Broomstick

Broomstick
Manufacturer	Cleansweep Broom Company Comet Trading Company Ellerby and Spudmore Flyte and Barker Nimbus Racing Broom Company Universal Brooms Ltd.
Date of invention	In or before 962
Purpose	Flying for sport and transportation
Book information
First appearance	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

The broomstick is a magical device which enables witches and wizards to fly unsupported. The broomstick will travel from one location to the another undetected. In England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, they are monitored by the Ministry of Magic. They appear throughout the Harry Potter book series and Quidditch Through the Ages.

About

Every wizarding household owns at least one broomstick. They are a vital part of wizarding life and the popular wizarding sport of Quidditch. There are many companies who create bespoke and improved types of broomsticks. The fact that witches and wizards fly on broomstick is one of their worst-kept secrets, with a witch on a broomstick often appearing in illustrations and other depictions in the Muggle world.

The Department of Magical Games and Sports have put strict security measures on broomsticks in sport to ensure they are not tampered with.

History

Invention

In ancient times, there was no spell that enabled wizardkind to fly unsupported unless they took the Animagus form of a bird or levitated temporarily off the ground. Witches and wizards searched for a new means of flying.

Wizardkind feared Muggles finding out about the extent of their powers long before the International Statute of Secrecy was enacted. They wanted something to fly with that was easy to hide, and they realised a household object needed no explanation if a Muggle saw it. The broomstick was chosen because it is portable and inexpensive. The first flying broomsticks, enchanted with spells so they could fly, were invented by A.D. 962.

The early broomsticks had many problems and needed many improvements. They were very uncomfortable because they were made of unvarnished wood knotted together. The charms were very basic and the power, speed and comfort of every broom varied for centuries because they were made by individuals using the supplies that were available to them. An early German manuscript shows warlocks getting off their broomsticks looking very uncomfortable. An ancient broomstick is now on display at the Museum of Quidditch.

An early example of a broomstick

Guthrie Lochrin owned a broomstick with thick, knotted and unvarnished ash handle and hazel twigs that were bound on one end. Far from aerodynamic, the charms were very basic and it only moved forward and up and down at one speed. Lochrin complained of splinters even after a short trip on the broom.

Evolution

By the tenth century, witches and wizards started to improve on comfort and started flying on them for fun and not just for transportation. They started an annual broom race and playing ancient games on them. In the eleventh century, an early form of Quidditch begun to take shape. These brooms were good enough for scoring goals on, hitting rocks and boulders, and avoiding collision with others.

Effect of the Cushioning Charm (invisible)

By the twelfth century, skilled broom-makers were being noticed and started bartering for their services. For example, a skilled broom-maker would exchange their broomstick with a neighbour skilled at potion-making. Broomsticks grew in popularity with this expertise.

The quality of broomsticks continued to vary for many centuries, with Quidditch players using day brooms of varying quality. In 1820, comfort problems were solved by Elliot Smethwyck when he invented the Cushioning Charm. Broomsticks were still made by independent wizards, were incapable of achieving high speeds and were difficult to control at high altitudes. Independent broom-makers weren't focusing on performance, but rather on the appearance of the brooms.

In the eighteenth century, a new broom game called Quodpot, a variant of Quidditch, was invented.

In 1879, Elias Grimstone created the Oakshaft 79 which was good for endurance but not agile enough for sport.

Racing brooms

There was a need for broom-makers to start researching to find the perfect combination of speed and control with high production numbers, a stylish appearance and adequate comfort that was good for both sport and transportation. In order to achieve high production numbers, broom-making companies were established.

In 1901, the Moontrimmer was created and revolutionised the industry. With the ability to achieve greater heights with excellent control, there was high demand from Quidditch players but the inventor couldn't produce the quantities of Moontrimmers that were being requested. Silver Arrows by Leonard Jewkes took its place and was a "true frontrunner of the racing broom", but demand outstripped supply.

The Nimbus 2000 invented in 1991

In 1926, the Cleansweep One was released for sport and instantly achieved success. The Cleansweep Broom Company produced the broom in very high numbers and marketed it as a racing broom. In 1929, the racing-broom market grew with the opening of the Comet Trading Company who released their first racing broom, the Comet 140. This also saw the first use of the Horton-Keitch Braking Charm.

Broomstick manufacturers started opening businesses everywhere in Europe while the Cleansweeps competed with the Comets. These include Ellerby and Spudmore and Universal Brooms Ltd. but the pinnacle of racing-brooms is considered the opening of the Nimbus Racing Broom Company in 1967. They released the Nimbus 1000, an exceptional broom which could achieve speeds of a hundred miles per hour and turning 360 point degrees, making it a very popular broom.

Recent history

Up until 1935, witches and wizards preferred to travel by ship than to use broomsticks across long distances. Jocunda Sykes changed this when she travelled across the Atlantic on an Oakshaft 79, the first person to achieve this.

In the 1980s, companies were creating toy broomsticks for small children to fly.

Older broomsticks are now very valuable, vintage pieces. There is a Museum of Quidditch in London where anicent broomsticks are displayed.

Flying is a subject taught to every student in their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. First years cannot bring their own broomstick so the school provides several old broomsticks for them to use.

Broomstick Servicing Kits are available to purchase.

Manufacturing companies and brooms

Manufacturer or Company	Brooms
Unknown	Bluebottle
Cleansweep Broom Company	Cleansweep One Cleansweep Two Cleansweep Three Cleansweep Five Cleansweep Six Cleansweep Seven Cleansweep Eleven
Comet Trading Company	Comet 140 Comet 140 Comet 260 Comet 290
Ellerby and Spudmore	Swiftstick Tinderblast
Elias Grimstone	Oakshaft 79
Flyte and Barker	Twigger 90
Leonard Jewkes	Silver Arrow
Nimbus Racing Broom Company	Nimbus 1000 Nimbus 1500 Nimbus 1700 Nimbus 2000 Nimbus 2001

Broom games

Aingingein Annual broom race Creaothceann Quidditch

Quodpot Shuntbumps Stichstock Swivenhodge

Trivia

• It is thought that only Dark magic can interfere with the performance of a broomstick.
• Witches and wizards love to discuss broomsticks and like to debate about what the best ever broomstick is.
• The rich are able to afford the best brooms.
• On an unknown date, a referee had their broomstick transformed into a Portkey. After they disappeared, they weren't discovered for months.
• Broomsticks are likely to have been introduced to African witches and wizards by Europeans who travelled to the continent to research alchemy and astronomy.