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The woman who broke more than 100 flying records

Gavin KermackWorcester
News imageMirrorpix / Getty A black-and-white image of a woman with a 1960s hairstyle standing in front of a small aircraft. She is smiling and is holding a large bouquet of flowers.Mirrorpix / Getty
Sheila Scott returned from her record-breaking flight around the world on 20 June 1966

She may no longer be a household name - but at least one glass will be raised this weekend in honour of Sheila Scott, the so-called "Queen of the Skies".

Born Sheila Hopkins in Worcester in 1922, Scott took up flying in her late 30s and went on to break more than 100 aviation records.

This weekend marks 60 years since she became the first British person to fly solo around the world - a feat still remembered by her relative, David Turner.

"At the time people were aware of her, but then she was almost forgotten about," he said. "I really don't know the reason for that."

News imageDavid Turner An old black-and-white photo of a man wearing a suit with a white shirt and a dark tie. He has dark curly hair, greased into a side parting, and is holding a pipe in his mouth with his hand on the bowl.David Turner
Turner's father John was Scott's first cousin

On 20 June 1966, Scott landed her Piper Comanche, Myth Too, at Heathrow - then known as London Airport - having spent over a month circumnavigating the globe.

Not only was it the first solo round-the-world flight by a Briton, at 30,000 miles (48,000km), it was also the longest solo flight ever made.

Turner's father was Scott's cousin, and he remembers her visiting him at his childhood home in Worcester.

News imageDavid Turner An old black-and-white photograph of a young girl with short hair in a bob, with a younger boy with light curly hair and a woman with short dark hair. They appear to be sitting in a garden. The picture is labelled: "SHEILA, JOHN, EDNA"David Turner
Scott and Turner's father both grew up in Worcester

"She was a larger-than-life character," said Turner, who was five years old at the time of the feat. "She used to come out of the plane in her high heels.

"I always remember her being a chain-smoker as well.

"At a time when it was unusual for a woman to do what she did - and sometimes some of the publicity she got was very patronising - I admired what she did.

"I even did a project on her at school."

News imageDavid Turner Two old black-and-white photographs of a young girl with dark bobbed hair, side-by-side in an album. In one picture she is standing with her hands clasped and is wearing a white frilly dress. In the other she is wearing what looks like a black bathing suit and is sitting on some grass.David Turner
Scott was born and grew up in Worcester

In her heyday, Scott was well-known enough to appear on the BBC's Woman's Hour, Desert Island Discs - choosing tobacco seeds as her luxury - and This Is Your Life.

But she was not always comfortable with the trappings of fame.

"She was not impressed," remembered Turner of the day she was handed the famous red book. "It wasn't her sort of thing really.

"I think she was always a little bit suspicious of the media."

News imageDavid Turner A page from an old newspaper with the headline "SHEILA SCOTT'S EPIC FLIGHT". The article includes a picture of a small plane. A sub-headline reads: "Petrol leaking, but I had to fly on".David Turner
Scott's plane, Myth Too, was displayed outside the Daily Mirror's headquarters following her return

On her return from her flight around the world, Scott's beloved Myth Too was comandeered by the Mirror newspaper, which had sponsored her effort.

"They wanted the plane she flew in displayed outside their building," said Turner. "And to achieve this, they had to take the wings off.

"She was not happy with that.

"She used to talk to the planes. So they were like another human being, really."

News imageDavid Turner A letter addressed to "My dear David", thanking him for his "very nice letter". There is also a postcard with various stamps on it, and a photograph of the woman from the above picture in the cockpit of a plane. At the bottom of the picture it reads: "To David, with love from Cousin Sheila".David Turner
Scott often sent mementos of her trips to Turner

Despite her celebrity, Scott remained close to her family.

"She was great to us as kids," said Turner. "She always seemed to take an interest in what we were doing at school, what sports we did, rather than being an adult who just talked to your parents.

"I've got signed photographs from her. I was also a big stamp collector as a child and she sent me a first-day cover regarding one of the flights she did."

News imageBBC / Gavin Kermack A man with short light brown curly hair, wearing a check-patterned shirt, standing in front of a leafy green tree on a sunny day.BBC / Gavin Kermack
Turner has fond memories of his famous relative

Turner added that Scott's name was slowly making its way back into the public consciousness, with a talk on her career at Worcester's Hive library earlier this year selling out well in advance.

"Her old school, Alice Ottley, put a plaque up alongside Elgar's plaque, but that only went up three years ago.

"It was a shame because my father passed away four years ago. It would have been nice if he'd been there to see that.

"He frequently said that Worcester should recognise Sheila a lot more.

"But it's good now that people are taking an interest."

On Saturday, Turner will be remembering the feats of aviation performed by his famous relative and raising a glass to her.

"Yes, we'll toast Sheila," he said. "I think I ought to, really, shouldn't I?"

News imageStroud / Getty A black-and-white image of a woman with a 1960s hairstyle wearing sunglasses and sitting in the cockpit of a small aircraft. She is smiling and waving at the camera.Stroud / Getty
Scott broke more than 100 records in her aviation career

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