca Frost. Sometime in the 1890s he was taken with the idea of building a flying machine. Despite his poverty he managed to construct the "Frost Airship Glider", and performed a first flight on or about 24 September 1896, over seven years before the Wright brothers made their historic flight.

Observers said it covered around 500 metres – considerably further than the 120ft and 12 seconds later claimed by Wilbur Wright’s– before crashing into bushes. During the night following the flight a violent storm destroyed and scattered the flying machine.

Unfortunately for Frost, the event was witnessed but not recorded - save in local memories. Although a poor working man, Frost had applied for a patent which was accepted and registered in London on 25 October 1894 under number 1894-20431. Unable to pay renewal fees, he allowed the patent to lapse four years later. He died without wealth or recognition in 1935.