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)

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

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Customs by Taxi ~ BOAC Hurn and integral relationship with Poole

EXCERPT:

As BOAC prepared for its postwar commitment to progress towards a new era in civil aviation, plans were proposed to develop a facility approximate to London capable of handling signiﬁcant numbers of aircraft, passengers & cargo. However, there would be stop-gap measures, improvisations, challenges, trials & tribulations and liaison strategies, concerned to cover a transition period; also factors of staffing, especially Stewards (+ Stewardesses) at a time when other Aircrew ~ pilots, navigators, radio officers and engineers were leaving the RAF... and variously joining BOAC.

Hurn featured in this transition, and there was initially close liaison with staff at Poole eg Customs & Immigration! Following its development & role with the RAF in 1941, and also the USAF, significantly during Operation Overlord, Hurn in November 1944 was deployed by BOAC as a replacement for BOAC Whitchurch (Bristol), due to the proximity of its Flying Boat Marine Terminal at Poole + maintenance unit at Hythe. Prior to this, a development ﬂight had been set up at Hurn to convert military aircraft for carrying pax, with initiating ﬂights to Egypt, + onwards to Australia (February 1945).

So Hurn was propelled into a prominent position in Civil Aviation during 4 months from January 1946 (when restrictions were lifted) through to May - when BOAC long-distance Flights were removed to a newly commissioned Heath Row (soon referred to as Heathrow) an ex-RAF Station. However, liaison between Poole and Hurn continued in 1946-47.

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Customs by Taxi ~ BOAC Hurn and integral relationship with Poole

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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