Messinisi) (c.1880-?) was fluent in Greek, French and English and acted as interpreter as neither man spoke the other's language. She translated the technical discussions over a period of several weeks, whilst heavily pregnant. In recognition of this, Wright promised that his first French flight would be on the day her baby was expected, 8th August 1908. Baby Elisabeth actually arrived on the 9th August, Wilbur Wright became her godfather. Carlotta Bollée flew for the first time on 8 October 1908, alongside Wright. Her flight was at an altitude of about 25 metres and lasted around four minutes. Bollée was injured in a flying accident in 1911 and never really recovered as he also had a pre-existing heart problem. He died in 1913. In 1920, his widow Carlotta Bollée travelled to visit the Wright family in American after the death of Wilbur and gave them an album and memorabilia of Wilbur’s time with her family. In 1927 she donated an engine to the Museum of Le Mans, which had been reassembled by Wilbur Wright and her husband from the two originally sent out from the USA. Madame Bollée continued to run the company successfully but in 1924 it was bought by Morris Motors and the company was renamed Morris-Léon Bollée, the intention being to use the new company to sell Morris designs in France and circumvent the then current French import restrictions. Morris sold the company in 1931 to a group of investors who renamed it Societé Nouvelle Léon Bollée and production continued until 1933. Family The Bollée's daughter Élisabeth, a poet, married the Count Jean Maurice Gilbert de Vautibault in 1927, and later divorced de Vautibault to marry the artist Julien Binford. She published under the name Élisabeth de Vautibault, and died 11 July 1984. References External links Picture of Léon Bollée 1898 Leon Bollee Tri-Car The 'Institut international d'informatique Léon Bollée' of Ho Chi Minh City (Viêt Nam) is named from the French engineer. Histomobile Video 1870 births 1913 deaths Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of France People from Le Mans