Gem From The Archive

Caroline Knight of Oldham Local Studies and Archives celebrates the achievements of a key figure in the history of British hang-gliding

A hang-glider pilot’s folder, 1946–2007

Whether the idea of taking to the skies in a hangglider fills you with terror or joy depends on how you feel about heights. An early form of the hang-glider was invented by Otto Lilienthal in Germany in 1891. Luckily, pioneers such as British inventor Len Gabriels pushed the frontiers of the hobby. After his death in February 2020, Len’s papers were deposited in Oldham Local Studies and Archives, where collections assistant Caroline Knight tells us what they reveal about his extraordinary life.

Can You Describe The Folder?

The front of the folder immediately grabs your attention, because it shows a picture of the intrepid Len Gabriels flying high in the sky with the slogan “Free as a bird with Skyhook hanggliders”. Once you delve inside the folder it becomes obvious that this has been put together by Len (at his wife’s insistence apparently!) and is a combination of newspaper and magazine articles, plans, photographs, reports, programmes, letters, invitations and badges that together tell the story of this remarkable man.

What Does This Material Tell Us About Len?

I think that the folder shows what an interesting, imaginative, inspirational, intrepid and courageous man Len was.

The intrepid and courageous part of his nature can be seen in the articles and photos in the folder relating to his attempt to fly from London to Paris in August 1979 with the Skyhook Safari powered hang-glider. Sponsored by Blue Bird Confectionery Limited, it was the first powered hangglider to attempt the flight via Dover and over the English Channel. Unfortunately, his attempt was foiled 65 miles from the end when French officials couldn’t decide whether his hang-glider was an aircraft or not! Not to be deterred, in 1983 Len completed the London-to-Paris journey of over 237 miles in the allotted three days by flying a hang-glider that was powered by a tiny 260cc engine.

The design plans and instructions contained in the folder also show what an original, ingenious and imaginative thinker Len was. Len was a toolmaker by trade, but had always been interested in aeroplanes from the age of 12. He was also a keen aeromodeller who dreamed of being able to fly something he had made himself. In 1972 he began to design wings based on an illustration in his son’s Look and Learn magazine! After much experimentation he designed a full-sized wing, which he admitted “didn’t work very well”. His first real glider was the Skyhook Mark 3, which did work very well. When the plans were first advertised more than 2,500 sets were sold. It was on this glider that in November 1973 Len flew for 27.5 minutes on Pendle Hill in the east of Lancashire – a British record.

Around the same time Len began manufacturing properly and soon set up Skyhook Sailwings Ltd, with his wife Hilda sewing sails for their new designs on the kitchen floor before the company moved into facilities at Vale Mill in Hollinwood, Oldham.

Over the next 23 years Len developed hang-gliders that could be motorised, becoming one of the first to manufacture an ultralight microlight and also one of the first to use pre-formed batons in a wing. Once the idea of powered hang-gliders took hold Len was again at the forefront, and his Solo 210cc engine ‘Pixie’ trike was the star of a trade show in 1983. At the same time he was keen to encourage paraplegics to fly and as a result designed, built and trained on the only twoseater wing with a side-byside trike unit powered by a twin engine set-up. Even the

names of his inventions are wonderfully imaginative such as the Sunspot, the Gypsy, the Safari, the Orion, the Pixie-Trike, the Cutlass, the Sabre and the Skyhook Zeus to name but a few.

What Else Do You Know About Len?

Len was born in Oldham in 1926, the son of Harry (Henry) and

Sallie Gabriels. Interestingly, his paternal grandparents Celestin and Nephtalie Gabriels were both born in Belgium and Nephtalie ran a draper’s shop in Failsworth, Oldham, called Mrs Gabriels’. In 1956 Len married Hilda May Onions.

Len decided to retire in 1996 but rather than putting his feet up, he took up sailing instead! He died in February 2020 at the age of 94.

Why Did You Choose The Folder As Your Gem From The Archive?

The main reason is that it sums up what an amazing person Len Gabriels was. When his daughter deposited his collection with Oldham Local Studies and Archives in March 2020, Len had only died the month before, so it was a very emotional experience for her. Her description of her dad and his life and the fact that he came from my hometown of Oldham made me want to know all about him.

What Other Documents Do You Have Relating To Len And His Family?

This collection is really in two halves, with one half of the material relating to Len, his family and his hang-gliding exploits and the other half of the material relating to his wife Hilda and in particular her father, the wonderfully named

Professor Henry Ebenezer Onions, although ‘Professor’ was just a nickname. Henry was a swimming instructor who was appointed by the Oldham Education Committee to teach the children of the borough to swim and to life-save.

In 1973 Len flew for 27.5 minutes on Pendle Hill – a British record

What Other Records Are In Your Collections?

We hold the local-authority archives for the town of Oldham and the surrounding area. We also have records dating back to 1597 that reflect the rich history of the local population and Oldham’s buildings, businesses, churches, schools and theatres.