Lilian Bland : Short Biography

Lilian Bland was born in Kent, England on the 28th of September 1878. 

She lived in England, where she worked as a sports journalist, until the death of her mother when Lilian was 28 years old. Then, she and her father moved to the family home of Tobercorran House in the civil parish of Carnmoney in County Antrim. An avid photographer, Lilian enjoyed taking pictures of seabirds, something which would stoke her interest in flight. She became fascinated by planes and set about reworking an existing design and having her own plane constructed. 

Lilian's first plane was a success, and it encouraged her to push the boundaries of modern flight even further. She built a working glider, the design of which she constantly revised and tested until she felt that it was strong enough to carry an engine. Her first successful flight took place in August 1910 when her homemade plane managed a short lift off the ground which she maintained for about 30 miles. Though this may not have been as impressive as the achievements of the Wright brothers, it did make Lilian the first woman in Ireland to fly a plane, and it made her aircraft the first powered biplane in the country. She continued to push the boundaries of ingenuity by adding a 20 horsepower engine to her homemade plane. With this addition the plane was now able to fly for more than a quarter of a mile at an altitude of 30 feet. Further attempts led to longer and higher flights, but it was that first flight in August 1910 which made history. 

Lillian briefly went into business as a plane builder, advertising her biplanes for £250 and her gliders for £80.

She later married and migrated to Canada but returned to the UK in 1935.

Lilian died on 11th of May 1971 at the age of 91. She is commemorated by a blue plaque at the family home in Carmoney.