Beryl Clutterbuck Markham, 1902-1986 born Leicestershire, England
Beryl Markham was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from
East to West, London to North America. Born in England, Beryl spent
most of her life in Kenya. As a young woman, she hitched a ride on an
airplane piloted by well-known, big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton.
She got hooked on flying, and Finch Hatton’s death from a plane crash
steeled her resolve to learn to fly. At age 30 Beryl received her
commercial pilot's license, Kenya's first female commercial pilot. The
adventuresome Beryl launched another career as bush pilot, flying solo
to deliver supplies, passengers, and mail to remote regions of Kenya
always carrying a revolver & a vial of morphine.
Beryl returned to England and wanted to be the first to fly solo from
London to New York. However, because the jet-stream travels from
west to east (which “pushed” Lucky Lindbergh along on his historic
flight), the flight from east to west was fraught with risk. In a borrowed
airplane with no radio, Beryl’s nearly completed trip ended in Nova
Scotia. Soon afterwards, she gave up her wings and returned to Kenya
to raise and train horses.
Beryl’s memoir about her flying career, West with the Night, conveys the
sense of adventure typified by her remarkable life.
Beryl Markham was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from
East to West, London to North America. Born in England, Beryl spent
most of her life in Kenya. As a young woman, she hitched a ride on an
airplane piloted by well-known, big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton.
She got hooked on flying, and Finch Hatton’s death from a plane crash
steeled her resolve to learn to fly. At age 30 Beryl received her
commercial pilot's license, Kenya's first female commercial pilot. The
adventuresome Beryl launched another career as bush pilot, flying solo
to deliver supplies, passengers, and mail to remote regions of Kenya
always carrying a revolver & a vial of morphine.
Beryl returned to England and wanted to be the first to fly solo from
London to New York. However, because the jet-stream travels from
west to east (which “pushed” Lucky Lindbergh along on his historic
flight), the flight from east to west was fraught with risk. In a borrowed
airplane with no radio, Beryl’s nearly completed trip ended in Nova
Scotia. Soon afterwards, she gave up her wings and returned to Kenya
to raise and train horses.
Beryl’s memoir about her flying career, West with the Night, conveys the
sense of adventure typified by her remarkable life.
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