On Saturday, June 2, 1913, Miss Violet Paine made history.

Thousands of spectators gathered along the seafront on this bright, blustery, summer's afternoon for the first ever scheduled visit by an aeroplane.

Several pioneering aeronauts had buzzed the town in previous months but none had dared to land on Worthing's famous sands.

So there was great excitement in the town when the Pashley brothers, based at Shoreham Aerodrome, announced they would be attempting the feat.

The aviators had been expected to appear at about 2pm but a sharp south-westerly wind threatened the flight and as the deadline passed some people started to drift away disappointed.

But then, out of the blue, came the flimsy-looking shape of a Farman biplane, which 12 minutes earlier had taken off from the grass runway at Shoreham.

Among those watching as it loomed into view was Miss Paine, who was destined to become the first Worthing woman ever to fly in an aircraft.

One spectator noted: "There was a very large crowd on the sands just in front of Steyne Gardens, where it was proposed to make the descent.

"The hour of arrival went by and anxious eyes were cast eastwards and still there were no signs of the biplane.

"Some began to give the matter up with the suggestion that the air currents were too strong but those who patiently waited for about half-an-hour were rewarded, for in the distance an object could be seen resembling a huge bird.

"The noise of the engine became more and more pronounced and when the machine was in the neighbourhood of Madeira Avenue there was a general rush of eager spectators on to the sands."

The Sussex Daily News recorded: "It had been intended to construct an enclosure on the sands, the tide being out, but through some misunderstanding this was not done.

"This increased the difficulties of the pilot, for there were possibilities of a serious accident but the biplane was most skillfully handled and, making a splendid descent, it touched the sands just at a spot clear of the crowd.

"There was a rush for the machine and the Pashley brothers were warmly welcomed and congratulated."

After refreshments at the Warnes Hotel, the Pashleys planned to take up members of the public for an aerial view of the town and what was left of the pier, recently wrecked in a fierce storm.

The Daily News stated: "They were hampered by the crowd who, heedless of their own danger, flocked around the biplane. After threatening to leave unless the sands were cleared, Messrs Pashley found it necessary to cut short their programme and return to Shoreham, fearing some of the spectators, through their reckless behaviour, would be knocked down.

"But during their stay of nearly two hours some interesting flights were carried out.

"There was a period of waiting while intending passengers summoned up sufficient courage to make a trip. The ice was broken by a young lady, Miss Violet Paine, daughter of Walter Paine, of Montague Street.

"She confessed after that she mounted the biplane on the impulse of the moment.

"Although it was her first experience of flying, she took her seat behind the pilot (Eric Pashley) with complete self-possession, smiling and waving her hand to the crowd as the biplane glided off.

"The machine made three circuits around the wrecked pier, flying fairly high, and when it came to rest on the sands again Miss Paine was warmly cheered.

"She appeared to have enjoyed the trip immensely. She said it was a lovely sensation and that she had never enjoyed anything so much in her life. The only thing she noticed was that in the air it was rather cold.

"She said: 'It was very much like a fast run in a motor car, except when you looked over and saw the people below. I could hear faint cheers. The people looked like a lot of black specks.

"'It was a most peculiar sensation but I should not mind going up again. I didn't feel the least bit nervous. I expected to be air sick but I forgot all about it when the biplane started. It seemed under perfect control and quite steady'.

"Miss Paine added that she always declared she would never step foot in an aeroplane, and she surprised herself with her boldness."

The next passenger was an elderly lady, Miss Tucker, of Brighton Road, who came down to the beach in a bathchair and walked across to the biplane with the aid of two sticks.

A little delay occurred through her inability to get quickly into the machine but after a short while she looked composed sitting behind the pilot.

Surprisingly, there were no volunteers from the men assembled, so the third up was also a woman, Miss Norman, of Guildford House, Park Road.

Miss AH Neville, Worthing's famous lady chauffeur, was next in line but the tide was rapidly coming in and her flight was cancelled.

For the trip back to Shoreham, the pilot was accompanied by Mr SHR Davies, a well-known medical man, who lived at Ashurst Lodge, Worthing.