Nancy De Low (Bird) Walton AO OBE (1915 - 2009)

Born 16 Oct 1915 in Kew, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of John Charles Frederick Walton — married 16 Dec 1939 in Scots Church, York Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 13 Jan 2009 at age 93 in Mosman, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Nancy-Bird (Bird) Walton AO OBE is Notable.

Nancy-Bird Walton AO OBE DStJ was a pioneering Australian aviator and the founder and patron of the Australian Women Pilots' Association. In the 1930s, defying the traditional role of females of her time, she qualified for her pilot's licence at the age of 17, and aged 19 became the first Australian woman to work commercially as a pilot.

Nancy-Bird (Bird) Walton AO OBE was born in New South Wales, Australia

Nancy De Low Bird was born at Kew, New South Wales, Australia on 16 October 1915.^[1] She was the daughter of William Bird and Fanny Thornton.

In 1933, aged 17, Nancy went to Sydney to take flying lessons with Charles Kingsford Smith, and graduated with a flying license in 6 weeks. In 1935 she qualified for a commercial pilot's licence, the youngest woman to do so, and became the first Australian woman to work commercially in aviation. She then took up barnstorming with her friend Peg Kelman - touring around New South Wales towns to give paid joy-rides.^[2] The road map she used is held by the Museum of Applied Arts and Science.^[3]

Nancy met Reverend Stanley Drummond who invited her to help him establish a flying medical service in outback New South Wales, similar to the Royal Flying Doctor Service operating in Queensland. In 1935, she was hired to operate the service, named the Royal Far West Children's Health Scheme. Nancy's own Gipsy Moth was used as an air ambulance. In 1938 she decided to have a break from flying and took up an invitation by Dutch airline, KLM, to do some promotional work in Europe.

Nancy returned to Australia soon after the Second World War broke out, and began training women in skills needed to back up the men flying in the Royal Australian Air Force. She was appointed commandant of the Australian Women’s Air Training Corps (WATC), a volunteer organisation founded by Australian aviator Mary Bell. Her commandant's uniform and other artifacts are held by the Australian War Memorial. The commitment shown by members of the WARC lead to the creation of Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF).^[4]

On 16 December 1939 at Scots Church, York Street, Sydney, Nancy Bird was married to fellow pilot Charles Walton by the Rev. John Flynn (aka Flynn of the Inland).^[5] Charles used to call her 'his Nancy-Bird', and the name stuck.^[6] They had two children.

In 1950, Nancy-Bird founded the Australian Women Pilots' Association (AWPA), of which she remained president for five years. Nancy-Bird became patron of the AWPA in 1983, following the death of Lady Casey, the original patron. In 1958, she returned to flying after a hiatus of some twenty years. Throughout her life, Nancy-Bird was notable for her support of charities and people in need. As a result, she was invested as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1966 and Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1990.

She was invested with the title Dame of the Knights of Malta in 1977. The National Trust of Australia declared her an Australian Living Treasure in 1997.

Nancy died, aged 93 years, on 13 January 2009 at Mosman, New South Wales.^[7] She was given a state funeral at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney. During her funeral, Qantas arranged a fly-by from the Super Jumbo A380 airbus "Nancy Bird Walton"^[8]

Honours and Awards

1936 - won the Ladies Trophy in the South Australian Centenary Air Race from Brisbane to Adelaide

1958 - placed 5th of 61 competitors with co-pilot Iris Critchell, in the All Women’s Transcontinental Air Race (the "Powder Puff Derby") after a 20 year hiatus from flying

1966 - awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Civil)(Imperial) for her work with the Far West Children's Health Scheme^[9]

1977 - awarded the Dame of St John (Knights of Malta)

1983 - became patron of the Australia Women Pilot Association

1990 - awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for services to aviation, particularly the participation of women in aviation.^[10]

1997 - named an Australian Living National Treasure by the National Trust

1999 - "The Nancy-Bird Air Terminal" was named at Bourke

2001 - became a Patron of the National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame

