Robert Glass, Linen Merchant, Lurgan, Portadown & Belfast

[traynorm]

Hello Kirker,
Thank you for your reply.
My interest lies in the other side of the Matier / Glass family.
I am specifically interested in Henry Matier Glass born 1875. He was the son of Robert Glass that married Sarah Jane Brown.
I am particularly interested to chat with descendants of that line.
Thank you
Michael.

[HelenGlass]

Have only just come across this - my husband's grandfather was William Glass who was killed in WW1 near Ypres.  I have some information and photos concerning members of the family.

[traynorm]

Hello Helen,
Many thanks for your reply.
Was he the same William that was killed at the Battle of Arras on 23 April 1917?
If so, I would be delighted to hear from you.
William was a brother of Henry Glass who was the father to the two female pilots that I researched.
Regards
Michael.

[HelenGlass]

Yes, that's right.  William had 4 sons and I knew 2 of them.  They lived in the Isle of Man during their early years, after leaving Belfast, but left the island by the time WW2 broke out.

[traynorm]

Yes, that's what I have as well. William's wife Harriet had moved to the Isle of Man with their 4 sons when WW1 broke out.

William's brother Henry had two daughters, Mabel & Sheila. They are the two ladies that I researched.
Which means your husband's father was Mabel & Sheila's first cousin.

Did you have much information handed down about those two female pilots of the 1930s?

[HelenGlass]

I know very little about William Glass's siblings.  After William's death his wife and children eventually permanently left Belfast because of the Troubles.  His wife (Harriet) Phoebe was from the Isle of Man originally, so returned there to live with her brother Edward and her father Arthur Edward at Ballaglass Farm.  I'm currently researching one of Edward's sons, another Edward, who preferred to join the RAF rather than run the family farm.  He was a bomber pilot and was awarded a DFC.  I wondered where the interest in flying came from - maybe he followed in the footsteps of his female cousins? I would love to know more about them. My father-in-law also joined the RAF but as a doctor, not a pilot.  My husband's nephew is also a pilot with a well-known airline.

[traynorm]

Gosh, aviation certainly runs in the Glass family !!
Mabel & Sheila got their Pilot's Certificates in 1934.
Mabel was a successful ferry pilot with the ATA during WW2.
Henry died in 1947 and his wife and 2 daughters emigrated to South Africa for the remainder of their lives.
Do you live in Northern Ireland Helen?
I'm in Dublin. My email address is ^(*).
The two sisters will be a chapter in a book I am shortly to publish about Irish female pilots pre-WW2, i.e. during the 1920s & 1930s.
Mabel & Sheila were introduced to flying by Amy Johnson who brought them flying in 1931. But the girls were too young to take lessons then. (born 1913 & 1914).
I purchased a treasure trove of WW2 flying memorabilia about Mabel from a lady in South Africa a couple of years ago. 

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