http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/content/articles/2009/01/19/w...

tip o' the hat to Meg!

Good find
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In the early 1800s George Po#@%$#! was a Methodist preacher, school master, and father of 11 children living in Bristol.

When he wasn't busy with his career and family, he was playing with kites - his experiments were ambitious, dangerous, and usually involved his own children.

Po#@%$#! loved to show off his inventive genius.

In one stunt he put his young daughter in a wicker chair, hoisted her up in to the air with kites and then flew her across the Avon Gorge.

Fortunately she survived and went on to become the mother of the cricket legend W. G. Grace.

Preface to the1827 edition of "The Aeropleustic Art", There is a copy in the reference library in Bristol, UK.

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"George Po#@%$#!.

Prospect Place, Bristol, May 1st, 1827.

Preface.

The use of means never before heard of for the doing of things never before done, cannot fail to excite considerable interest; and the more especially so if the objects accomplished wear any features of public utility.

The carriage drawn or navigated by kites, which not long since was seen travelling from the West, with unprecedented speed, towards London, was a Phenomenon combining novelties of the above description, the vague rumour even of which found itself many wings, and fled, the parent of wonder and surmise, through the kingdom.

The effects produced are, in considerable part, the cause of this publication: some few of these it may not be impertinent briefly to narrate.

Those who saw that undreamt-of equipage so unexpectedly making its appearance, and so effectually winging its way o'er hill, and dale, and plain, eagerly related each to his neighbour, what he had seen. Their testimonies, however, were, with few exceptions, universally discredited. Not a few argued that the thing was impossible, and that the artifice had been employed to produce illusions; hence rose dispute, sarcasm, and irony, until positive assertion on the one part met with unmeasured contradiction on the other; even unto the severing of acquaintance, and the separation of friends.

The newspaper accounts of this new mode of travelling, a mode which more than reduced he Athenian's*( fable to a positive reality, were commonly considered but weak fabrications, for mistaken science, bound in the fetters of ancient prejudices, and led in the chains of popular opinion, listened not for a moment to the dispassionate statements of reality; and ignorance, with ill behaviour, rudely silenced the relations of simplicity: whilst clamour, that

"--outrides the posting winds,And doth belie all corners of the earth,"

Held up to ridicule both these testimonies and the invention itself, as candour and inquiry made search after truth.

However, laying aside metaphor, let it be observed, that in order to obtain correct information many applications were made personally, and by post, to the author of this extraordinary novelty. Inquiries still continuing, a development of the whole mystery appears absolutely necessary. Hence this publication.

....."

Wow a man before his time.

Susan (npw goddess)

Meg has put another smile on my face with her wisdom on kite history ! Last year she turned my on to a bit a history also, & "Yes" we've come a long way! Just ride Susan's NPW train with Claxton and you'll have a smile too !:tumble:

Welcome back Crash! Yes she is full of wisdom! I am exploring the orgins of the buggy and today have seen first hand it modern day roots here in Ausburton, New Zealand. .....................aj

Stay safe and i'll see you two at NABX ! :tumble: