Canadian Aviatrix #84 – Mabel Maxwell (1911-1989)

Mabel Catherine Maxwell was born on 18 November 1911 in Detroit, Michigan, to William Alexander Maxwell (engineer then farmer) and Emily Ethel Core.

Mabel was a schoolteacher in Port Credit. Upon the outbreak on war, she started taking ground school and flying lessons from Helen Harrison, so she’d be ready serve the country. The women didn’t expect to be accepted by the RCAF, but they thought there might be a shortage of male commercial pilots.

On 9 January 1941, Mabel passed her flying test and received her PPL, making her the 84th female pilot in Canada. She was 29 years old.

Photo: The Victoria Daily Times (October 23, 1940)

Mabel applied to be a ferry pilot for the US Air Force, but was turned down due to being Canadian. She worked as an expediter for research industries in Toronto.

In 1945, Mabel married Stewart Samuel Crampton (RCAF Flight Sergeant). They had three children.

Mabel continued to teach, both at school and in Sunday School. She painted, curled, and was a Girl Guide leader.

Mabel died in 1989, aged 77.

Note: Mabel was listed with an asterisk in No Place for a Lady – meaning the author hadn’t been able to find her. I just had “M. Maxwell” and the date of her PPL.