Mildred Bruce
Encyclopedia
The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce (10 November 1895 – 21 May 1990) was a British record-breaking racing motorist, speedboat racer, aviatrix in the 1920s and 1930s, and later, successful businesswoman. She is less-commonly referred to as Mildred Bruce, Mildred Mary Bruce, or Mary Victor Bruce, in contemporary references.
, Essex, England on 10 November 1895, the daughter of Lawrence Petre, a descendant of Sir William Petre. In 1911, aged 15, she began her passion for motor vehicles by riding her brother’s Matchless
motorcycle, travelling around Osterley
, west London, with her collie
dog in the sidecar. At Hounslow court, she became the first woman to be convicted of a motoring offence in the UK. In 1920, she purchased her first car, an Enfield-Allday
, and was prosecuted many times for speeding, including three days running at Bow Street Magistrates' Court
.
In 1926, she married the Honourable Victor Austin Bruce, son of Henry Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare
. He was a works driver for AC Cars Ltd, and he won the 1926 Monte Carlo Rally
in an AC car. They bore one son, Anthony (c.1927), and divorced in 1941.
car (PF6465) from Selwyn Edge
, and started the 1927 Monte Carlo Rally from John O'Groats. After travelling 1,700 miles (2736 km) and 72 hours without sleeping, she finished sixth overall, and won the Coupe des Dames, for the women's class. On 28 January 1927, she departed Monte Carlo on an 8,000 miles (12,875 km) endurance trial through Italy, Sicily, Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, and France. There, she and her companions drove the car 1,000 miles (1609 km) around the Montlhéry oval circuit near Paris, then finally returned to England. On 9 July 1927, she departed from London in the same car (PF6465), once again accompanied by her husband plus a journalist and an engineer. They drove through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland , and finally planted a Union Jack flag about 250 miles (400 km) north of the Arctic Circle
. It was farther north than anyone had previously driven, a record that remained unbroken until the 21st century. On 9 December 1927, she and her husband, assisted by J.A. Joyce, started a 10-day endurance record in fog at Montlhéry, driving an AC Six fitted with a racing screen but minus roof, mudguards and lights. The average speed was 68 mph (109 km/h) over about 15,000 miles (24,140 km). On 6 June 1929, she drove a Bentley 4½ Litre at Montlhéry for 24 hours, to capture the world record for single-handed driving, averaging over 89 mph (142 km/h).
reservoir. On 15 September 1929, she drove the boat from Dover across the English Channel to Calais, then decided to make it a non-stop double crossing back to Dover. The record-breaking round trip took 1 hr 47 min, and the manufacturer gave her a new boat to replace Mosquito that had almost destroyed itself. In October 1929, she borrowed a 23-foot boat named British Power Boats, and broke the 24-hours distance record by travelling 694 nautical miles in a course around a lightship and a yacht moored in the Solent
.
via a London showroom. After delivery of the aircraft (G-ABDS) in late July 1930, she took her first flying lessons with Norman Blackburn
at Brough aerodrome, went solo within a week, and soon built up 40 flying hours. On 25 September 1930, she named the aircraft "Bluebird" and took off on a round the world solo flight from Heston Aerodrome
. She flew to Rangoon and then on to Shanghai
and across the Yellow Sea
to Seoul
, Korea. On 24 November 1930, having covered 10,330 miles (16,625 km) in 25 flying days, she reached Tokyo
. She travelled by ship to Vancouver
, where the Bluebird was re-assembled. She flew via Medford (Oregon)
, Tucson
, San Diego and Baltimore
to New York
, where she embarked on a ship bound for Le Havre
. On 19 February 1931, she flew to Lympne Airport
, having flown about 19,000 miles (30,577 km). She was the first person to fly from England to Japan, the first to fly across the Yellow Sea, and the first woman to fly around the world alone (crossing the oceans by ship). The five-month journey had been marked by forced landings beside the Persian Gulf
, also at San Diego and Baltimore, a near-abduction by brigands, and a forced landing in a southeast Asian jungle during the monsoon. On 20 February 1931, she was given an aerial escort by Amy Johnson
, Winifred Spooner
and others to Croydon Airport
, where a reception of press and celebrities awaited her.
amphibious aircraft (G-ABJP), named it City of Portsmouth, and had the undercarriage temporarily removed. She also purchased a Bristol F.2
(G-ACXA), and had it converted as a refuelling tanker. During August 1932, over the Solent, she used the two aircraft in three failed attempts to break the world flight-refuelled endurance record. Her co-pilot was Flt Lt John B.W. Pugh AFC, later employed by Luxury Air Tours and Air Dispatch.
