One of Tiny Broadwick's more than 1.100 parachute landings.
Charles & Tiny Broadwick, born 1875 & 1893
Inventors of the modern parachute
Charles Broadwick (born John Murray) and his adopted daughter Tiny Broadwick (born Georgia Jacobs) were intrepid early parachutists credited with inventing the modern parachute. By the age of 16 Broadwick was performing at fairs and exhibitions, parachuting from underneath a hot air balloon. The parachute was hung under the balloon, with a trapeze below it to which Broadwick hung. After the balloon rose, Broadwick would release the parachute. He fell for a distance, thrilling the crowd, until his parachute filled and he floated safely to earth. In 1905, during a performance in South Carolina Broadwick's performing partner, Maude Broadwick, fell to her death.
In 1908, after seeing Broadwick jump from a balloon at a fair in Raleigh, North Carolina, Georgia ‘Tiny’ Jacobs, a 15-year-old single mother who had been married at 12 and had her daughter at 13, convinced him to allow her to join the performance. She was later adopted by Charles Broadwick. Tiny became famous for making, with some mishaps, 1,100 parachute jumps. Charles and Tiny drew on their practical experience to invent several critical features of the modern parachute, including the ‘coatback’ parachute and the rip cord.