Kites

I watched the film Mary Poppins on New Years Day in January, and was much moved by the closing scene in which everyone is flying a kite, and it all ends happily. I was once very much into kites. Why not rekindle that interest? So a few months later, at the end of August, I bought - I should say 'repurchased' - a copy of David Pelham's definitive book on the history of kites, kite flying, and how to make them at home. I got it from the Oxfam Online Shop for £13.94, including delivery. I bought the original copy (published by Penguin) in 1976, nearly fifty years ago, for £2.75. It wasn't durable as a paperback - the pages would come loose - and eventually I discarded my first copy, intending to buy a replacement. But I never did, until this year.  

The 1970s saw kites take off. Hitherto regarded (in this country) as mainly a children's thing, there was suddenly a renewed interest in them, possibly spurred on by the then-new sport of hang-gliding. One could now buy ready-made 'stunter' kites that could be manoeuvred to swoop this way and that on beaches and hilltops. Everyone seemed to want to do that. (It was harder than it looked)

I'd noticed all this. But what made me delve into kite history and kite making back then? I really can't remember now, all these years afterwards. However, I do have a picture I took on 17th April 1975 of my younger brother Wayne holding a kite he'd made. At the time he spent his Sunday afternoons helping disabled children in a local special school, and of course kites could be flown by those who were stuck in a wheelchair. I fancy he'd made it for the enjoyment of the children, probably as a team project with others at his local church (unlike me, Wayne was religious and wanted to do Good Things). Anyway, here he is with his creation, outside Mum and Dad's house in Southampton. I was probably going to give him a lift to the school in my pale yellow Renault 12. That's Dad's red and white Citroën D Special in the background. We were into French cars at the time.

That looks like Christmas wrapping paper to me, but otherwise the kite certainly looks the business. I can't recall what Wayne said about its performance, but I'm sure that my curiosity must have been stirred.

Back to David Pelham's book. It was a revelation. I read about the history of kites. About oriental kites in particular, for fighting and for spectacular display. About kites used for rescue and wartime purposes, and how they inspired the first attempts at flight, and many other things about these tethered aircraft. Here it is (the copy I've now bought in 2025). As ever, click on any shot to enlarge it.

Half the pages in his book were devoted to making the various kites he discussed. I attempted some of the simpler designs. I didn't need much in the way of materials or equipment: just dowelling,  appropriate fabric or plastic, a ruler, scissors, coloured tape, metal eyelets, some kind of reel, and a lot of cord. Here are some of my own creations from 1977.

I tried out that red and blue box kite on Stockbridge Down, west of Winchester. Although it was breezy, and the kite nicely made, it was too heavy to lift off. To be honest, I was rather glad it hadn't. Box kites are efficient fliers, and this one would have pulled me into the air if the wind had been strong enough to make it fly. (I'm afraid my sewing skills didn't go further than this back in 1977)

Later in 1977 I made a sled kite in what I called the 'J' series (J for what?), which did fly, rather well. And when it came to reels, I was inventive with bits of plastic tubing and fishing line.

I had a young friend at the time, who shared my kite-making and kite-flying enthusiasm. Here are some shots from 1979 and 1982:

Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music was the love of her life. Me? By this time in 1982 I was only months away from getting married. But that's another story.

As you can see, the inspiration I took from David Pelham's book lasted several years. I found kite-making and kite-flying absorbing and relaxing. Photography was restricted by cost, the limitations of the cameras I could buy, and few opportunities to go anywhere exciting. But kite-flying on, say, Wimbledon Common was doable. The Wombles didn't get in the way. They cheered and applauded.

Here are some of the kite-making pages in the book.

That last is the sled kite design that originated in 1950, but later modified with various types of cut-out, to provide stability and avoid inward collapse in flight. This is the kind I most like, partly because it's easy to make and rolls up for transport. 

Will I try building a kite in 2025? I'm toying with the idea, but I don't think flying it would be so much fun. There are now regulations on where you can fly these things, and how high. And what if the kite encountered a drone? I see scope for damage and recriminations. However...

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