(G-ABVG) in the name of her company Luxury Air Tours Ltd, for use in aerobatic displays. She also purchased a Fairey Fox
(G-ACAS) from a scrapyard for £2 10s, plus £10 for an engine, then had it modified at Hanworth Aerodrome for passenger-carrying duties. She then trained and qualified for her commercial pilot's 'B' licence. The Fox crashed in July 1933, and she left the flying circus.
, in an attempt on the record for the longest autogiro flight, but the aircraft was damaged in France, and no further attempt followed.
s. In 1935, Air Dispatch Ltd, that she had founded on 9 July 1934, started operating weekend freight (later also passenger) services from its base at Croydon Airport to Le Touquet and Paris - Le Bourget Airport. In April 1935, Commercial Air Hire started passenger shuttle services between Croydon and Heston airports, under the name Inner Circle Air Lines, using GAL Monospar ST-4s. In 1935, Commercial Air Hire purchased an Avro 642 Eighteen
16-seat airliner (G-ACFV) for newspaper delivery contracts, and Air Dispatch shared its use for bullion-carrying, excursions, joy-riding flights and scheduled passenger services, until mid-1936. She was co-managing director, with Eric E. Noddings, of both closely linked companies, that were merged in 1936 as Air Dispatch Ltd. During this period, the combined fleets of Air Dispatch and Commercial Air Hire, plus those of associated companies International Air Freight Ltd and Anglo European Airways, included GAL Monospar ST-4s, DH.84 Dragons, DH.89 Dragon Rapide
s, DH.90 Dragonflies
, Airspeed AS.6 Envoys
, plus other aircraft on lease, such as an Avro 618 Ten
.
In late 1936, she sold two of the DH.84 Dragons for a large amount of cash to a mystery man, and they were covertly exported for use in the Spanish Civil War
. From 1936, Commercial Air Hire operated many of its DH.84 Dragons on Territorial Army co-operation exercises under contract to the British Army, involving night flying and searchlights.
. Subsequently, as part of the Civilian Repair Organisation, Air Dispatch rebuilt damaged RAF aircraft wings and whole aircraft at Cardiff, eventually employing about 700 people.
In 1945, the company attempted to return to commercial air services, but was thwarted by the dominance of the nationalised airlines: "So far only the more powerful of the independent operators have been approached, hoping that they will give away and so weaken our case," said the Hon. Mrs. Victor Bruce, of Air Dispatch. And somewhat dramatically she commented: "It is tantamount to going around with a cheque book and a hammer. I shall fight for our rights and independence to the end." Air Dispatch Ltd briefly manufactured bus bodies, but was finally wound up in 1946. Mrs Bruce's fortunes subsequently increased further via property investments.
at 110 mph (176 km/h) at Thruxton circuit. At age 81, after a brief refresher course in flying, she "looped the loop" in a De Havilland Chipmunk. Mildred Bruce died in 1990, at age 94.
Other publications:
Early life
Mildred Mary Petre was born at Coptfold Hall, ChelmsfordChelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, Essex, England on 10 November 1895, the daughter of Lawrence Petre, a descendant of Sir William Petre. In 1911, aged 15, she began her passion for motor vehicles by riding her brother’s Matchless
Matchless
Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models was produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc four-stroke twins...
motorcycle, travelling around Osterley
Osterley
Osterley is a district in the London Borough of Hounslow in west London. It is situated approximately west south-west of Charing Cross.Osterley lies north of the A4 and extends further northwards beyond the M4 Motorway...
, west London, with her collie
Collie
The collie is a distinctive type of herding dog, including many related landraces and formal breeds. It originates in Scotland and Northern England. It is a medium-sized, fairly lightly built dog with a pointed snout, and many types have a distinctive white pattern over the shoulders. Collies...
dog in the sidecar. At Hounslow court, she became the first woman to be convicted of a motoring offence in the UK. In 1920, she purchased her first car, an Enfield-Allday
Alldays & Onions
Alldays & Onions was an English automobile maker, it manufactured cars from 1898 to 1918. The cars were sold under the Alldays name. The company also built an early British built tractor, the Alldays General Purpose Tractor.-History:...
