Who is Jean Batten? Jean Batten Photos, Pictures, Bios
Jean Gardner Batten CBE OSC (15 September 1909 – 22 November 1982) was a New Zealand aviator. Born in Rotorua, she became the best-known New Zealander of the 1930s, internationally, by making a number of record-breaking solo flights across the world. She made the first-ever solo flight from England to New Zealand in 1936.
Jean Batten
Jean Batten in 1937
Full name
Jean Gardner Batten
Born
15 September 1909
Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand
Died
22 November 1982 (aged 73)
Palma, Majorca, Spain
Cause of death
Complications following dog bite
Nationality
New Zealand
Spouse
(never married)
Aviation career
Known for
Record breaking trans-world flights
Jean Batten
Biography
Jane Batten (named "Jane" at birth, her name soon morphed into "Jean") was born to Frederick Batten, a dental surgeon, and Ellen Batten (who would become her strong supporter in her choice of a piloting career). She had two older brothers. In 1913 the family moved to Auckland. In 1924 Batten was enrolled into a girls' boarding college in Remuera in Auckland where she studied ballet and piano. Though she was a gifted pianist, at age 18 she determined to become a pilot after the Australian pilot Charles Kingsford Smith took her for a flight in his Southern Cross airplane. In 1929 she and her mother moved to England, to join the London Aeroplane Club. She took her first solo flight in 1930 and gained private and commercial licences by 1932, borrowing £500 from Fred Truman, a New Zealand pilot serving in the Royal Air Force who wanted to marry her, to fund the 100 hours flying time required. After completing her "B" license in December 1932, she left Truman and turned to Victor Dorée, who borrowed £400 from his mother to buy Batten a Gipsy Moth biplane. According to NZ History Online, "Raising money by taking advantage of her relationships with men was a theme that continued throughout her flying career."
Jean Batten
Major flights
1934 – England – Australia (women's record) 16,900 kilometres (10,500 mi) in 14 days 22 hours 30 minutes, breaking Amy Johnson's record by over four days.
1935 – Australia – England in 17 days 15 hours. First woman ever to make a return flight.
1935 – England – Brazil: 8,000 km (5,000 mi) in 61 hours 15 minutes, setting world record for any type of aeroplane. Also fastest crossing South Atlantic Ocean, 131⁄4 hours, and first woman to make England – South America flight.
1936 – England – New Zealand. World record for any type. 22,891 km (14,224 mi) in 11 days 45 minutes total elapsed time, including 21⁄2 days in Sydney.
Houses in Macleans College, Howick Intermediate, Pukekohe Intermediate School, Westlake Girls High School, Southland Girls' High School, Forrest Hill School, Tauranga Girls' College and Wellington Girls' College are named after her, as is Batten (Blue) House at Orewa College and in the whanau system of Aorere College in South Auckland. A primary school in Mangere is named after her as are streets in Auckland, Christchurch, Mount Maunganui, Wellington, Wallington and in her birthplace of Rotorua. The historic Jean Batten building on the corner of Fort and Shortland streets in Auckland has been incorporated into the new Bank of New Zealand head office building, and the Auckland Airport International Terminal is named after her. The Percival Gull G-ADPR in which she made the first solo trip from England to New Zealand in 1936 and many other record-breaking trips now hangs in the Jean Batten International Terminal.
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Great Britain)
Officer of the Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil)
Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (France)
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