This biography is derived from a lengthier, highly detailed version on a comprehensive website memorial to Barbara Gubbins entitled "Remembering Barbara," written by Bill Todd, author of "Pigtail Pilot: The brief life of aviator Barbara Gubbins."
Pioneering young English aviatrix. Daughter of Edith Annie Mabel Gubbins nee Jeffries, a headmistress of Hedsor village school. and Valentine Owen Gubbins, a police sergeant with Buckinghamshire Constabulary. Barbara Gubbins was passionate about flying, saving money for flying lessons by picking fruit and giving riding lessons. She soloed at age 17 after after only 5½ hours training. She was also a talented horsewoman and enjoyed rifle shooting and hockey. Barbara attended Wycombe High School from 1941 to 1950. Her mother had been a pupil at the school before becoming a teacher and then headmistress of Hedsor School. Barbara captained the school hockey and tennis teams, played hockey for the county and was school games captain from 1949 to 1950. She then went to Nottingham University where she studied for an honours degree in chemistry, pure maths and physics. In addition to sports, Barbara, who lived in Harvest Hill, Bourne End, Bucks, spent much time at Denham and High Wycombe airfields. She was a member of High Wycombe Flying Club and Denham Aero Club and even appeared on the BBC's In Town Tonight show in 1951. Barbara also flew with the Women's Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (WRAFVR) for 18 months before her death. A Cadet Pilot, Barbara was believed to be the youngest pilot in the WRAFVR. She was regarded as a capable aviator and logged more than 150 flying hours including solo and at night. If she had lived, Barbara might well have qualified as the RAF's first woman pilot. Barbara was killed with her instructor, Flt Lt Eric Church, 31, on an RAF training flight. Their aircraft was a single-engine, two-seater Percival Prentice Mk1, number VS 645, of 16 Reserve Flying School Derby at RAF Burnaston. The pair were on a spinning training flight, practising to recover control of the aircraft from an emergency. Cadet Gubbins and Flt Lt Church took off at 11:40am. The aircraft crashed 17 minutes later, spinning down into a field near Foston Hall Woods, off Leathersley Lane, Scropton in Derbyshire, a mile east of Sudbury Station. Farm workers who were baling hay came running from surrounding fields. They found Flt Lt Church in the cockpit and Barbara on the ground nearby—both were dead. At the time of her death, Barbara resided in Pelham Crescent, The Park, Nottingham. Following cremation in Nottingham, Barbara's ashes were brought home to Hedsor for her funeral. Hundreds of people attended Barbara's funeral at Hedsor on Wednesday, March 12. Barbara's ashes were buried in the graveyard of the simple yet beautiful St. Nicholas Hedsor Parish Church. Two RAF officers who had escorted the casket saluted her grave. Barbara was a month shy of her 21st birthday at her death.
Mourners included representatives from Nottingham University Air Squadron, High Wycombe Riding Club, Denham Flying Club and High Wycombe High School. There were 88 floral tributes, many in the shape of propellers and wings, including ones from Nottingham University Chemistry Department, No16 Flying School Derby, No 65 Reserve Centre Alverston, Nottingham University Air Squadron, staff and pupils of Hedsor School, British Railways Maidenhead, Bourne End School, Denham Flying Club, Wycombe Flying Club, Marlow Hockey Club, High Wycombe High School, The Head Teachers' Association, WRAFVR Burnaston, Nottingham University Rifle Club and High Wycombe Riding School.
NOTE: a lengthy search for the grave marker was made by a Find A Grave volunteer. He could not locate the grave marker and stated the graveyard was somewhat overgrown, making it hard to search in areas.