, and was prosecuted many times for speeding, including three days running at Bow Street Magistrates' Court
Bow Street Magistrates' Court
Bow Street Magistrates' Court was the most famous magistrates' court in England for much of its existence, and was located in various buildings on Bow Street in central London close to Covent Garden throughout its history.-History:...
.
In 1926, she married the Honourable Victor Austin Bruce, son of Henry Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare
Henry Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare
Henry Campbell Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare VD, DL, JP , styled The Honourable from 1873 to 1895, was a British soldier and peer.-Background:...
. He was a works driver for AC Cars Ltd, and he won the 1926 Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
in an AC car. They bore one son, Anthony (c.1927), and divorced in 1941.
Motor racing record breaking
She borrowed an AC SixAC Cars
AC Cars Group Ltd. formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd. is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car marques founded in Britain...
car (PF6465) from Selwyn Edge
Selwyn Edge
Selwyn Francis Edge was an Australian businessman, racing driver, and record-breaker. He is principally associated with selling and racing De Dion-Bouton, Gladiator; Clemént-Panhard, Napier and AC cars.-Personal life:...
, and started the 1927 Monte Carlo Rally from John O'Groats. After travelling 1,700 miles (2736 km) and 72 hours without sleeping, she finished sixth overall, and won the Coupe des Dames, for the women's class. On 28 January 1927, she departed Monte Carlo on an 8,000 miles (12,875 km) endurance trial through Italy, Sicily, Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, and France. There, she and her companions drove the car 1,000 miles (1609 km) around the Montlhéry oval circuit near Paris, then finally returned to England. On 9 July 1927, she departed from London in the same car (PF6465), once again accompanied by her husband plus a journalist and an engineer. They drove through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland , and finally planted a Union Jack flag about 250 miles (400 km) north of the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
. It was farther north than anyone had previously driven, a record that remained unbroken until the 21st century. On 9 December 1927, she and her husband, assisted by J.A. Joyce, started a 10-day endurance record in fog at Montlhéry, driving an AC Six fitted with a racing screen but minus roof, mudguards and lights. The average speed was 68 mph (109 km/h) over about 15,000 miles (24,140 km). On 6 June 1929, she drove a Bentley 4½ Litre at Montlhéry for 24 hours, to capture the world record for single-handed driving, averaging over 89 mph (142 km/h).
Powerboats
In 1929, she purchased an outboard speedboat, named it Mosquito, and raced it at events at the Welsh HarpWelsh Harp
Welsh Harp may refer to:* the triple harp, a traditional musical instrument also known as the Welsh harp* The Welsh Harp, the name of several pubs in England* the popular name of the Brent Reservoir* Welsh Harp railway station now disused...
reservoir. On 15 September 1929, she drove the boat from Dover across the English Channel to Calais, then decided to make it a non-stop double crossing back to Dover. The record-breaking round trip took 1 hr 47 min, and the manufacturer gave her a new boat to replace Mosquito that had almost destroyed itself. In October 1929, she borrowed a 23-foot boat named British Power Boats, and broke the 24-hours distance record by travelling 694 nautical miles in a course around a lightship and a yacht moored in the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
.
Around the world flight 1930
In June 1930, on a whim, she purchased a Blackburn Bluebird IVBlackburn Bluebird IV
|-See also:-External links:**...
via a London showroom. After delivery of the aircraft (G-ABDS) in late July 1930, she took her first flying lessons with Norman Blackburn
Norman Blackburn (aviation pioneer)
Captain Norman W G Blackburn , was a World War I pilot, director of Blackburn Aircraft, and pilot instructor.-World War I:...
at Brough aerodrome, went solo within a week, and soon built up 40 flying hours. On 25 September 1930, she named the aircraft "Bluebird" and took off on a round the world solo flight from Heston Aerodrome
Heston Aerodrome
Heston Aerodrome was a 1930s airfield located to the west of London, UK, operational between 1929 and 1947. It was situated on the border of the Heston and Cranford areas of Hounslow, Middlesex...
