Irene Craigmile Bolam
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| Irene Craigmile Bolam | |
 Irene Craigmile Bolam c.1980
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| Born | 1 October 1904 Newark, New Jersey |
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| Died | 7 July 1982 Bedford, New Jersey |
| Occupation | Banker homemaker |
| Spouse | Guy Bolam Charles Craigmile Alvin Heller |
| Parents | Richard J. O'Crowley and Bridget Doyle O'Crowley |
Irene Craigmile Bolam (b. 1 October 1904 - d. 7 July 1982) was a New York banker and resident of Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey.[1][2] In 1970, a book which was soon widely discredited set forth an allegation she was Amelia Earhart. Bolam denied the claim, took legal action against the publisher and the book was withdrawn.
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[edit] Amelia Earhart Lives
In 1965, Major Joseph Gervais had a chance encounter with Bolam, believing she was Earhart. Using Gervais' research, author Joe Klaas documented this assertion in his book Amelia Earhart Lives (1970). Bolam denied being Earhart, filed a $1.5 million lawsuit and submitted a lengthy affidavit refuting the claim. The book's publisher McGraw-Hill pulled Klaas' book from the market shortly after it was released and court records indicate they made an out of court settlement with her.
Bolam's personal life history has since been thoroughly documented, eliminating any possibility she was Earhart. Evidence presented in the affidavit included her 1937 private pilot's licence and marriage certificate. Her personal life was also a matter of public record. Born Irene Madalaine O'Crowley, she married Charles Craigmile and on his death, married Alvin Heller but was subsequently divorced from Heller c. 1939. She remarried to Guy Bolam in 1959. Although Irene Craigmile Bolam was a pilot, her main career revolved around banking and finance in New York. Brother-in-law John Bolam said, "She was influential, knew many well-placed people and was well-traveled."[3] Many mutual friends such as air racer Elinor Smith also knew both Earhart and Bolam.
In 2006, Criminal forensic expert Kevin Richlin was hired by National Geographic to study photographs of Earhart and Bolam and cited many measurable facial differences between them, concluding that the two people were not the same. [4]
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Will the Real Amelia...", Time (magazine), 23 November 1970. Access date: 27 November 2007. "The woman they name as Amelia is Mrs. Guy Bolam, widow of a businessman and now living in Monroe Township, N.J."
- ^ "New Earhart Book Called 'Nonsense'", The New York Times, 11 November 1970. "Mrs. Bolam, who lives in the Leisure World retirement community in Monroe Township, N. J., said she had met Mr. Gervais, a retired Army major, at a meeting of plane enthusiasts..."
- ^ Associated Press: Investigators continue work on puzzle This reference is provided only for the quote. The article otherwise has substantial errors and misinterpretations, providing no evidence of any positive forensic or documented confirmation which might be verified by the public or the scientific community.
- ^ The Amelia Earhart Conspiracy: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Flying Legend
[edit] Bibliography
- Glines, C.V. "'Lady Lindy': The Remarkable Life of Amelia Earhart." Aviation History July 1997.
- Goldstein, Donald M. and Dillon, Katherine V. Amelia: The Centennial Biography of an Aviation Pioneer. Washington, DC: Brassey's, 1997. ISBN 1-57488-134-5.
- Hoverstein, Paul. "An American Obsession". Air & Space Smithsonian Vol. 22, No. 2, June/July 2007.
[edit] External links
- Earhart comparison to Bolam
- "Bolam as Earhart theory" - essay which analyzes and rejects assertions that Bolam was Earhart
- The Bolam theory with lawsuit details
- Where is Amelia Earhart? Three Theories (including the Irene Craigmile Bolam theory)
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Bolam, Irene Craigmile |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Banker, homemaker |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1 October 1904 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Newark, New Jersey |
| DATE OF DEATH | 7 July 1982 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Bedford, New Jersey |
