Sir Abe Bailey, Rand mine magnate and politician, marries Mary Westenra, pioneer aviatrix

Date: 5 Sep 1911
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Sir Abe Bailey, Rand mine magnate and politician, marries Mary Westenra, pioneer aviatrix

Sir Abe Bailey, a prominent politician and mine magnate, married Mary Westenra on 5 September 1911, and together they settled in Johannesburg. Lady Mary Bailey, as she was later known, received her pilot's certificate in 1926, and in 1927 she set a world altitude record for light aircraft, by reaching a height of 18, 000 ft. (m). She was also the first woman to fly across the Irish Sea. Her most famous achievement was a solo flight from London to the Cape and back in 1928. Her return journey included many stops, but she was the first pilot to complete the outward and inwards journey solo. In 1928 she received a trophy from the International Aviation League, for champion aviatrix of the world. In 1930, she was awarded a DBE (Dame of the British Empire) for her aviation achievements.

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How we know this

01Potgieter, D.J et al (eds) (1970) Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, NASOU: Cape Town, vol. 2 pg. 5
02Wallis, F. (2000) Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Sir Abe Bailey, Rand mine magnate and politician, marries Mary Westenra, pioneer aviatrix. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011340

South African History Online (2011) 'Sir Abe Bailey, Rand mine magnate and politician, marries Mary Westenra, pioneer aviatrix', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011340 (Accessed: 23 July 2026).

South African History Online, Sir Abe Bailey, Rand mine magnate and politician, marries Mary Westenra, pioneer aviatrix [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011340, (accessed 23 July 2026).

"Sir Abe Bailey, Rand mine magnate and politician, marries Mary Westenra, pioneer aviatrix." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011340. Accessed 23 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Sir Abe Bailey, Rand mine magnate and politician, marries Mary Westenra, pioneer aviatrix." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011340.