David Kirke believed safe sport repressed people’s imaginations
The world’s first bungee-jumper and founder of the Dangerous Sports Club died on October 21st, aged 78
It nearly didn’t happen. The women, in this case two sisters of one of the would-be jumpers, had warned the police, and they had staked out the bridge. The jumpers themselves, who had partied all night and trashed a rather elegant Bristol flat, didn’t feel entirely in the pink either. But the stunt had to happen, because the invitations had been sent: “April Fools’ Day, 1979, Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol. Bungee-jumping at dawn. Morning dress”.
This article appeared in the Obituary section of the print edition under the headline “Elastic adventures”
Obituary November 11th 2023
From the November 11th 2023 edition
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