Pioneering young English aviatrix. Daughter of Edith Annie Mabel Gubbins nee Jeffries, a headmistress of Hedsor village school. and Valentine Owen Gubbins, a police sergeant with Buckinghamshire Constabulary. Barbara Gubbins was passionate about flying, saving money for flying lessons by picking fruit and giving riding lessons. She soloed at age 17 after after only 5½ hours training. She was also a talented horsewoman and enjoyed rifle shooting and hockey. Barbara attended Wycombe High School from 1941 to 1950. Her mother had been a pupil at the school before becoming a teacher and then headmistress of Hedsor School. Barbara captained the school hockey and tennis teams, played hockey for the county and was school games captain from 1949 to 1950. She then went to Nottingham University where she studied for an honours degree in chemistry, pure maths and physics. In addition to sports, Barbara, who lived in Harvest Hill, Bourne End, Bucks, spent much time at Denham and High Wycombe airfields. She was a member of High Wycombe Flying Club and Denham Aero Club and even appeared on the BBC's In Town Tonight show in 1951. Barbara also flew with the Women's Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (WRAFVR) for 18 months before her death. A Cadet Pilot, Barbara was believed to be the youngest pilot in the WRAFVR. She was regarded as a capable aviator and logged more than 150 flying hours including solo and at night. If she had lived, Barbara might well have qualified as the RAF's first woman pilot. Barbara was killed with her instructor, Flt Lt Eric Church, 31, on an RAF training flight. Their aircraft was a single-engine, two-seater Percival Prentice Mk1, number VS 645, of 16 Reserve Flying School Derby at RAF Burnaston. The pair were on a spinning training flight, practising to recover control of the aircraft from an emergency. Cadet Gubbins and Flt Lt Church took off at 11:40am. The aircraft crashed 17 minutes later, spinning down into a field near Foston Hall Woods, off Leathersley Lane, Scropton in Derbyshire, a mile east of Sudbury Station. Farm workers who were baling hay came running from surrounding fields. They found Flt Lt Church in the cockpit and Barbara on the ground nearby—both were dead. At the time of her death, Barbara resided in Pelham Crescent, The Park, Nottingham. Following cremation in Nottingham, Barbara's ashes were brought home to Hedsor for her funeral. Hundreds of people attended Barbara's funeral at Hedsor on Wednesday, March 12. Barbara's ashes were buried in the graveyard of the simple yet beautiful St. Nicholas Hedsor Parish Church. Two RAF officers who had escorted the casket saluted her grave. Barbara was a month shy of her 21st birthday at her death.
Mourners included representatives from Nottingham University Air Squadron, High Wycombe Riding Club, Denham Flying Club and High Wycombe High School. There were 88 floral tributes, many in the shape of propellers and wings, including ones from Nottingham University Chemistry Department, No16 Flying School Derby, No 65 Reserve Centre Alverston, Nottingham University Air Squadron, staff and pupils of Hedsor School, British Railways Maidenhead, Bourne End School, Denham Flying Club, Wycombe Flying Club, Marlow Hockey Club, High Wycombe High School, The Head Teachers' Association, WRAFVR Burnaston, Nottingham University Rifle Club and High Wycombe Riding School.
NOTE: a lengthy search for the grave marker was made by a Find A Grave volunteer. He could not locate the grave marker and stated the graveyard was somewhat overgrown, making it hard to search in areas.
This biography is derived from a lengthier, highly detailed version on a comprehensive website memorial to Barbara Gubbins entitled "Remembering Barbara," written by Bill Todd, author of "Pigtail Pilot: The brief life of aviator Barbara Gubbins."
Pioneering young English aviatrix. Daughter of Edith Annie Mabel Gubbins nee Jeffries, a headmistress of Hedsor village school. and Valentine Owen Gubbins, a police sergeant with Buckinghamshire Constabulary. Barbara Gubbins was passionate about flying, saving money for flying lessons by picking fruit and giving riding lessons. She soloed at age 17 after after only 5½ hours training. She was also a talented horsewoman and enjoyed rifle shooting and hockey. Barbara attended Wycombe High School from 1941 to 1950. Her mother had been a pupil at the school before becoming a teacher and then headmistress of Hedsor School. Barbara captained the school hockey and tennis teams, played hockey for the county and was school games captain from 1949 to 1950. She then went to Nottingham University where she studied for an honours degree in chemistry, pure maths and physics. In addition to sports, Barbara, who lived in Harvest Hill, Bourne End, Bucks, spent much time at Denham and High Wycombe airfields. She was a member of High Wycombe Flying Club and Denham Aero Club and even appeared on the BBC's In Town Tonight show in 1951. Barbara also flew with the Women's Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (WRAFVR) for 18 months before her death. A Cadet Pilot, Barbara was believed to be the youngest pilot in the WRAFVR. She was regarded as a capable aviator and logged more than 150 flying hours including solo and at night. If she had lived, Barbara might well have qualified as the RAF's first woman pilot. Barbara was killed with her instructor, Flt Lt Eric Church, 31, on an RAF training flight. Their aircraft was a single-engine, two-seater Percival Prentice Mk1, number VS 645, of 16 Reserve Flying School Derby at RAF Burnaston. The pair were on a spinning training flight, practising to recover control of the aircraft from an emergency. Cadet Gubbins and Flt Lt Church took off at 11:40am. The aircraft crashed 17 minutes later, spinning down into a field near Foston Hall Woods, off Leathersley Lane, Scropton in Derbyshire, a mile east of Sudbury Station. Farm workers who were baling hay came running from surrounding fields. They found Flt Lt Church in the cockpit and Barbara on the ground nearby—both were dead. At the time of her death, Barbara resided in Pelham Crescent, The Park, Nottingham. Following cremation in Nottingham, Barbara's ashes were brought home to Hedsor for her funeral. Hundreds of people attended Barbara's funeral at Hedsor on Wednesday, March 12. Barbara's ashes were buried in the graveyard of the simple yet beautiful St. Nicholas Hedsor Parish Church. Two RAF officers who had escorted the casket saluted her grave. Barbara was a month shy of her 21st birthday at her death.
