Beryl Markham, 1902-1986
Beryl Markham was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from 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. Soon Beryl received her pilot's license and became the first
woman in Kenya to receive a commercial pilot's license. The adventuresome Beryl launched another career as
bush pilot, flying solo to deliver supplies, passengers, and mail to remote regions of Kenya. 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 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. Soon Beryl received her pilot's license and became the first
woman in Kenya to receive a commercial pilot's license. The adventuresome Beryl launched another career as
bush pilot, flying solo to deliver supplies, passengers, and mail to remote regions of Kenya. 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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