Jayne Baldwin, author, journalist and bookshop owner from Wigtown gave a talk at the January meeting of the Stewartry U3A on The Final Flight of Elsie Mackay, Galloway’s Aviatrix.
Elsie Mackay was the daughter of Lord Inchcape of Glenapp, Ballantrae. She led an exciting if short life. She was often seen speeding around in her Rolls Royce and gained her flying licence in 1922, one of the first women to do so. Against the wishes of her father she eloped and married an actor and then became a film actress herself. However her marriage was annulled after five years.
In 1919 Alcock and Brown flew the Atlantic from West to East and the challenge after that was to fly the other way but this was fraught with difficulties due to the prevailing West winds and the possibility of fog and disorientating conditions in the area of Newfoundland.
Elsie Mackay saw this flight as a challenge and made plans to be the first to complete the crossing. She purchased a Stinson Detroiter plane in America which was shipped back to Brooklands. She planned to make the flight with Captain Walter Hinchcliffe, a First World War flying ace. They tried to keep their intentions secret especially from Lord Inchcape as Elsie knew he would not approve. The two of them along with another pilot,based themselves near Cranwell Airport from where they intended to make their flight. They made their preparations and the plane was loaded up with as much fuel as could be stowed on board. On 13 March Elsie Mackay and Hinchcliffe took off in a snowstorm. People even then were unaware of who was on board.
Nothing more was seen of them! Some weeks later however wreckage from the undercarriage was found on the Donegal coast. A memorial stained glass window to Elsie Mackay was installed by Lord Inchcape to his daughter in the church at Glenapp.
The next meeting of the Stewartry U3A will be held on Tuesday 23 February in the Parish Church, Castle Douglas when Mark Pollitt will talk about Wildlife in a changing environment.