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.