Ramsay Ames: Sultry Beauty of 1940s B-Movies

by | Aug 28, 2026 | Yesteryear

Ramsay Ames (1919–1998), born Ramsay Phillips, was an American actress, model, and dancer known for her striking beauty and sultry screen presence in 1940s B-movies.

After starting as a dancer and model, Ames entered Hollywood and signed with Universal Pictures, appearing in films such as Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and The Mummy’s Ghost. With her dark features and glamorous looks, she became a popular wartime pin-up and a memorable face of low-budget adventure and horror films.
Though her film career was relatively brief, Ames remains remembered as one of the distinctive beauties of classic B-movie cinema. These vintage photos capture the sultry glamour and classic allure of Ramsay Ames, a memorable star of 1940s Hollywood B-movies.

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Sarla Thukral, India’s First Pilot Obtained Her Flying License at the Age of 21 in 1936

by | Aug 28, 2026 | Yesteryear

Sarla Thakral (also spelt Thakral; August 8, 1914 – March 15, 2008) was the first Indian woman to fly an aircraft. In 1936, at just 21 years old, she earned her aviation pilot license and famously made her first solo flight in a Gypsy Moth biplane while dressed in a traditional sari.

Her life is celebrated as a story of pioneering grit, resilience, and ultimate reinvention. Born in Delhi, she married P. D. Sharma at age 16. He came from a family of nine pilots and deeply encouraged her to fly. After training at the Lahore Flying Club, she secured her “A” license and accumulated over 1,000 hours of flight time.
She was actively working toward her commercial pilot license when her husband died in a tragic plane crash in 1939, leaving her a widow at age 24 with young children. Soon after, civil aviation training ground to a halt due to the outbreak of World War II, ending her commercial flying aspirations.
Undeterred, she shifted gears entirely. She moved to Delhi, remarried in 1948, and became a highly successful artist, watercolor painter, and designer of textiles and costume jewelry. She passed away in 2008 at the age of 93, leaving a lasting legacy that shattered gender barriers in Indian aviation.

30 Rare Color Photos of the 1953 Sarnia Tornado

by | Aug 28, 2026 | Yesteryear

These rare vintage color photos document the devastating 1953 Sarnia Tornado, a powerful F4 storm that struck the cities of Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, on May 21, 1953. The images capture the widespread destruction left in its wake, from collapsed buildings and uprooted trees to damaged homes and debris-filled streets.

Seven people were killed, 117 others were injured, and damages were estimated $17.6 million (1953 USD). Taken in the immediate aftermath, these color photos provide a vivid and historically valuable record of one of the most destructive tornadoes to hit the region, preserving the scale of the disaster and the resilience of the communities affected.
East side of Christina St. looking south to Cromwell St. following the tornado, May 21, 1953

East side of Front St. between Lochiel and Cromwell Sts. showing tornado damage to the Barr building and the Mackenzie-Milne building, May 21, 1953

East side of Front St. just south of Bank of Commerce following tornado, May 21, 1953

East side of Front St. looking south to Cromwell St. after tornado, May 21, 1953

Looking north down Euphemia St. to George St. after tornado, May 21, 1953

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