Celebrity and royalty-packed memorabilia collected aboard Concorde – the world’s first commercial supersonic airliner – and royal flights has been uncovered.
The late Elizabeth Evans (nee Yarwood), from Moseley, Birmingham, served as cabin crew for British Airways for 28 years from 1970. Her proudest achievement was crewing Concorde during the 1980s and 90s when everyone who was anyone wanted to experience flying at twice the speed of sound. Such was Concorde’s capability it could travel from London to New York in around three hours.
The memorabilia, inherited by Elizabeth’s niece Jo Smallwood, includes signed menu cards and autographs from some of the world’s biggest stars such as singers Rod Stewart and Cliff Richard, actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Patrick Swayze and tennis champions Virginia Wade and Billie Jean King.
But serving royalty provided Elizabeth with her proudest moments. In 1989 during a British Airways Royal Flight (not Concorde) her VIP guests were Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during a tour of Singapore and Malaysia. Elizabeth was awarded a certificate to commemorate the occasion.
Her memorabilia is expected to fly high under the hammer in Hansons Auctioneers’ August 15-20 Antiques and Collectors’ sale. It is being guided at £400-£600.
Jo, 53, a retired police officer, from Solihull, West Midlands, said: “I was aware of some of the things Elizabeth had kept from her career with BA but nothing on this scale. She married late in life, moving to Devon and finally Hermanus in South Africa. The objects were found there in her study following her death at the age of 70 in 2017. I came across them when I travelled to South Africa to arrange the funeral.
“Having found this treasure trove relating to my aunt’s career and experiences with BA, especially the fantastic trips on Concorde and serving the Queen, I found it sad that none of it had seen the light of day. I believe this collection is a little piece of history that should be shared and enjoyed by somebody.”
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “Elizabeth’s archive sweeps us back in time to the 1970s, 80s and 90s when flying on Concorde was a luxurious privilege enjoyed by the wealthy jet-set. Celebrities flocked to use its services and carrying royalty was the norm. Service had to be first class.
“Elizabeth was clearly highly regarded by BA because she served some of the most important people in the world. Take that 1989 British Airways Royal Flight. Her memorabilia includes confidential instructions on how to care for our late Queen and Prince Philip – right down to the sweets Her Majesty preferred on take-off.
“The Queen liked to have a bowl of Velva mints at hand and in her dressing room. The instructions also stated she, ‘tends to like a Martini before her guests arrive’. Royal comforts included having her own pillows and her dresser made up her bed. Also, if Her Majesty was asleep prior to landing cabin crew were instructed not to not disturb her. She should be left in her bed.
“Though that particular flight was not on Concorde, Queen Elizabeth II closely followed Concorde’s development. She enjoyed her first supersonic flight in 1977 and used the aircraft for state visits. The Queen of the Skies was seen as fitting transport for the Queen of the Realm. In 1991, Charles and Diana, then the Prince and Princess of Wales, also flew on Concorde during a trip to Omar and Pakistan.
“Elizabeth amassed momentos during what must have been a very fulfilling career. Her memorabilia captures the life and times of Concorde at its height and the detail that went into luxury travel with British Airways. No VIP wish was too small to be accommodated. Even smoking was permitted on board back then.”
Auction: The Concorde memorabilia, Lot 3402, will be offered in Hansons Auctioneers’ August 15-20 Derbyshire Antiques and Collectors Auction.
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Concorde: The world’s first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial plane was a French-British collaboration. The first transatlantic crossing was on September 26, 1973. Scheduled passenger services launched on January 21, 1976. Concorde flew all over the world offering a maximum cruising speed of 2,179 km (1,354 miles) per hour, or Mach 2.04 (more than twice the speed of sound). However, financial losses led to routes being cut, eventually leaving New York City as the only regular destination. Operations ceased in 2003 because development costs were so great Concorde could never be profitable.
