High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Robert Blackburn, OBE, FRAeS (March 26, 1885 September 10, 1955) was an English aviation pioneer and the founder of Blackburn Aircraft. He was born in Kirkstall, Leeds, Yorkshire, England. He attended Leeds Modern School and graduated in engineering at the University of Leeds, built his first monoplane in 1909 and flew it at Filey, gave regular demonstration flights for crowds at Roundhay Park, and went on to found a company which on his death became part of Hawker Siddeley. He was also the founder of Scarcroft golf club.