Pioneering Collection

Amelia Earhart, pioneering aviator, with plane
Amelia Mary Earhart (1897-1937), American pioneering aviator, standing in front of her plane. Date: circa 1930s

Amy Johnson - pioneering English pilot
Amy Johnson (later Mollison) CBE (1903-1941) - pioneering English pilot who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia

Farmers Ploughing a field on Lealholm Hall Farm, Whitby. c. 1889 (photo)
3091121 Farmers Ploughing a field on Lealholm Hall Farm, Whitby. c.1889 (photo) by Sutcliffe, Frank Meadow (1853-1941); Private Collection; (add.info)

Amy Johnson CBE (1903-1941) - pioneering English female pilot - pictured standing in front of her Gipsy Moth just before she undertook a 19-day solo flight to Australia

The four wooden Marconi wireless towers at Poldhu, Mullion, Cornwall. Before 1912
A view of the four wooden 200ft Marconi towers at Poldhu, built by early 1902, showing the guide wires and signal station buildings. View from across the beach at Poldhu

Marie Curie - Nobel Prize-winning Polish Scientist
Marie Curie (1867-1934) - Polish Scientist, twice the recipient of the Nobel Prize for her pioneering research on radioactivity, the first woman Nobel winner. Date: 1911

Apollo spacecraft at the Moon, artwork
Apollo spacecraft at the Moon. Artwork of the Apollo Lunar Module (LM, left, gold) and the Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM, right, grey) at the Moon, with the Earth in the background

First geological map of Britain, 1815 C016 / 5683
First geological map of Britain, detail of the north east coast (figure 8). This map was published in 1815 by British geologist William Smith (1769-1839)

Schizonema Smithii, ca. 1853. Creator: Anna Atkins
Schizonema Smithii, ca. 1853

The four wooden Marconi wireless towers at Poldhu, Mullion, Cornwall. 10th June 1908
A view of the four wooden 200ft Marconi towers at Poldhu, built by early 1902, showing the guide wires and signal station buildings

Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, 1963
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova preparing to become the first woman in space. Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova (born 1937) flew solo in the Vostok 6 spacecraft on 16 June 1963

Lovell radio telescope. This large radio telescope dish is located at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, UK. It has a diameter of 76 metres

Installation of Vostok spacecraft
Vostok spacecraft installation. Workers installing a Vostok spacecraft. Vostok were Soviet spacecraft used as part of the Vostok programme, which flew six manned spaceflights between 1961 and 1963

Launch of Vostok 1 spacecraft, 1961
Launch of Vostok 1 spacecraft. Close-up of the exhaust flames of the rocket launching Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968) into orbit from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on 12 April 1961

Vostok 1 Soviet spacecraft
Vostok (Russian осток, translated as "East") was a family of rockets derived from the Soviet R-7 Semyorka ICBM designed for the humanspaceflight programme but later used for other sputnik

Yuri Gagarin, Soviet cosmonaut
Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968), soviet cosmonaut and first man in space. Gagarin made the first manned space flight on 12 April 1961

Ezra Meeker dressed as a Frontiersman
Ezra Meeker, the self-appointed champion of the Oregon Trail, seen here dressed as a Frontiersman. Date: 20th century

Einstein and Eddington, 1930
Einstein and Eddington. German-born physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955), at left, was famous for his theories of relativity

Yuri Gagarin driving through London, UK
Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968), Soviet cosmonaut and first man in space, driving through London, UK, in an open-top car. Gagarin made the first manned space flight on 12 April 1961

Soyuz docking mission, news reports, 1969
Front-page Western news reports on the Soviet Soyuz docking mission of January 1969, the first time two manned spacecraft had docked

German WWII ramjet engine blueprint. This design, for the propulsor ramjet engine to be mounted on top of a Dornier Do 217 E-2 heavy bomber, dates from 1942

Vostok rocket, Moscow, Russia
Vostok (Russian осток, translated as "East") was a family of rockets derived from the Soviet R-7 Semyorka ICBM designed for the humanspaceflight programme but later used for other sputnik

Eugen Sandow, in classical ancient Greco-Roman pose, c. 1894 (b / w photo)
DGC437487 Eugen Sandow, in classical ancient Greco-Roman pose, c.1894 (b/w photo) by Falk, Benjamin J. (1853-1925); Private Collection; (add.info)

A distant view of the four wooden Marconi wireless towers at Poldhu, Mullion
A distant view, taken from Mullion Cove, of the four wooden 200ft Marconi towers, signal station and Poldhu Hotel at Poldhu. This four mast arrangement was built by early 1902

View from the terrace of Monsieur Franklin at Passy of the first flight under the
XIR161020 View from the terrace of Monsieur Franklin at Passy of the first flight under the direction of Monsieur de Montgolfier, 21st November 1783 (coloured engraving) by French School

Pioneer Woman Sculpture
English born sculptor Bryant Baker (1881 - 1970), putting the finishing touches to his famous sculpture Pioneer Woman now at Ponca City Museum, Oklahoma, U.S.A. Date: 1930

Spacecraft model, Soviet exhibition, 1927
Spacecraft model from a Soviet exhibition held in 1927. This interplanetary spacecraft model was built by the Baltic German Soviet rocket engineer Friedrich Zander (18871933)

Tatler cover - Rosita Forbes
Front cover of The Tatler featuring a photograph of Rosita Forbes (1893-1967) British traveller and author (later Mrs. A. T. McGrath)

