Kipling's home to hear master's voice again

It is known that Kipling had an Edison phonograph at Bateman's

The home of The Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling could soon come alive with the sound of his voice on technology he would have used.

The National Trust has acquired an original Edison Fireside Phonograph for Bateman's, his home in East Sussex from 1902 to his death in 1936.

It hopes to transfer rare recordings of his voice onto cylinders to be played at the house in Burwash, East Sussex.

In the meantime, his verses set to music are to be played and recorded.

The project was inspired by a video found at the house containing Pathe newsreel footage of Kipling speaking at St Andrews University.

Folk singer John Boden is also to record a series of ballads based on Kipling's poems, which include Mandalay, Gunga Din and If, onto wax cylinders for the phonograph.

"We know that he would have one when he was here because his son Jack was given about 20 cylinders," said Fiona Hancock, of the National Trust.

"The idea is that eventually we will have some short recordings of Kipling's voice on these."