The remarkable history of the Seawomen of the Marinecraft Unit, and the first BOAC Stewardesses at Poole.

A Heritage Lottery funded community research project.

Poole Flying Boats Celebration (PFBC)

Parkstone Library Buildings

1 Britannia Road

Poole BH14 8AZ

Visit: www.pooleflyingboats.com

Email: info@pooleflyingboats.com

A PFBC Project

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Celebrating the Seawomen of the Marinecraft Unit, and the first BOAC Stewardesses at Poole.

Introduction

Setting the Scene: New Horizons

EXCERPT:

The AYE MA’AM Project was conceived, devised and then undertaken by Poole Flying Boats Celebration (PFBC) (with Heritage Lottery Funding) after much Research into Aviation History, especially the topic of Flying Boats, alongside Poole’s Local History. From an interest group formed by local residents, this has become a Charity - and continued to grow at a rate! So that PFBC has enjoyed many contacts providing ﬁrst-hand experiences recalled by those who were involved, as well as those often with lasting childhood memories, and general aviation enthusiasts including authors etc.

Over this time, various important details have emerged, which have generated much interest & inspired us all: A particular aspect encountered almost by chance in our Archive, which has been under-researched up-to-now is that of the Story of the BOAC women Seamen (aka Seawomen) at Poole and BOAC Flying Boat Stewardesses. Poole as a Marine Terminal with the Civil Air Flying Boat Fleet, was signiﬁcant in the development of both roles mostly associated with World War 2 and the occupational progress of women when men went into the Forces. For the pressing demands on the Royal Navy had resulted in BOAC’s Marinecraft Unit losing various personnel who were eligible (vis-à-vis age & health factors) and were called up or enlisted for service, resulting in a void.

Please download the pdf (right) for the full story…

Introduction of the AYE MA'AM Project for PFBC with HLF Support.pdf

Setting the Scene: New Horizons

Download the pdf (5Mb)

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About the AYE MA'AM Project Community Focus Promoting the AYE MA'AM project & Recruiting volunteers, 2013

About the Research Volunteer Training, March 2014 Volunteer Training - Oral Recording, November 2014 Project Research Flow Diagram

Selected photos & our video Public Display at Parkstone Library, April 2014 Libbie Escolme-Schmidt & Bournemouth Air Festival, July-August 2014 Blue Plaque at Salterns Marina, October 2013

The AYE MA'AM Story - Archive Index Setting the Scene - New Horizons 1.1 Ahoy There - Women Seamen of BOAC's Marine School at Poole 1.2 Marine School of BOAC at Poole with a Syllabus for the Seawomen 2.1 Sky High - BOAC Shuttle Services between Poole and Foynes, Eire 2.2 US Stewardesses on the Flying Boats of PanAm, AEA and Avalon 3.1 Tour de Force - Women with the Military when based at Poole 3.2 Wrens with RN Poole, and also at HMS Turtle (Combined Ops) 5 BOAC's Marinecraft Unit Seawomen at Poole: Making Waves 6.2 The Remarkable Mrs Louie Dingwall (nee Louisa / Louie Foott) 7 The Focus of Other Women - Within the Local Workforce at Poole 10 Seawomen to the Fore: Boeings, RAF Transport Control and All 18 Customs by Taxi - BOAC Hurn and integral relationship with Poole Summation: Time for Reflections