Sketch cover featuring Amelia Earhart by Olive Snell
Portrait of pioneering American aviator, Amelia Earhart (1897 - 1937) by society portraitist Olive Snell on the front cover of The Sketch magazine. Date: 1928

Wright Model A aircraft flight, 1909 C017 / 7837
Wright Model A aircraft flight, 1909. US aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright (1867-1912) taking off in a Wright Model A, one of several aircraft built by him and his brother Orville Wright (1871-1948)

Blanchard and Jeffries crossing English Channel
Jean-Pierre Blanchard and Dr John Jeffries crossing the English Channel by balloon. They left Dover, crossed the sea, and landed near Blanay, between Calais and Boulogne

Early car, 1904 Buick. This photograph is from a collection of Buick photographs dating from 1904 to 1938

German WWII ramjet bomber blueprint. This design, for a propulsor ramjet engine mounted on top of a Dornier Do 217 E-2 heavy bomber, dates from 1942

Early telephone, historical artwork
Early telephone. Historical artwork of three men gathered around an early telephone. The man at right is talking into the speaking tube

Demonstration of the wireless telephone, June 1920. In the 1920s, broadcasting was still in its infancy, with radio transmitters and receivers owned only by amateur enthusiasts

Le Port des Francais, Alaska, from Voyage de La Perouse
CHT169018 Le Port des Francais, Alaska, from Voyage de La Perouse, July 1786 (pen & ink and wash on paper) (see also 375728) by Duche de Vancy, Gaspard (d.1788); Service Historique de la Marine

Patriotic poster, Buy British - Britain Always First
Britain Always First - poster celebrating Britihs achievements in breaking speed records on land, water, air and rail. Part of a government campaign to tackle a balance of payments crisis

Cladostephus spongiosus, ca. 1853. Creator: Anna Atkins
Cladostephus spongiosus, ca. 1853

Thomas Newcomen, English engineer C017 / 7122
Thomas Newcomen (1664-1729), English engineer, with a diagram of his atmospheric engine of 1712. Newcomen was an ironmonger from Dartmouth, and also a Baptist lay preacher

Otto Lilienthal and glider, 1895. Otto Lilienthal (1848-1896) was a German aviation pioneer, who became known as the Glider King for his many experiments with gliders

Infra red photographs by Professor Wood
A selection of landscapes photographed using infra-red rays, the result of pioneering work by Professor Robert Williams Wood whose pictures were exhibited at the Royal Society of Photography in 1911

Vicenzo Lunardi, 1754-1806. Italian pioneering aeronaut and inventor (engraving)
6118004 Vicenzo Lunardi, 1754-1806. Italian pioneering aeronaut and inventor (engraving); Photo © Ken Welsh. All rights reserved 2024.

James Syme
3586117 James Syme; (add.info.: Portrait of James Syme (1799-1870) a pioneering Scottish surgeon. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

James Syme
3586118 James Syme; (add.info.: Portrait of James Syme (1799-1870) a pioneering Scottish surgeon. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Engraving depicting Francesco Lana de Terzi's flying boat concept
5309136 Engraving depicting Francesco Lana de Terzi's flying boat concept; (add.info.: Engraving depicting Francesco Lana de Terzi's flying boat concept)

John Wilkinson
3585875 John Wilkinson; (add.info.: Portrait of John Wilkinson (1728-1808) an English industrialist. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

A helicopter design by Enrico Forlanini
3732880 A helicopter design by Enrico Forlanini; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a helicopter design by Enrico Forlanini (1848-1930) an Italian engineer, inventor, and aeronautical pioneer

A helicopter designed by J Melikoff
3732879 A helicopter designed by J Melikoff; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a helicopter designed by French inventor J. Melikoff. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

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"Pioneering: Breaking Barriers and Shaping History through Courageous Endeavors" Amy Johnson - A trailblazing English pilot who fearlessly took to the skies, defying gender norms and inspiring generations of women aviators. Amelia Earhart - An iconic figure in aviation history, she pushed boundaries as a pioneering aviator, leaving an indelible mark on the world with her daring spirit. Amy Johnson CBE (1903-1941) - Captured in this image standing tall, she symbolizes the resilience and determination of female pilots during a time when their achievements were often overlooked. The four wooden Marconi wireless towers at Poldhu, Mullion, Cornwall - These structures stand as silent witnesses to the groundbreaking advancements made in communication technology before 1912. Marie Curie - A Nobel Prize-winning Polish scientist whose groundbreaking research on radioactivity revolutionized our understanding of physics and medicine. First geological map of Britain, 1815 - This remarkable map represents a milestone in scientific exploration, revealing the intricate layers that shape our land and providing invaluable knowledge for future generations. Apollo spacecraft at the Moon (artwork) - Symbolizing humanity's audacious leap into space exploration, this artwork captures the pioneering spirit that led us to set foot on another celestial body. Farmers ploughing a field on Lealholm Hall Farm, Whitby c. 1889 (photo) - Depicting agricultural pioneers working tirelessly to cultivate their land amidst changing times; they embody perseverance and adaptability. Schizonema Smithii ca. , 1853 by Anna Atkins – As one of the first female photographers and botanists ever recorded, Atkins pioneered cyanotype photography while capturing nature's beauty with precision and artistry.