Mrs Victor Bruce facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Hon. Mrs Victor Bruce
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Mr. and Mrs. Victor Bruce
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| Born |
Mildred Mary Petre
10 November 1895 Chelmsford, Essex, England
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| Died | 21 May 1990 (aged 94) Camden, London, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Motorist, speedboat racer, aviator, businesswoman |
| Known for | First woman to fly around the world (except oceans) solo |
| Spouse(s) |
Victor Austin Bruce
(m. 1926; div. 1941) |
| Children | Anthony Easter-Bruce (1920–1997) |
| Parent(s) | Lawrence Petre Jennie Williams |
Mildred Mary Petre (born November 10, 1895 – died May 21, 1990) was an amazing British adventurer. She broke many records as a racing car driver, speedboat racer, and pilot in the 1920s and 1930s. Later, she became a very successful businesswoman. People often called her Mrs. Victor Bruce.
Contents
Early Life and First Adventures
Mildred Bruce was born in Chelmsford, England, on November 10, 1895. Her mother, Jennie Williams, was an actress. Her father, Lawrence Petre, came from a famous family. Mildred went to school in London.
When she was just 15 in 1911, Mildred started her love for vehicles. She rode her brother's motorcycle around west London. Her collie dog even rode in the sidecar! She got into a bit of trouble for riding too young. The judge told her she couldn't ride until she turned 16. In 1920, she bought her first car. She was known for driving very fast!
In 1920, Mildred had a son named Anthony. In 1926, she married Victor Austin Bruce. He was also a famous driver and won the 1926 Monte Carlo Rally. Mildred and Victor later divorced in 1941.
Breaking Records on Land
Mildred Bruce loved to challenge herself. She borrowed an AC Six car and entered the 1927 Monte Carlo Rally. She started from John o' Groats in Scotland. She drove for 72 hours without sleeping! She finished sixth overall and won a special award for women drivers.
After the rally, she drove her car on an 8,000-mile trip. This journey took her through Italy, Sicily, Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, and France. She even drove 1,000 miles around a race track near Paris.
In July 1927, Mildred set off from London again in the same car. She was with her husband and two others. They drove through many European countries. They reached a point about 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. This was farther north than anyone had ever driven a car before! This record stood for many years.
In December 1927, she and her husband set another record. They drove an AC Six car for 10 days straight in foggy conditions. They averaged 68 miles per hour over about 15,000 miles. In 1929, she drove a Bentley 4½ Litre for 24 hours by herself. She averaged over 89 miles per hour, setting a new world record for solo driving.
Speed Records on Water
After conquering land, Mildred turned to water. In 1929, she bought a speedboat called Mosquito. She raced it at the Welsh Harp reservoir.
On September 15, 1929, she steered Mosquito from Dover, England, across the English Channel to Calais, France. Then, she decided to make it a non-stop round trip back to Dover. This amazing journey took 1 hour and 47 minutes. The boat was almost destroyed, but the manufacturer gave her a new one! In October 1929, she borrowed another boat. She broke the 24-hour distance record by traveling 694 nautical miles in the Solent.
Amazing Flying Adventures
Mildred Bruce had set records on land and water. Next, she looked to the sky! She joined a flying club in 1928. By January 1930, she owned her own plane, a Gipsy Moth. She took her first flying lesson on May 25, 1930. This was just one day after Amy Johnson finished her famous flight to Australia. Mildred learned to fly very quickly. She flew solo (by herself) after only six days of lessons! She got her pilot's license in July 1930.
Flying Around the World
Mildred bought a Blackburn Bluebird IV plane. She named it Bluebird. On September 25, 1930, she took off from Heston Aerodrome. She flew east, stopping in many countries like Germany, Turkey, and Iraq. She had a forced landing in the Persian Gulf due to an oil leak. Local tribesmen helped her for two days until a rescue team arrived.
She continued her flight to India, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam. Heavy monsoon rains forced her to land in a jungle. She got sick with malaria, which delayed her flight. She flew on to Hanoi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Seoul. She made the first flight across the Yellow Sea. On November 24, 1930, she reached Tokyo, Japan. She had flown 10,330 miles in 25 days!
Mildred then crossed the Pacific Ocean by ship to Vancouver. Her flight across North America had some challenges. Her plane was damaged when she landed in Oregon, causing another delay. She finally reached New York City in February 1931. She then sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to France. On February 19, 1931, she flew back to England.
On February 20, 1931, other famous pilots like Amy Johnson flew with her as an escort to Croydon Airport. A huge crowd of reporters and celebrities were there to greet her. Mildred Bruce was the first person to fly from England to Japan. She was also the first to fly across the Yellow Sea. Most importantly, she was the first woman to fly solo around the world (crossing the oceans by ship).
Air-to-Air Refueling Attempts
In July 1932, Mildred bought a Saro Windhover seaplane. She named it City of Portsmouth. She also bought another plane, a Bristol F.2 Fighter, and turned it into a refueling tanker. In August 1932, she tried to break the world record for non-stop flight using air-to-air refueling. She tried three times to fly for four weeks straight, but it didn't work out.
Joining a Flying Circus
In 1933, Mildred was asked to join a flying show called the British Hospital Air Pageants. She bought a special plane called a Miles Satyr for aerobatic displays. She also bought a Fairey Fox plane from a scrapyard for a very low price. She had it fixed up to carry passengers. Mildred then earned her commercial pilot's license. Sadly, her Fox plane crashed in July 1933, and she left the flying circus.
Autogiro Flight Attempt
On November 25, 1934, Mildred tried to set a record for the longest autogiro flight. An autogiro is a type of aircraft that uses a rotor like a helicopter but is pushed forward by a propeller like a plane. She took off from England heading for Cape Town, South Africa. However, her Cierva C.30A autogiro was damaged in France after flying 610 miles.
Starting Aviation Businesses
Mildred Bruce was also a smart businesswoman. On August 7, 1934, she started a company called Commercial Air Hire Ltd.. This company began delivering newspapers by plane between Croydon and Paris. In 1935, she started another company, Air Dispatch Ltd.. This company offered weekend freight and passenger services from Croydon Airport to Paris.
Her companies also started a passenger shuttle service between Croydon and Heston airports. They called it Inner Circle Air Lines. Mildred's companies grew and used many different types of aircraft. She was a co-managing director of both companies, which later merged into Air Dispatch Ltd.
During this time, her companies also helped the British Army. They flew planes for training exercises, including night flying and using searchlights.
Later Life and Legacy
After World War II, Mildred's company tried to return to commercial flights. However, it was difficult because large national airlines took over. So, Air Dispatch started repairing and building bus and trolley bodies. In 1947, the company changed its name to Air Dispatch (Coachbuilders) Ltd. In 1948, her son Anthony took over, and the company became Bruce Coach Works Ltd. It closed in 1952. Mildred then became even wealthier through property investments.
Mildred Bruce never stopped being adventurous. In April 1974, at age 78, she test-drove a Ford Capri Ghia car at 110 miles per hour! At age 81, she even performed a loop in a De Havilland Chipmunk plane after a quick flying refresher. She passed away on May 21, 1990, at the age of 94. A memorial plaque was placed at Golders Green Crematorium in London.
Mildred Bruce's son, Anthony, and her grandson, Michael, survived her. British TV presenter Carol Vorderman named her plane Mildred after Bruce. She called Mildred "my heroine" and "one of the most incredible women of the last century."
Images for kids
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De Havilland DH.84 Dragon (G-ACBW) of Air Dispatch, 1935. This plane was used for newspaper delivery and passenger services.
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A memorial to Mildred Mary Bruce at Golders Green Crematorium.
