Guide to the Papers of Freda Thompson
MS 7936
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Freda Thompson
- Title
- Papers of Freda Thompson
- Date Range
- 1918-1985
- Collection Number
- MS 7936
- Extent
- 0.56 metres (4 boxes, 2 folio boxes)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and content note
The papers contain diaries, log books, correspondence, newspaper cuttings, citations, certificates, invitations, air schedules, aircraft manuals, pilot's certificates and licences, passports, aircraft account cards, flight maps, radio scripts and other papers, medals, a slide rule, Thompson's cap and goggles and a photograph of Thompson beside her aircraft.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1025622).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], MS 7936, National Library of Australia, Papers of Freda Thompson, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
These papers were donated to the Library in 1990 by Freda Thompson's sister Mrs Claire Embling.
Bibliography
Goggles and God help you : pioneer airwoman Freda Thompson OBE and some of her contemporaries, by Joan Palmer, was published in 1986.
Biographical note
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1906 | Born 5th April, elder daughter of Frederick and Martha Thompson, Melbourne. |
| 1911-23 | Educated Toorak College, Melbourne. Gained Leaving Honours, Proficiency Certificates Pianoforte and Ice Skating. Very early member of Girl Guide movement at school, and later an official for many years. Proficient at golf, tennis, riding and swimming. Over the years, a member of the Royal Victorian Aero Club (Honorary Life Member), 99's America Women's Pilots Association, Royal South Yarra Tennis Club, Kingston Heath and Metropolitan golf clubs, Royal Victorian Automobile Association, Quamby and Alexandra clubs. All her life, travelled extensively in Australia and overseas. |
| 1926 | To Europe by ship. Made first flight with British Airways from Paris to London. |
| 1930 | 28th May, first flight as pilot. Obtained A licence. |
| 1931 | Studied night and instrument flying and navigation. |
| 1932 | Won Adelaide Aerial Derby for Victoria. Over the years won 47 trophies and was three times winner of R.V.A.C. championship in open competition. Obtained commercial licence. |
| 1933 | Obtained instructor's licence. First woman in British Empire to do so. |
| 1934 | Flew own Moth Major solo from England to Australia. First Australian woman to do this. Trip took 39 days, actual flying time 19 days, 20 days spent at Athens waiting for spare part for damaged wing. Record five and a half hour flight made from Koepang to Darwin over the Timor Sea, still unbroken for a biplane. |
| 1937 | Awarded George VI Coronation Medal. |
| 1940 | Appointed Commandant of Victorian branch of Women's Air Training Corps, forerunner of Women's Australian Air Force. |
| 1942 | Joined Australian Women's Army Service as ambulance driver |
| 1945 | Ferried ex-R.A.A.F wartime planes interstate to Geelong. As her Moth Major had been taken over for wartime training, bought a De Havilland Hornet Moth from fellow pilot, Nancy Lyle, and flew around Australia. |
| 1947 | First woman elected to R.V.A.C. committee. |
| 1948 | First woman elected as R.V.A.C. President. |
| 1952 | Flew Hornet to New Guinea. Did three trips with Sepik Airways as co-pilot, in a Norseman. |
| 1953 | Awarded Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. |
| 1972 | Awarded O.B.E. |
| 1973 | Presented perpetual trophy, together with individual replicas, for Freda Thompson Aerial Derby, a race around Port Phillip Bay for women, flown annually. After her death and in her memory, Graham Mortimer of WA presented another trophy in the form of a replica of her Moth Major for a similar race, open to both men and women. These races were flown for the last time on 20th. February, 1988. |
| 1980 | 4th May, made last flight as co-pilot in Tiger Moth, having held a pilot's licence for 50 years and flown 3330 hours. Licence endorsed to fly D.H. 60, D.H. 82, D.H. 87B, Ryan Stinson, Miles Messenger, Fairchild, Percival Proctor V, Cessna 182, P.A. 22, Miles Whitney Straight, Moth Minor, Beechcraft, P.A. 23. Died 11th December from cancer, after a short period in hospital. |
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1906 | Born 5th April, elder daughter of Frederick and Martha Thompson, Melbourne. |
| 1911-23 | Educated Toorak College, Melbourne. Gained Leaving Honours, Proficiency Certificates Pianoforte and Ice Skating. Very early member of Girl Guide movement at school, and later an official for many years. Proficient at golf, tennis, riding and swimming. Over the years, a member of the Royal Victorian Aero Club (Honorary Life Member), 99's America Women's Pilots Association, Royal South Yarra Tennis Club, Kingston Heath and Metropolitan golf clubs, Royal Victorian Automobile Association, Quamby and Alexandra clubs. All her life, travelled extensively in Australia and overseas. |
| 1926 | To Europe by ship. Made first flight with British Airways from Paris to London. |
| 1930 | 28th May, first flight as pilot. Obtained A licence. |
| 1931 | Studied night and instrument flying and navigation. |
| 1932 | Won Adelaide Aerial Derby for Victoria. Over the years won 47 trophies and was three times winner of R.V.A.C. championship in open competition. Obtained commercial licence. |
| 1933 | Obtained instructor's licence. First woman in British Empire to do so. |
| 1934 | Flew own Moth Major solo from England to Australia. First Australian woman to do this. Trip took 39 days, actual flying time 19 days, 20 days spent at Athens waiting for spare part for damaged wing. Record five and a half hour flight made from Koepang to Darwin over the Timor Sea, still unbroken for a biplane. |
| 1937 | Awarded George VI Coronation Medal. |
| 1940 | Appointed Commandant of Victorian branch of Women's Air Training Corps, forerunner of Women's Australian Air Force. |
| 1942 | Joined Australian Women's Army Service as ambulance driver |
| 1945 | Ferried ex-R.A.A.F wartime planes interstate to Geelong. As her Moth Major had been taken over for wartime training, bought a De Havilland Hornet Moth from fellow pilot, Nancy Lyle, and flew around Australia. |
| 1947 | First woman elected to R.V.A.C. committee. |
| 1948 | First woman elected as R.V.A.C. President. |
| 1952 | Flew Hornet to New Guinea. Did three trips with Sepik Airways as co-pilot, in a Norseman. |
| 1953 | Awarded Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. |
| 1972 | Awarded O.B.E. |
| 1973 | Presented perpetual trophy, together with individual replicas, for Freda Thompson Aerial Derby, a race around Port Phillip Bay for women, flown annually. After her death and in her memory, Graham Mortimer of WA presented another trophy in the form of a replica of her Moth Major for a similar race, open to both men and women. These races were flown for the last time on 20th. February, 1988. |
| 1980 | 4th May, made last flight as co-pilot in Tiger Moth, having held a pilot's licence for 50 years and flown 3330 hours. Licence endorsed to fly D.H. 60, D.H. 82, D.H. 87B, Ryan Stinson, Miles Messenger, Fairchild, Percival Proctor V, Cessna 182, P.A. 22, Miles Whitney Straight, Moth Minor, Beechcraft, P.A. 23. Died 11th December from cancer, after a short period in hospital. |
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Diaries, 1926-67
Detailed diaries describing travel by Thompson, including two of her own flights.
Series 2. Log books, 1930-80
Four pilot's log books, including past experience summary, and record of flights.
Series 3. Correspondence, 1935-72
Series 5. Citations, certificates, invitations, 1918-72
Series 7. Air schedules, 1934-37
Booklets produced by the Shell Aviation Department, giving information on aerodromes, including sketches, classification, situation, description, facilities, remarks, magnetic course and distance.
Series 11. Aircraft account cards, 1938-60
Cards issued by fuel suppliers authorising the purchase of aircraft fuel on credit.