I’ve just finished reading an outstanding book by a British author named Angela Waller titled Before There Were Trolley Dollies
However, this is not just a great read for those interested in aviation history. Everyone who flies, or is thinking of flying, should read this. Air travellers have come to take the miracle of flight for granted. “Before They Were Trolley Dollies” takes the reader back into the not too distant past and it really hits home how far we’ve come – sometimes not for the good.
The Book
Transparency note: The links in this article to buy the book at Amazon are affiliate links. By clicking through and purchasing the book, I stand to make a small commission and Angela sells another book. In advance, thank you if you’ve decided to go this route and purchase the book!
Waller published “Before They Were Trolley Dollies” in 2009. The book is a series of anecdotes from her career as an Air Hostess that spanned from 1957 to 1962. Some great questions are answered, including:
- How did Air Hostesses deal with members of the ‘Mile High Club’*** (see notes at bottom) in the early days of passenger flights?
- Have flight crews really had encounters with U.F.O.’s?
- What did Air Hostesses really think of their passengers and how did they deal with unruly or difficult passengers?
- How much romance went on between flight staff?
Now, a flight from London, England to Cape Town, South Africa takes a little over eleven hours, non-stop. In Angela’s day, destinations in Africa, further north and closer than South Africa, took two to three days, just one way. Slower, smaller, propeller powered planes flying at no more than 10,000 feet would need to stop over once or twice with crew and passengers actually leaving the airport to overnight at a hotel.
I want to hand this book out to every passenger on charters from Toronto to the Caribbean. It’s amazing on a modern 3-4 hour flight that the moment the ‘Fasten Seat Belts’ sign turns off, the carts are cramming the aisles and the lineup for the bathroom begins (and doesn’t stop until the plane starts to descend).
Judging by the traffic on our highways, we are able to sit tight for a lengthy car ride. Why can we not handle a short flight? What would these people do if we had to go back to the old way of travel? That’s my rant and I won’t let you forget it if you sit near me on a flight!
The Author
Angela Waller was born in Cheshire, England but moved to London at a young age. She was an Air Hostess from 1957 to 1962 with Hunting-Clan Air Transport and British United Airways. Hunting-Clan merged with Airwork Services in 1960 to form BUA.
Following her career as an Air Hostess, Waller took a job in Libya where she met her U.S. born husband. The two have lived in Libya, the U.S.A., Canada and, of course, the U.K. Angela has also published ‘The Snows of Yorkshire’.
Find Angela Waller around the World Wide Web:
Official Website: Angela Waller
Twitter: @AngelaWaller
Hunting-Clan Air Transport
Founded in 1946 as Hunting Air Travel, the name changed to Hunting Air Transport in 1951. In 1953, the name changed again to Hunting-Clan Air. The airline served the British Isles, Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa, flying out of Bovington Airport until 1955 and Heathrow (then known as London Airport) until 1960.
Hunting-Clan ceased in 1960 when the company merged with Airwork to form British United Airways. Airwork was founded in 1928 and strictly serviced Africa.
As for British United Airways, that company ceased in 1970 after merging with Caledonian Airways, an airline that was founded in 1961. The new airline was named British Caledonian and stayed intact until 1988 before being swallowed up by British Airways.
Interestingly, British Airways was founded in 1974 as the nation’s flag carrier airline. BA is just a child when compared to other countries flag carriers, like Qantas in Australia, founded in 1921; Air France founded in 1933; Air Canada founded in 1936 as Trans Canada Airlines and Germany’s Lufthansa founded in 1953.
Notes
*** My personal take on the Mile High Club. This is a myth fully created by Hollywood in movies and television where an airplane bathroom is much larger and is not completely disgusting. If you have engaged in ‘relations’ in an airplane lavatory, then by all means let us known by leaving a comment or sending an e-mail. In my opinion, the two involved would have to be quite small, both in height and girth, and would lack a sense of smell or touch.
