# "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2019, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703 "2019-05-09T07:39:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/1 "2019-05-09T07:39:22Z")
This is, of course, a Beatles song, published on the _Sergeant Pepper_ album. It was famously inspired by a circus advertisement from the 19th century that John saw in an antique store (a jpeg of the ad can be found [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_for_the_Benefit_of_Mr._Kite!#/media/File:Affiche_MrKite.jpg)). The lyrics of the song are closely based on the advertising praise for the circus from that poster. I wonder, though, what the “for the benefit of Mr. Kite” phrase in both song and poster is supposed to mean. It sounds like the advertised event is a charity performance, with proceeds going to the named Mr. Kite. But the general tone is that Mr. Kite is a skilled performer, not somebody dependent on others’ charity. Anyone with an idea? It’s been bugging me since I first heard the song. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/2 "2019-05-09T07:54:26Z")
I always thought it meant Mr. Kite was the star performer. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/3 "2019-05-09T08:03:31Z")
I got the impression that Mr. Kite was either retiring, or had some sort of financial setback due to ill health or personal disaster. Interesting bit of history: Pablo Fanque was Black, and one of the most successful circus impresarios of his time. He often did fundraisers the raise money for circus performers who suffered hard times. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/4 "2019-05-09T08:17:05Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I always thought it meant Mr. Kite was the star performer. He probably was, but was it ever common usage to announce the star performer of an event as the one “having the benefit” from it? I genuineley don’t know, asking as a non-native speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/5 "2019-05-09T08:58:00Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > He probably was, but was it ever common usage to announce the star performer of an event as the one “having the benefit” from it? I genuineley don’t know, asking as a non-native speaker. No, that’s not English usage, then or now. As noted above, Pablo Fanque regularly promoted benefits, which were literally for the financial benefit of the person named. [Here](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-31/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite-story-behind-beatles-song/8204080)’s an article about the song and its background. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/6 "2019-05-09T14:42:36Z")
Thank you! I never knew this. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/7 "2019-05-09T15:02:22Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Thank you! I never knew this. Same here! ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/8 "2019-05-09T15:04:46Z")
The poster does say “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite (late of the Wells circus)” so my vote is that he WAS a performer, but now either retired or passed on and the proceeds will be for his family. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/9 "2019-05-09T15:16:26Z")
I was at a Dickens Fair a couple of years ago and was pleasantly surprised to see a [playbill for Mr. Kite](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zt4V5DJ2_gr2FPUZd3lJfbIIuxdTkUPXzSv7AyG1uPbb5njtpQAV98U6D4ZNLJywfrbU6EQADvGOumR9skjBlVLxdDlpDVnJ6NbYYU7L5TxI1nrArBDVnAe0IKz_5QRcWnJLTAy_9p1PiHEdDcqFQt-1QYg4q7wlgqilD8wTAMQZM1TahLWPZQm8wGBJ32SbHx3alzJPzsnGRratlY2Pxy1Vr2m-8SzxSpWdY7sUFkpQwo8TpYyeWL7wHm2Islec5ZQVSs_5jEBtqR7P8qKLkv816rkDEyiITrtGJd3YL1XoX29XfKVBSkBnnNgRNvCuA_qgDLaW4g25TX_JFlXLJ4bn52ljObX3UKr_bHFDE6dZZcXWKR-Q7dzsnLaaitYteyyXsAG2XOriT-AgdEaU0WORl_by0067miwm2KkRWQexbOV9vPnAzSdcc1hh8dpvRu-lhAFnihqB0sUxOSKf6CwC4_zO5Cp9LTGj3w0n9miZZB7xRdNPfUzCZWyRnUAJsGMNk_U9CZbtjjLjXDjOnbstdd9dzS6WgdAvEXCyd0zmNk3K1dmIud_Ldvn53jue1UH12oMopslY94hZzma8XGE-vxhXLHTb2R6sIh7AcmJwli0_mar1HztKBInxrtjipaTRacMb78LhqPjFUXJCEL50QJPqMl9a=w1248-h597-no) posted in one of the alleyways. Right next to it was an advert for a performance by Professor Pepper, which I thought was a neat bit of synchronicity . ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/10 "2019-05-09T15:47:37Z")