2001 - awarded Centenary Medal for services to the community^[11]

2006 - Royal Far West Children's Health Scheme's first lifetime membership and achievement award

2008 - John Flynn Outback Pioneers Award

2008 - QANTAS's first Airbus A380 aircraft named in her honour

2019 - Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the new Western Sydney airport will be named Western Sydney International Nancy-Bird Walton Airport.^[12]

Two portraits of Nancy Bird are held by the National Portrait Gallery: Nancy Bird Walton, c. 1973 by Judy Cassab, and Nancy Bird Walton - Pioneer, 2003 by Danelle Bergstrom.

A variety of camellia japonica is named Nancy Bird.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #49701/1915 BIRD, NANCY D, father WILLIAM R, mother: FANNY L, registration place: TAREE
2. ↑ Gilmour, Joanna (2009, June 1). The Aviatrix. Portrait 32: June-August. Retrieved 16 Aug 2020 from https://www.portrait.gov.au/magazines/32/the-aviatrix
3. ↑ Road map used by Nancy Bird-Walton. https://collection.maas.museum/object/9143
4. ↑ Antonello, Alessandro (2009, January 15). Nancy Bird Walton, Aviation Pioneer and Wartime Volunteer Leader. Retrieved 16 Aug 2020 from https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/nancy-bird-walton-aviation-pioneer-and-wartime-volunteer-leader
5. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #18823/1939 registered at Sydney
6. ↑ Airwoman Married : Theatre Premiere: Dances: Parties (1939, December 17). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 6 (WOMEN SECTION SOCIAL). Retrieved August 16, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231508314
   Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Walton, whose marriage took place yesterday, morning at The Scots' Church, York-street. The bride was formerly Miss Nancy Bird, the well-known Australian airwoman. Their engagement was announced recently, but they kept the date of their wedding a secret. The ceremony was performed in the presence only of a few close relatives, by the Rev. John Flynn (Flynn of the Inland), who is in Sydney on a visit from Melbourne. John Flynn is well-known for his work in originating the Flying Doctor and aerial ambulance services throughout Australia, in which work the young airwoman was lately engaged. Mr. and Mrs. Walton left after the ceremony for Tasmania for their honeymoon.
7. ↑ Metherell, Mark (2009, January 13)Aviation pioneer Nancy-Bird Walton dies Sydney Morning Herald.
8. ↑ Nancy-Bird Walton farewelled with state funeral (2009, January 20). Courier Mail. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
9. ↑ https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1108410 Name: Mrs Nancy Bird WALTON, Award: The Order of the British Empire - Officer (Civil) (Imperial)] It's An Honour website.
10. ↑ Name: Mrs Nancy-Bird WALTON, OBE, Award: Officer of the Order of Australia It's An Honour website.
11. ↑ "Name: Mrs Nancy Bird WALTON, Award:Centenary Medal. It's An Honour website.
12. ↑ Kevin Nguyen, Western Sydney Airport named after Nancy Bird-Walton, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 4 Mar 2019
13. ↑ Gleeson, Lynette (2000, April 12) The Lady Behind the Camellia – Nancy Bird. Hume Camellia Society website. Retrieved 17 August 2020.

• Wikipedia profile: Nancy Bird Walton
• Australian Geographic: The most heroic Aussie female adventurers
• Nancy Bird Walton AO OBE. National Portrait Gallery.

Further Reading

• Brown, Malcolm and Veitch, Harriet. Walton, Nancy-Bird (1915–2009), Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/walton-nancy-bird-16918/text28806
• Walton, Nancy Bird (2002). My God! it's a woman. : the inspiring story of one woman's courage and determination to fly. HarperCollins, Sydney.
• Flynn, Randal & Fairbridge, John (illustrator) (1991). Nancy Bird, born to fly. Macmillan Australia, South Melbourne.
• Atwood, Grace & Slaghekke, Harry, (illustrator.) (2014). Meet... Nancy-Bird Walton. Random House Australia, North Sydney, New South Wales.