eHive Object Details

Name/TitleAmy Johnson after her 1936 record flights between England and South Africa

About this objectIn May 1936 Amy Johnson set records for the fastest flights from England to South Africa and back. This image shows Amy being welcomed at Croydon Airport on 7th May on her return from South Africa. The man standing immediately behind Amy's raised arm is James Mollison, another well-known pilot. He and Amy were married in 1932 and divorced in 1938.

In 1930, Amy, a legal secretary originally from Hull in northern England, made history by becoming the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. Born in 1903, Amy graduated from Sheffield University and worked as a legal secretary in London. She also took up flying and gained her pilot’s licence at the London Aeroplane Club.

Amy decided that she wanted to fly to Australia and she set about preparing herself. She learnt about aero engines by working unpaid as a mechanic at the London Aeroplane Club in the mornings before her secretarial job and again in the evenings after work. She became the first woman to gain a British ground engineer’s licence in 1929. She also gained a navigation licence in 1930.

She struggled to find sponsors for her Australian flight. Finally Lord Wakefield, head of Castrol, agreed to pay for petrol. Her father paid for her aircraft, a Gipsy Moth she christened Jason, and everything else she paid for herself.

Amy left Croydon Aerodrome on 5th May 1930 and reached Karachi on 10th May, having broken Hinkler’s record time by two days. She continued across India and into Burma where Jason was damaged in a rough landing. Following repairs she flew on via Bangkok to Singapore, then on to Timor. On 24th May 1930 she crossed the Timor Sea to reach Darwin nineteen days after leaving Croydon. The biggest crowd ever seen in Darwin greeted her.

Amy went on to rapturous welcomes around Australia. This was her only visit to this country but a connection to Australia remains. In Hull each year an award is given to recognise the bravery of a local child. The award is funded by money raised by the children of Sydney in recognition of Amy’s achievement.

Amy Johnson was killed in 1941 while ferrying an RAF aircraft as part of the war effort.

One of the many slides purchased from retailers or specifically made for illustrated lectures given by Isaac Selby between c. 1930 and c. 1955 to raise money for the Old Pioneers Memorial Fund.

This image is provided for research purposes and must not be reproduced without prior permission.For a high resolution copy of this image, contact Royal Historical Society of Victoria

Place MadeCroydon Airport, England

Date Made1936

Period1930-1940

Object TypeGlass slide

Subject and Association KeywordsCivil aviation

Subject and Association KeywordsAviators

Subject and Association KeywordsNotable flights

Subject and Association KeywordsJohnson, Amy, 1903-1941

Subject and Association KeywordsWomen

Subject and Association KeywordsMollison, James

Medium and MaterialsGelatin silver print on glass.

Named CollectionImages collection

Object numberGS-PW-06

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved