Ephemeral days
Xiadani Flores / Pensula 360 Press
Richarda Morrow-Tait was first female pilot in achieving the feat of going around the world in a day. On September 19, 1949, she landed in England. She is considered an inspiration to many women, as she reminds us that we must pursue our dreams all the way to heaven if necessary.
Prudence Richarda Evelyn Routh was born on November 22, 1923 in England. During her early education she attended a school for girls in Cambridge, however, she had a dream: to be the first woman to circumnavigate the world.
Two months after the end of the Second World War, Richarda married Norman Robert Morrow-Tati on 21 July 1945 and when the aviation ban was lifted Richarda or 'Dikki' as she was affectionately called, joined the ranks of the Cambridge Aero Club and was thus awarded her private pilot's licence.
She studied hard and worked hard to achieve her dream. That's how the Morrow-Tait family, together with Richarda's best friend, Michael Townsend, acquired a plane in which they flew around the world.
The aircraft chosen was a Percival Proctor IV with the registration G-AJMU, which she named "Thursday's Child" after her daughter Anna's favourite lullaby. On 18 August 1948, Richarda began her great journey.
Leaving behind a tumultuous series of scandals and negative comments as she left her husband Norman and daughter Anna in Cambridge to take flight east and around the world, Dikki became the first "flying housewife."
His flight was a compilation of adventures, including two minor accidents, a forced 6-week stay in India for the repair of the plane, and an illegal escape from that country.
The pilot and navigator had to make several unplanned stops and survived a forced landing near Alaska in very unfavourable weather conditions, as the sub-zero temperature had caused the carburettor to ice. These unforeseen expenses left Richarda almost bankrupt and Townsend returned to England.
At Christmas 1948, while Richarda was in Canada, she met Jack Ellis who joined her adventure and agreed to replace Townsend. Shortly afterwards, Dikki acquired another aircraft which, with a few adjustments, was ready to continue the great journey; she named it Next Thursday.