MS 7936
Papers of Freda Thompson (1906-1980)
- Papers
- 1918-85
- 56 cm (4 boxes) + 2 folio boxes
- Available for reference
These papers were donated to the Library in 1990 by Freda Thompson's
sister Mrs Claire Embling.
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.
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.
Goggles and God help you : pioneer airwoman Freda Thompson
OBE and some of her contemporaries, by Joan Palmer, was published in 1986.
1 Diaries, 1926-67
2 Log books, 1930-80
3 Correspondence, 1935-72
4 Newspaper cuttings, 1933-86
5 Citations, certificates, invitations, 1918-72
6 Flight charts
7 Air schedules, 1934-37
8 Aircraft manuals
9 Pilot's certificates and licences, 1930-79
10 Passports, 1926-74
11 Aircraft account cards, 1938-60
12 Miscellaneous
13 Photograph
14 Objects
Series 1: Diaries, 1926-67
Detailed diaries describing travel by Thompson, including two
of her own flights.
Items
1. Trip to Europe by ship and time spent in England, 2 Jan - 10
Aug 1926.
2. New Zealand (written on loose pages), 18 March - 26 Apr
1937.
3. Round Australia flight, May - June 1950.
4-5. New Guinea flight, 21 Apr - 1 Aug 1952. Annotated map
inserted.
6. Tour of North and South America, 19 Feb - 19 Oct 1963.
7. "Expo 67" England - Australia tour, 1 June - 2 Dec 1967.
Diary covers visit to U.S.A., Canada, India, Asia.
8. Travel in South Africa, India, Penang, Singapore, 22 Apr -
15 Sept. No year given.
Series 2: Log books, 1930-80
Four pilot's log books, including past experience summary, and
record of flights.
Items
1. 1930-40.
2. 1940-65.
3. 1966-80.
4. Journey log-book, England - Australia flight, 1934.
Series 3: Correspondence, 1935-72
- U.K. Foreign Office receipts for telegrams sent, 1934, 1935.
- Letter from Reginald Ansett, concerning 1964 Air Race, with
photo of Ansett and Thompson, 10 Apr 1964.
- Congratulatory letters, telegrams and cuttings received on
award of O.B.E., from E. Connellan, Rohan Delacombe and others,
1972.
Series 4: Newspaper cuttings, 1933-86
Items
1. Scrapbook, ca 1933-34.
2. Newspaper cuttings, ca 1936-86.
Series 5: Citations, certificates, invitations, 1918-72
1. Folder including certificates from Toorak College, 1918, the
National Ice Skating Association, 1937, the award of the Coronation
Medal, 1937 and 1953, the Women's Driving Tour, 1939, the Ansett
Air Race, 1964.
2. Pianoforte Grade III, 1921 (rolled).; Winner, Aerial Derby
Handicap, Parafield SA, 1932; OBE citation, 1972.
Series 6: Flight charts
Published aeronautical charts of locations in Australia.
Items
1. Cootamundra- Melbourne, 1925.
2. Melbourne-Adelaide, 1926.
3. Melbourne-Hay, 1930.
4. Sydney-Brisbane, 1934.
5. Thursday Island-Bowen, n.d.
6. Melbourne, 1961.
7-8. Hamilton, 1963 (two copies).
9. Adelaide, 1964.
10. Canberra, 1965.
11. Melbourne, 1966.
12. Hamilton, 1974.
13. Victoria, n.d.
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.
Items
1. Calcutta - Rangoon - Bangkok - Singapore - Batavia - Darwin,
Aug 1934.
2. Darwin - Charleville - Melbourne, Aug 1934.
3. Cairo - Damascus - Aleppo - Baghdad - Jask - Karachi -
Calcutta, Sept 1934.
4. London - Paris - Rome - (Athens) - Tunis - (Algiers) -
Cairo, Sept 1937.
5. Aerodrome information: Brindisi, Athens, Nicosia (foolscap
typescript), Sept 1934.
Series 8: Aircraft manuals
Items
1. Manual of instructions of the Gipsy Moth, ca 1931.
2. Care and maintenance of the D.H. Gipsy Major, 1934.
3. Handling notes, Cessna 172.
4. Flight radio operator's manual, 1963.
5. Amplification - daily inspection schedule Gipsy Major
engine.
Series 9: Pilot's certificates and licences, 1930-79
Items
1. Private pilot's certificate and licence, Australia, 1930.
2. Pilot's certificate and licence (passenger, mail or goods),
Australia, 1932.
3. Private pilot's certificate and licence, Great Britain,
1934.
4. Flight Crew Licences, 1962, 1970, 1979.
5. Sporting licence, Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of
Australia, 1973.
6. Licence in Arabic script.
Series 10: Passports, 1926-74
Items
1. 1926
2. 1955
3. 1962
4. 1967
5. 1974
Series 11: Aircraft account cards, 1938-60
Cards issued by fuel suppliers authorising the purchase of aircraft
fuel on credit.
Items
1. 1938
2. 1959
3. 1960
Series 12: Miscellaneous
- Two radio broadcast typescripts 29 Dec 1934, 22 March 1941.
- Indian Women Pilots' Association: minutes of meeting and list
of members, 1979.
- Results sheet, Freda Thompson Aerial Derby, 1983.
- Typescript account by Thompson of her England - Australia
trip.
- Typescript article on Thompson by Margaret Keatley, annotated.
- Typescript tribute by Thompson to aviatrix Nancy Lyle.
- Extract from The North-west aerial frontier, 1919-1934,
by Edward Wixted, 1985.
- Copy of Pixie O'Harris sketch of Thompson (original in Pictorial
Section).
- Copies of envelopes from E.A. Crome aviation collection, 1934.
Series 13: Photograph
Item
1. Large photograph of Thompson in flight gear, holding cap and
goggles.
Series 14: Objects
Items
1. Slide rule and manual, 1925.
2. Coronation and war medals.
3. O.B.E. medallion.
4. R.A.C. medallion and two others.
5. Thompson's cap and goggles.
Series Items Box
1 1-8 1
2 1-4 1
3 1
4 1-2 2
5 1 2
6 1-2 2
7 1-5 3
8 1-5 3
9 1-6 4
10 1-5 4
11 1-3 4
12 4
13 1 4
14 1-4 4
Folios
Series Items Folio Box
5 2 1
13 1 1
14 5 2
Guide prepared April 1996. Last updated 13 August 1996
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