Winifred Drinkwater
Born(1913-04-11)11 April 1913
Waterfoot, Scotland
Died6 October 1996(1996-10-06) (aged 83)
Taumarunui, New Zealand
NationalityScottish
Other namesWinnie Drinkwater
Winifred Short
Winifred Orchard
Occupation(s)Aviator, commercial airline pilot and engineer
Known forThe first female commercial airline pilot in the world
Spouse(s)Francis Short (19 July 1934 – 1954) his death
William Orchard (not known - 1983) his death
Children2, Anne Brewer (formerly Short) and Tupney Short

Winifred Joyce "Winnie" Drinkwater (11 April 1913 – 6 October 1996) was a pioneering Scottish aviator and aeroplane engineer. She was the first woman in the world to hold a commercial pilot's licence.[1][2][3]

Biography

Drinkwater was born on 11 April 1913 at Waterfoot, Scotland, the youngest of the three children of Emma Banner and Albert Drinkwater, an engineer.[1]

Flying career

Drinkwater joined the Scottish Flying Club near Renfrew on 2 June 1930. She trained under Captain John Houston, an instructor at the club. When she qualified for her private pilot's licence later that year she became Scotland's youngest pilot.[3][4][5]

On 8 May 1932, aged 19, she gained her "B" (commercial) licence at Cinque Ports Flying Club at Lympne in Kent, making her the youngest professional pilot in the United Kingdom and the world's first female commercial pilot.[4][6] Regulations at the time required pilots to be 19 years of age, Drinkwater commented to the press, "I decided to qualify for a professional licence. I could not do that until I became 19 because of the regulations, and immediately after my birthday in April I started. I have been at Lympne for three weeks, and it has been a gruelling time." A test of night flying was required as part of the qualification and despite the floodlights failing at Lympne Aerodrome on the night of her test flight, she landed successfully with the assistance of flares.[4] Drinkwater also gained her instructor's certificate later in 1932, and her ground engineer licence in 1933.[1]

In September 1932 Drinkwater was awarded the Scottish Flying Club trophy for landing. On 11 October 1932 at Renfrew Aerodrome, she won one of the club's cups for air racing, winning by just 2 seconds over a course of 15 miles.[7][8]

In 1933 Drinkwater was employed by John Cuthill Sword, the owner of Midland & Scottish Air Ferries as a commercial pilot. She made her first scheduled flight from Renfrew Aerodrome to Campbeltown on 27 April 1933 in a de Havilland Fox Moth biplane.[1][2][9] Later she flew scheduled flights from Glasgow to London in a de Havilland Dragon.[1][2][5]

Some of her charter work with the airline included delivery of newspapers to the Scottish islands, press assignments including flying photographers over Loch Ness as they searched for the Loch Ness monster,[10] air ambulance work on the Western Isles and undertaking an air search for a boat of kidnappers.[5]

Personal life

She met Francisco Short, the director of Short Brothers aeroplane manufacturer, at Renfrew Aerodrome. When they met she was dismantling an engine, wearing dungarees and covered in grease.[5] Drinkwater's achievements drew much attention in the press and with the public. She received admiring letters from all over the world and was said to be the Scottish Amy Johnson. When she married Francisco Short, in Dumfries on 19 July 1934, they had planned a quiet wedding; however, news of their plans leaked out and a crowd formed, showering them with confetti.[5][11] They had two children, a daughter Anne and a son Tupney.[5][11]

Drinkwater rarely flew after her marriage. After Short's death in 1954, Drinkwater married William Orchard, a fisherman. After Orchard's death in 1983, she returned to Scotland living near Turnberry in Ayrshire. She later moved to New Zealand to live with her daughter.[1][2]

Commemoration

A bronze bust celebrating Drinkwater was erected at Clyde View Park in Renfrew in 2005.[12]

In 2023, local politicians in Cardonald announced plans for Drinkwater to feature in the first of a number of interactive murals in the area, with her story and background to the street art provided via a QR code.[13] The mural was completed in July 2023.[14][15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ewan, Elizabeth; Innes, Sue; Reynolds, Siân; Pipes, Rose, eds. (2006). The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. p. 102. ISBN 9780748632930.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Dalton, Alastair (25 July 2013). "New Hall of Fame for Scotland's aviation heroes". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  3. 1 2 "The original Scottish Flying Club". Strathaven Airfield. Strathaven Airfield Ltd. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Air-girl at 19: Youngest professional pilot". Gloucester Citizen. 9 May 1932. p. 8. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Winnie Drinkwater". Herald Scotland. Herald & Times Group. 19 October 1996. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  6. ↑ Mills, Albert J. (15 May 2006). Sex, Strategy and the Stratosphere: Airlines and the Gendering of Organizational Culture. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 78. ISBN 9780230595705 – via Google Books.
  7. ↑ "Cup won by young woman air pilot". Falkirk Herald. 17 October 1932. p. 13. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ "Cup won by young woman air pilot". Falkirk Herald. 14 October 1932. p. 10. Retrieved 26 December 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ↑ "Come Fly With Me | Scotland | Squadron (Aviation)". Scribd. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "Monster of Loch Ness eludes flying reporter!". Daily Independent. 26 October 1933. p. 1. Retrieved 27 December 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. 1 2 "Scots airwoman married: Dumfries ceremony". The Scotsman. 20 July 1934. p. 11. Retrieved 27 December 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ↑ Fergus, Margaret. "Bust in memory of Winifred Joyce Drinkwater: Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland". Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  13. ↑ "Interactive murals with QR code to be created in Glasgow area". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "'A pop of colour': Community welcomes first major mural in the area". Glasgow Times. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Gable end mural to pay homage to 'remarkable' Scottish aviation pioneer". HeraldScotland. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
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