May Constance Assheton Harbord (6 June 1866 - 7 February 1928), was the first woman to obtain an Aeronaut's Certificate in the United Kingdom, in 1912.

Early life

May Constance Cuningham was born in Simla, India on 6 June 1866 the daughter of James Macnab Cuningham and his wife Mary Falconer McRae (d.1883). Her father was Surgeon General in the Indian Medical Service. She married the Melbourne based Arthur Blackwood in 1885 though he left her a widow. She was known as May Blackwood during this time. She went on to marry Hon. Assheton Edward Harbord, son of Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield on 3 April 1905.

Ballooning

Mrs Assheton Harbord made her name as a balloonist and aeronaut after a social trip in a balloon in May 1906. She went on to become a regular adventurer in balloons, crossing the English Channel repeatedly. One trip ended with her being thrown out of the balloon on landing due to rough weather, following which she declared that "I can claim, therefore to be the only woman who has landed on the Continent on her head." She became very well known for her exploits. May Harbord flew regularly, often with John and

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, another keen balloonist and sister of

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. She owned two balloons which she kept near

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gas works. She bought the first balloon, the 45,000 cu.ft. 'Nebula' in the winter of 1906/7 and flew it for the first time on 12th January 1907, with Mr and Miss Moore-Brabazon as passengers, making that flight the first in the UK by a woman of her own balloon. Assheton Harbord was awarded the "

Mortimer Singer Sir Adam Mortimer Singer, Order of the British Empire, KBE, Justice of the peace, JP (25 July 1863 – 24 June 1929) was an Anglo-American landowner, philanthropist, and sportsman. He was one of the earliest pilots in both France and the United K ...

Plate" in 1909 for the longest balloon journey in July, August or September in 1908. She took part in the Aero Club Challenge Cup and won the Krabbe Cup. She drove her own car and was convicted of speeding at least four times by 1911. Assheton Harbord was a member of the Ladies Automobile Club from about 1909 and also served in the Volunteer Motor Mobilisation Corps in 1915. She died in 1928.

References and sources

1866 births 1928 deaths {{UK-bio-stub People from Shimla British balloonists British people in colonial India