Miller, Jessie Maude (1910–1972)
Miller, Jessie Maude (1910–1972)
Australian aviator. Name variations: Chubbie Miller; Mrs. Keith Miller. Born 1910 in Australia; died 1972 in London; m. Keith Miller.
Better known in America than her native Australia, was among air racing's top women contestants; made international news for record-breaking 13,000-mile flight from London to Australia with airman Bill Lancaster (1927), whose love for her would become legendary (though Miller and Lancaster were both married, they became lovers as well as flying partners, spending much of late 1920s together in US); in Miami, fell in love with writer Charles Haden Clarke who died from gunshot wound to the head after apparently leaving suicide note; after Lancaster was arrested for Clarke's murder, stood by him through trial (Aug 1932), at which he was found not guilty. While he was attempting another record, Lancaster disappeared (1933) and was not found until French Army discovered the wreckage decades later in African desert (1962); as he waited to die, he made final entry in logbook diary which spoke of his love for "Chubbie."