- Entry type: Person
- Entry ID: IMP0124
Walton, Nancy Bird
(1915 – 2009)- Born 16 October, 1915, Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Died 13 January, 2009, Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Occupation Pilot
Summary
Nancy Bird Walton was Australia’s youngest female pilot. She was awarded imperial honours for her work with the Far West Children’s Health Scheme.
Details
Nancy Bird Walton was born in Sydney in 1915. In 1933, at the age of 17, she became the youngest Australian woman to gain a pilot’s licence. One year later she obtained her commercial licence.
In 1937-1938 Walton operated a charter service in Queensland followed by a two year world tour studying civil aviation. In 1950 she founded the Australian Women’s Pilots’ Association. She won the Ladies Trophy in the South Australian Centenary Air Race from Brisbane to Adelaide in 1936 and came fifth in the All Women’s Transcontinental Air Race, America, in 1958.
Walton was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) in 11 June 1966 for her work as pilot to the Far West Children’s Health Scheme. She was also appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia on 26 January 1990 for ‘service to aviation, particularly the participation of women in aviation’.
Events
- 2001 - 2001
Published resources
- Edited Book
-
Book
- Nancy Bird [videorecording] : born 1915 : aviatrix, Hughes, Robin and Heimans, Frank, 1992
- Nancy Bird, born to fly, Flynn, Randal, 1991
- My God! its a woman : the autobiography of Nancy Bird, Walton, Nancy Bird, 1990
- The Complete Book of Great Australian Women: Thirty-six women who changed the course of Australia, De Vries, Susanna, 2003
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Resource
- Nancy Bird-Walton (1915-), Australian Pioneer Aviatrix, Naughton, Russell, 1999, http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/nancy_bird_walton_bio.html
- Trove: Walton, Nancy Bird (1915-20090113), http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-634679
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Site Exhibition
- Faith, Hope and Charity Australian Women and Imperial Honours: 1901-1989, Australian Women's Archives Project, 2003, http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/honours/honours.html
Archival resources
- State Library of South Australia
-
Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection
- Jean Fleming Arnot - personal and professional papers, 1890-1995
- Shirley Anderson - papers, 1928-1997
- Series 01: Nancy Bird Walton further papers, 1933-1995
- Edwards and Shaw (Firm) - further records,1945-1984
- Series 02: Nancy Bird Walton further photographs, ca. 1930-1991
- Collection 05: Nancy Bird Walton scrapbooks, 1938, ca. 1997-2001
- Nancy Bird Walton further papers, 1935-1984, including diaries and scrapbooks of press cuttings
- Ros Bowden - interviews conducted for radio programs and documentaries, ca.1975 - 1989
- Nancy Bird Walton aggregated collection of papers and pictorial material
- National Library of Australia, Manuscript Collection
-
Australian War Memorial, Research Centre
- Walton, Nancy B (Commander, Women's Air Training Corps (WATC))
- Walton, Nancy-Bird (Women's Air Training Scheme)
- Mrs Nancy Bird-Walton with Lady Wakehurst, wife of the Governor of NSW, in front of Squadron Leader F.C. Mackillop and Gwen Stark
- Miss Nancy Bird, Aviatrix with Flight Lieutenant McKillop and Gwen Stark
- Lady Wakehurst, wife of the Governor of NSW, Squadron Leader F.C. Mackillop and Gwen Stark
- Miss Nancy Bird Walton, wearing the uniform of the Australian Women's Flying Club, with Squadron Leader F.C. Mackillop, Gwen Stark and Lake Wakehurst, wife of the Governor of NSW
- The Women's [Australian] Flying Club