. She flew to Rangoon and then on to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and across the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
to Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Korea. On 24 November 1930, having covered 10,330 miles (16,625 km) in 25 flying days, she reached Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. She travelled by ship to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, where the Bluebird was re-assembled. She flew via Medford (Oregon)
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
, Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, San Diego and Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where she embarked on a ship bound for Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
. On 19 February 1931, she flew to Lympne Airport
Lympne Airport
Lympne Airport , , was a military and later civil airfield at Lympne, Kent, United Kingdom, which operated from 1916 to 1984. RFC Lympne was originally an acceptance point for aircraft being delivered to, and returning from, France during the First World War...
, having flown about 19,000 miles (30,577 km). She was the first person to fly from England to Japan, the first to fly across the Yellow Sea, and the first woman to fly around the world alone (crossing the oceans by ship). The five-month journey had been marked by forced landings beside the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, also at San Diego and Baltimore, a near-abduction by brigands, and a forced landing in a southeast Asian jungle during the monsoon. On 20 February 1931, she was given an aerial escort by Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson CBE, was a pioneering English aviator. Flying solo or with her husband, Jim Mollison, Johnson set numerous long-distance records during the 1930s...
, Winifred Spooner
Winifred Spooner
Winifred Evelyn Spooner was an English aviatrix of the 1920s and 1930s, and the winner of the Harmon Trophy as the world's outstanding aviatrix of 1929. She died aged 33 from pneumonia....
and others to Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
, where a reception of press and celebrities awaited her.
Air-to-air refuelling
In July 1932, she purchased a Saro WindhoverSaro Windhover
|-See also:-References:*Lewis, Peter. 1970. British Racing and Record-Breaking Aircraft. Putnam ISBN 0370000676*London, Peter. 1988. Saunders and Saro Aircraft Since 1917, Putnam ISBN 0-85177-814-3...
amphibious aircraft (G-ABJP), named it City of Portsmouth, and had the undercarriage temporarily removed. She also purchased a Bristol F.2
Bristol F.2 Fighter
The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
(G-ACXA), and had it converted as a refuelling tanker. During August 1932, over the Solent, she used the two aircraft in three failed attempts to break the world flight-refuelled endurance record. Her co-pilot was Flt Lt John B.W. Pugh AFC, later employed by Luxury Air Tours and Air Dispatch.
Flying circus
In early 1933, she was invited to join the British Hospital Air Pageants flying circus, and purchased the sole Miles SatyrMiles Satyr
-Bibliography:* Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0.* Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-37000-127-3....
(G-ABVG) in the name of her company Luxury Air Tours Ltd, for use in aerobatic displays. She also purchased a Fairey Fox
Fairey Fox
The Fairey Fox was a British light bomber and fighter biplane of the 1920s and 1930s. It was originally produced in Britain for the RAF, but continued in production and use in Belgium long after it was retired in Britain.-Fox I:...
(G-ACAS) from a scrapyard for £2 10s, plus £10 for an engine, then had it modified at Hanworth Aerodrome for passenger-carrying duties. She then trained and qualified for her commercial pilot's 'B' licence. The Fox crashed in July 1933, and she left the flying circus.
Cape Town autogiro attempt
On 25 November 1934, she took off from Lympne Airport in a Cierva C.30A autogiro (G-ACVX), headed for Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, in an attempt on the record for the longest autogiro flight, but the aircraft was damaged in France, and no further attempt followed.
Commercial aviation 1934 - 1939
On 7 August 1934, she founded Commercial Air Hire Ltd, that immediately started newspaper delivery flights between Croydon and Paris, using two DH.84 DragonDe Havilland Dragon
|-See also:-References:Bibliography ISBN 0-85177-813-5...
s. In 1935, Air Dispatch Ltd, that she had founded on 9 July 1934, started operating weekend freight (later also passenger) services from its base at Croydon Airport to Le Touquet and Paris - Le Bourget Airport. In April 1935, Commercial Air Hire started passenger shuttle services between Croydon and Heston airports, under the name Inner Circle Air Lines, using GAL Monospar ST-4s. In 1935, Commercial Air Hire purchased an Avro 642 Eighteen
Avro 642 Eighteen
-See also:...