Mourners included representatives from Nottingham University Air Squadron, High Wycombe Riding Club, Denham Flying Club and High Wycombe High School. There were 88 floral tributes, many in the shape of propellers and wings, including ones from Nottingham University Chemistry Department, No16 Flying School Derby, No 65 Reserve Centre Alverston, Nottingham University Air Squadron, staff and pupils of Hedsor School, British Railways Maidenhead, Bourne End School, Denham Flying Club, Wycombe Flying Club, Marlow Hockey Club, High Wycombe High School, The Head Teachers' Association, WRAFVR Burnaston, Nottingham University Rifle Club and High Wycombe Riding School.
NOTE: a lengthy search for the grave marker was made by a Find A Grave volunteer. He could not locate the grave marker and stated the graveyard was somewhat overgrown, making it hard to search in areas.
Pioneering young English aviatrix. Daughter of Edith Annie Mabel Gubbins nee Jeffries, a headmistress of Hedsor village school. and Valentine Owen Gubbins, a police sergeant with Buckinghamshire Constabulary. Barbara Gubbins was passionate about flying, saving money for flying lessons by picking fruit and giving riding lessons. She soloed at age 17 after after only 5½ hours training. She was also a talented horsewoman and enjoyed rifle shooting and hockey. Barbara attended Wycombe High School from 1941 to 1950. Her mother had been a pupil at the school before becoming a teacher and then headmistress of Hedsor School. Barbara captained the school hockey and tennis teams, played hockey for the county and was school games captain from 1949 to 1950. She then went to Nottingham University where she studied for an honours degree in chemistry, pure maths and physics. In addition to sports, Barbara, who lived in Harvest Hill, Bourne End, Bucks, spent much time at Denham and High Wycombe airfields. She was a member of High Wycombe Flying Club and Denham Aero Club and even appeared on the BBC's In Town Tonight show in 1951. Barbara also flew with the Women's Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (WRAFVR) for 18 months before her death. A Cadet Pilot, Barbara was believed to be the youngest pilot in the WRAFVR. She was regarded as a capable aviator and logged more than 150 flying hours including solo and at night. If she had lived, Barbara might well have qualified as the RAF's first woman pilot. Barbara was killed with her instructor, Flt Lt Eric Church, 31, on an RAF training flight. Their aircraft was a single-engine, two-seater Percival Prentice Mk1, number VS 645, of 16 Reserve Flying School Derby at RAF Burnaston. The pair were on a spinning training flight, practising to recover control of the aircraft from an emergency. Cadet Gubbins and Flt Lt Church took off at 11:40am. The aircraft crashed 17 minutes later, spinning down into a field near Foston Hall Woods, off Leathersley Lane, Scropton in Derbyshire, a mile east of Sudbury Station. Farm workers who were baling hay came running from surrounding fields. They found Flt Lt Church in the cockpit and Barbara on the ground nearby—both were dead. At the time of her death, Barbara resided in Pelham Crescent, The Park, Nottingham. Following cremation in Nottingham, Barbara's ashes were brought home to Hedsor for her funeral. Hundreds of people attended Barbara's funeral at Hedsor on Wednesday, March 12. Barbara's ashes were buried in the graveyard of the simple yet beautiful St. Nicholas Hedsor Parish Church. Two RAF officers who had escorted the casket saluted her grave. Barbara was a month shy of her 21st birthday at her death.
Mourners included representatives from Nottingham University Air Squadron, High Wycombe Riding Club, Denham Flying Club and High Wycombe High School. There were 88 floral tributes, many in the shape of propellers and wings, including ones from Nottingham University Chemistry Department, No16 Flying School Derby, No 65 Reserve Centre Alverston, Nottingham University Air Squadron, staff and pupils of Hedsor School, British Railways Maidenhead, Bourne End School, Denham Flying Club, Wycombe Flying Club, Marlow Hockey Club, High Wycombe High School, The Head Teachers' Association, WRAFVR Burnaston, Nottingham University Rifle Club and High Wycombe Riding School.
NOTE: a lengthy search for the grave marker was made by a Find A Grave volunteer. He could not locate the grave marker and stated the graveyard was somewhat overgrown, making it hard to search in areas.