Here is more info > **[Pablo Fanque](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Fanque)** > > Pablo Fanque (born William Darby; 30 March 1810 – 4 May 1871) was a British equestrian performer and circus proprietor, becoming the first recorded Black circus owner in Britain. His circus was popular in Victorian Britain for 30 years, a period that is regarded as the golden age of the circus. > Since the 1960's, Pablo Fanque has been best known for being mentioned in The Beatles song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). > Little is kn... He and some of his family are buried at St Georges Fields Cemetery, which in the grounds of Leeds University > **[Pablo Fanque – Story of Beatles inspiring circus owner buried in Leeds](https://www.on-magazine.co.uk/yorkshire/history/pablo-fanque-circus-pioneer-leeds/)** > > Celebrated in 'Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite' from The Beatles' Sgt Pepper album, Pablo Fanque was an entertainment groundbreaker ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/11 "2019-05-09T15:50:11Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > The poster does say “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite (late of the Wells circus)” so my vote is that he WAS a performer, but now either retired or passed on and the proceeds will be for his family. Since the song is based almost entirely on this poster, why in the song is Mr Kite “Late of Pablo Fanque’s fair”, when the poster clearly says he is “late of Wells circus”? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/12 "2019-05-09T15:52:27Z")
Because John liked the sound of ‘Pablo Fanque’ better than ‘Wells’? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/13 "2019-05-09T15:53:52Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Since the song is based almost entirely on this poster, why in the song is Mr Kite “Late of Pablo Fanque’s fair”, when the poster clearly says he is “late of Wells circus”? John was on a lot of drugs at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/14 "2019-05-09T15:54:02Z")
Also, in the song, it’s the Hendersons who are late of Fanque’s Fair, not Mr Kite…so who Kite used to perform for is still open. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/15 "2019-05-09T15:57:04Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I was at a Dickens Fair a couple of years ago and was pleasantly surprised to see a [playbill for Mr. Kite](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zt4V5DJ2_gr2FPUZd3lJfbIIuxdTkUPXzSv7AyG1uPbb5njtpQAV98U6D4ZNLJywfrbU6EQADvGOumR9skjBlVLxdDlpDVnJ6NbYYU7L5TxI1nrArBDVnAe0IKz_5QRcWnJLTAy_9p1PiHEdDcqFQt-1QYg4q7wlgqilD8wTAMQZM1TahLWPZQm8wGBJ32SbHx3alzJPzsnGRratlY2Pxy1Vr2m-8SzxSpWdY7sUFkpQwo8TpYyeWL7wHm2Islec5ZQVSs_5jEBtqR7P8qKLkv816rkDEyiITrtGJd3YL1XoX29XfKVBSkBnnNgRNvCuA_qgDLaW4g25TX_JFlXLJ4bn52ljObX3UKr_bHFDE6dZZcXWKR-Q7dzsnLaaitYteyyXsAG2XOriT-AgdEaU0WORl_by0067miwm2KkRWQexbOV9vPnAzSdcc1hh8dpvRu-lhAFnihqB0sUxOSKf6CwC4_zO5Cp9LTGj3w0n9miZZB7xRdNPfUzCZWyRnUAJsGMNk_U9CZbtjjLjXDjOnbstdd9dzS6WgdAvEXCyd0zmNk3K1dmIud_Ldvn53jue1UH12oMopslY94hZzma8XGE-vxhXLHTb2R6sIh7AcmJwli0_mar1HztKBInxrtjipaTRacMb78LhqPjFUXJCEL50QJPqMl9a=w1248-h597-no) posted in one of the alleyways. Right next to it was an advert for a performance by Professor Pepper, which I thought was a neat bit of synchronicity . Obviously someone did that intentionally. But it is cool. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/16 "2019-05-09T16:05:22Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Also, in the song, it’s the Hendersons who are late of Fanque’s Fair, not Mr Kite…so who Kite used to perform for is still open. Ah! That makes sense. I always imagined Mr Kite is actually a (sentient?) kite, which is how he performs his tricks “without a sound”. Hey, if Plasticine porters can have looking glass ties, and girls have kaleidoscope eyes, why not? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/17 "2019-05-09T16:06:17Z")
I wanna see Harry the Horse dance the waltz. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/18 "2019-05-09T17:34:51Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Since the song is based almost entirely on this poster, why in the song is Mr Kite “Late of Pablo Fanque’s fair”, when the poster clearly says he is “late of Wells circus”? Poetic license. Though Fanque did benefits for performers in other circuses. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/19 "2019-05-09T17:50:20Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I wanna see Harry the Horse dance the waltz. Henry. Harry is over there in the thread about the royal baby being compared to a monkey. If you want to call him a horse, that’s the place to do so. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703/20 "2019-05-09T18:26:41Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > The poster does say “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite (late of the Wells circus)” so my vote is that he WAS a performer, but now either retired or passed on and the proceeds will be for his family. From the poster: > [@](#): > > Mr. Kite will, for this night only, introduce the celebrated horse, Zanthus. So Mr. Kite is alive (perhaps retired or in a full body cast), but it’s still not clear why he is being singled out as the beneficiary. Are the Hendersons performing for free? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-for-the-benefit-of-mr-kite/833703.md?page=2)