Maxine
"Blossom" Miles, born 19 October 1901 as Maxine Forbes-Robertson, was a
British aviation engineer, socialite, and businesswoman. She was born
into a well-known family of actors. She became interested in aviation in
the 1920s, and married her flight instructor, Fred .G. Miles. Together
they eventually founded Miles Aircraft Ltd, where she was also a
draughtswoman.
Maxine
Forbes-Robertson was born 19 October 1901 to Johnston Forbes-Robertson
and his wife, the former Gertrude Elliott, both actors. Her father was
an acclaimed artiste, and his family was at the heart of London society.
A privileged but grounded upbringing ensured that "Blossom", as she was
known in her family, was able to develop her intellectual, sporting and
artistic abilities to the full, despite losing an eye at an early age.
She was no stranger to the theatre and appeared on the London stage with
members of her family on occasion.
Maxine
spent her early years with her sisters Jean, Chloe and Diana at
Hartsbourne Manor, the home of her aunt Maxine Elliott, a wing of which
was used exclusively by Miles's parents. The house, formerly the family
seat of Sir Thomas Thompson is now a private members' golf club. The
Forbes-Robertsons' main family home was located at 22 Bedford Square in
the heart of London's Bloomsbury district.
Maxine
Forbes-Robertson was a contemporary of novelist Barbara Cartland, with
whom she was presented in 1919 as a debutante. Cartland said of
Forbes-Robertson ""I do believe that once you know something nasty you
can't erase it. That's why when I had my children ... I wouldn't read
any racy novels -- because Blossom Forbes-Robertson, who `came out' with
me in 1919, was born with an empty eye socket after her mother acted
the role of a one-eyed woman during pregnancy. So I just tried to think
beautiful thoughts."
As
a 'bright young thing' along with Lady Diana Cooper and Elsa Maxwell,
Forbes-Robertson organised 'treasure hunt' parties across London.
Maxine
married Captain the Hon. Inigo Brassey Freeman-Thomas, 2nd Marquess of
Willingdon, son of Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
and Lady Marie Adelaide Brassey, on 8 October 1924.
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| The Hon. Inigo Brassey Freeman-Thomas, 2nd Marquess of Willingdon |
Her married name became Maxine Freeman-Thomas. Maxine Elliott (her Aunt) gave Freeman-Thomas a $500,000 dowry on announcement of her marriage, and the couple lived for a time in Miss Elliot's Regents Park home. Maxine's sister, Diana, was to write that Maxine Elliott had swept her neice's first marriage out of the hands of her parents.
In
February 1931 the couple were having a low-wing monoplane built at
Shoreham Airport. They planned to fly to India, where Freeman-Thomas's
father had been appointed Viceroy.
On
7 December 1931, The New York Times reported that Viscount Ratendone
(I.B. Freeman-Thomas) was seeking a divorce from Viscountess Ratendone
(Maxine Freeman-Thomas). Inigo Freeman-Thomas named Fred .G. Miles,
flying instructor, as co-defendant with Maxine in an undefended suit and
was granted a decree nisi. Maxine and Inigo Brassey Freeman-Thomas were
divorced in 1932.
Both
Maxine and Freeman-Thomas had been members of the Southern Aero Club of
Shoreham, where Fred .G. Miles was a director and instructor. He and
Blossom fell in love, but when news broke of their affair Miles flew his
Simmonds Spartan aircraft to South Africa to escape the situation and
to consider his position. He realized he couldn't live without Blossom,
and almost immediately he returned, and he and Maxine were soon wed on
August 6th, 1932.
They went on to have 2 children together. In the early days of their
marriage they lived in a caravan. Blossom hated cooking and Fred loved
it. He hated washing up, so she always did it. They shared a passionate a
love of planes and aviation, and worked together for the rest of their
lives as a brilliant team.
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| FRED G MILES |
Maxine gained her aviation certificate (Royal Aero Club certificate 9585) through her membership in the Southern Aero Club. One of the first aircraft she owned was a De Havilland DH.60X Cirrus II, registered G-EBZG, in 1928. It was damaged on landing at Shoreham, sold to Southern Aircraft Ltd, and rebuilt.
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| MAXINE AT WORK AS A DRAUGHTSWOMAN |
Of the aircraft Blossom helped design, the Miles Sparrowhawk is one of the most notable. F.G. Miles decided to compete in the 1935 King’s Cup Air Race and the job of producing a suitable aircraft fell to Maxine, who had just eight weeks to produce an aeroplane. With neither the time or the facilities to create something from scratch, she took a Miles Hawk, shortened the fuselage, improved the streamlining, reduced the wingspan by 5 ft, reduced the height of the undercarriage, moved the legs outwards and away from the propeller slipstream and, finally, installed extra tanks to enable the 140 hp Gypsy Major engine to complete the 953 mile course without a re-fuelling stop.
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| MAXINE AND FRED AT WORK |
"Blossom" served as one of five commissioners of the Civil Air Guard which was established in July 1938 to encourage and subsidise pilot training. Formed around civilian flying clubs, subsidised tuition was offered in exchange for an 'honourable undertaking' that in times of emergency, members would serve in the Royal Air Force Reserve.
With
the coming of World War II, Blossom anticipated the need for women in
the aircraft workforce in positions other than secretaries and typists.
Women trained by her in the company’s Experimental Department’s
Liverpool Road drawing office became known as “Blossom’s Babies
With
aircraft development becoming more specialized during WWII, Blossom
left the direct design work to others. She expanded company benefits to
include newsletters, amateur dramatics with the Aerodrome Players and
other morale-building efforts.
During
WWII Blossom also returned briefly to the theatre, designing costumes
for a revival of the show "Berkeley Square" at the Vaudeville theatre in
London.
Maxine
was a director of Phillip and Powis Aircraft Ltd, and later, when that
company was purchased by her husband and brother-in-law, a shareholder
of Miles Aircraft Ltd.
Within
the Miles company, Blossom Miles was a draughtswoman as well as looking
after the social and welfare issues faced by the rapidly expanding
company.
In 1943 The Miles Aeronautical Technical School opened under her directorship.
The
couple's contemporary luxury home, Lands End in Twyford was also a
beautiful and stylish piece of modern design which reflected Blossom's
tastes.
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| Maxine and Fred's home, Lands End in Twyford |
Caught up in post-war British economic doldrums, Miles Aircraft went bankrupt in 1947.
F.G. Miles died in 1976, aged 73 and Blossom died at aged 82 in 1984.
FURTHER READING: Blossom: A Biography of Mrs F.G. Miles, by Jean M. Fostekew, Cirrus Associates, 1998.
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