Pauline Gower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pauline Gower
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Pauline Gower at a Women's Engineering Society awards dinner in the 1940s
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| Born |
Pauline Mary de Peauly Gower
22 July 1910 |
| Died | 2 March 1947 (aged 36) Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Pilot |
| Spouse(s) |
William Cusack Fahie
(m. 1945) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) |
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Pauline Mary de Peauly Gower Fahie (born July 22, 1910 – died March 2, 1947) was a brave British pilot and writer. She is famous for starting the women's section of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) during the Second World War. The ATA was a special group that flew military planes where they were needed.
Contents
Early Life and Learning to Fly
Pauline Gower was the daughter of MP Sir Robert Gower. She went to Beechwood Sacred Heart School. Her love for flying began when she first flew with a famous pilot named Alan Cobham.
Pauline met Dorothy Spicer at the London Aeroplane Club. They quickly became good friends. In August 1931, they started their own business in Kent. They offered "joy-rides" (short fun flights) and an air taxi service.
Pauline had a special "B" Pilot's licence. This meant she could fly passengers for money. To get this licence, she had to fly alone at night and complete over 100 hours of daytime flying. Dorothy was a skilled ground engineer and also held an "A" (private) pilot's licence.
They first rented a plane, then bought their own Gypsy Moth. It was hard to earn enough money, so they joined air shows. They flew with the Crimson Fleet air circus and later the British Hospitals' air pageant.
Flying Adventures and Writing
In 1932, Pauline and Dorothy toured the country with an Air Circus. They put on air shows in 200 towns to help raise money for British Hospitals. They also joined the Aeronautical Section of the Women's Engineering Society in 1932.
Pauline was also a writer. She wrote for magazines like Girl's Own Paper and Chatterbox. In 1934, she published a book of poems called Piffling Poems for Pilots. She knew the author W. E. Johns, who created the character Worrals. This character was partly based on Pauline and another famous pilot, Amy Johnson.
Contributions to Engineering
In 1935, Pauline became a council member for the Women's Engineering Society. She led a meeting about "The History of British Airships."
A year later, in 1936, Pauline Gower made history again. She was the first woman to receive the Air Ministry's Second Class Navigator's Licence. Later that year, she and Dorothy Spicer gave a technical presentation. They spoke about how to treat metals for aircraft engineers.
In 1938, Pauline was appointed a civil defence commissioner in London. This was part of the Civil Air Guard. That same year, her book about women in aviation, Women with Wings, was published.
Leading the Air Transport Auxiliary
When the Second World War started, Pauline used her important connections. She suggested creating a women's section for the new Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). The ATA's job was to fly military aircraft from factories or repair shops to where they were needed.
Pauline set up a special group of pilots at Hatfield. In December 1939, she formed a ferry pool with eight female pilots. These pilots were Joan Hughes, Margaret Cunnison, Mona Friedlander, Rosemary Rees, Marion Wilberforce, Margaret Fairweather, Gabrielle Patterson and Winifred Crossley Fair. They became known as the First Eight.
Pauline was chosen to lead the women's branch. She was in charge of picking and testing female pilots. The first eight women officially joined the ATA on January 1, 1940. Other famous women pilots joined later, including Amy Johnson and Lettice Curtis.
In 1941, a portrait of Pauline was painted by Ethel Léontine Gabain. This painting is now kept at the Imperial War Museum.
Pauline received the MBE award in 1942 for her amazing work. She fought for women in the ATA to be allowed to fly all types of aircraft. In 1943, women pilots finally achieved equal pay with male pilots. Before that, they were paid only 80% of what men earned.
You can hear a recording of Pauline talking about her flying experiences. The British Library has her thoughts on women being pilots and her night flights over Kent.
Pauline Gower was given a Harmon Trophy award after she passed away in 1950.
Recognition
A bus company in Hatfield honored Pauline and the "first eight" ATA pilots. They named their eight buses after these brave women.
Personal Life
Pauline Gower married Wing Commander Bill Fahie in 1945. She sadly passed away on March 2, 1947, while giving birth to twin sons. Her sons survived.