16-seat airliner (G-ACFV) for newspaper delivery contracts, and Air Dispatch shared its use for bullion-carrying, excursions, joy-riding flights and scheduled passenger services, until mid-1936. She was co-managing director, with Eric E. Noddings, of both closely linked companies, that were merged in 1936 as Air Dispatch Ltd. During this period, the combined fleets of Air Dispatch and Commercial Air Hire, plus those of associated companies International Air Freight Ltd and Anglo European Airways, included GAL Monospar ST-4s, DH.84 Dragons, DH.89 Dragon Rapide
De Havilland Dragon Rapide
The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was a British short-haul passenger airliner of the 1930s.-Design and development:Designed by the de Havilland company in late 1933 as a faster and more comfortable successor to the DH.84 Dragon, it was in effect a twin-engined, scaled-down version of the...
s, DH.90 Dragonflies
De Havilland Dragonfly
-References:*The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft . London: Orbis Publishing.*Hayes, P & King, B. de Havilland biplane transports. Coulsden: Gatwick Aviation Society ISBN 0 95304132 8...
, Airspeed AS.6 Envoys
Airspeed Envoy
The Airspeed AS.6 Envoy was a British light, twin-engined transport aircraft designed and built by Airspeed Ltd. in the 1930s at Portsmouth Aerodrome, Hampshire.-Development and design:...
, plus other aircraft on lease, such as an Avro 618 Ten
Avro 618 Ten
-See also:-References:* Priest, Joan Virtue in Flying. 1975 Angus & Robertson ISBN 0207132305-External links:* —Image collection of Ed Coates...
.
In late 1936, she sold two of the DH.84 Dragons for a large amount of cash to a mystery man, and they were covertly exported for use in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. From 1936, Commercial Air Hire operated many of its DH.84 Dragons on Territorial Army co-operation exercises under contract to the British Army, involving night flying and searchlights.
Show jumping
In about 1938, she renewed her childhood interest in horses, and purchased a show jumper named Grand Manner. She rode him in shows at Olympia and Windsor.World War II
On the outbreak of war on 2 September 1939, her companies Commercial Air Hire Ltd and Air Dispatch Ltd moved with their fleets to Cardiff Municipal Airport, where, between September 1939 and April 1940, they operated under the control of National Air CommunicationsNational Air Communications
National Air Communications was a British government organisation that directed civilian flying operations from the outbreak of World War II until April 1940.-Pre-war preparations:...
. Subsequently, as part of the Civilian Repair Organisation, Air Dispatch rebuilt damaged RAF aircraft wings and whole aircraft at Cardiff, eventually employing about 700 people.
In 1945, the company attempted to return to commercial air services, but was thwarted by the dominance of the nationalised airlines: "So far only the more powerful of the independent operators have been approached, hoping that they will give away and so weaken our case," said the Hon. Mrs. Victor Bruce, of Air Dispatch. And somewhat dramatically she commented: "It is tantamount to going around with a cheque book and a hammer. I shall fight for our rights and independence to the end." Air Dispatch Ltd briefly manufactured bus bodies, but was finally wound up in 1946. Mrs Bruce's fortunes subsequently increased further via property investments.
Later life
In April 1974, at age 79, she test-drove a Ford Capri GhiaFord Capri
Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986...
at 110 mph (176 km/h) at Thruxton circuit. At age 81, after a brief refresher course in flying, she "looped the loop" in a De Havilland Chipmunk. Mildred Bruce died in 1990, at age 94.
Books
- The Hon Mrs Victor A Bruce. 1927. Nine Thousand Miles in Eight Weeks - Being an Account of an Epic Journey by Motor-Car through Eleven Countries and Two Continents. Heath Cranston Limited.
- The Hon Mrs Victor A Bruce. 1928. The Woman Owner-Driver. Collection of 14 essays on motoring for women. Iliffe and Sons.
- The Hon Mrs Victor A Bruce. 1930. The Peregrinations of Penelope, with 40 drawings by Joyce Dennys. Heath Cranston Limited.
- The Hon Mrs Victor A Bruce. 1931. The Bluebird's Flight. Chapman & Hall Ltd. 1931.
- The Hon Mrs Victor A Bruce. 1977. Nine Lives Plus - Record Breaking on Land, Sea and in the Air: an autobiographical account. Pelham Books ISBN 0720709741
Other publications:
- The Hon Mrs Victor A Bruce. 1928. Where Evening Joins the Dawn. (An account of her drive north of the Arctic Circle). The Oxford Annual for Girls, Tenth Year. Humphrey Milford; Oxford University Press. p. 9ff.
- Mrs Victor Bruce. Motoring in the Arctic: An adventurous trip through Sweden and Finland into Lappland and the Arctic circle.