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History of Scottish Mountaineering

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 rcollins 27 Jan 2016
Hi,

I'm doing my university dissertation on The Changes in Scottish Mountaineering from 1930-1960. So this is mainly for those of you with some interest in the those who were climbing in the past.

Would anyone be able to suggest any Auto/Biographies, articles, photographs, or anything that would be able to help discuss this topic?
 Rob Parsons 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

I assume you're aware of this book: http://www.smc.org.uk/publications/?ID=37
Removed User 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

Anything by Bill Murray.
 Doug 27 Jan 2016
In reply to Rob Parsons:
& the books on Nevis & the Cairngorms.

To the OP, I hope you are already aware of the SMCJ (http://www.smc.org.uk/journal/ ) & have access to past copies. There are also some journals & magazines from regional clubs such as the Cairngorm Club (Aberdeen) & no doubt the odd article from English clubs
Post edited at 16:22
 bouldery bits 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

What's the title of the dissertation?
OP rcollins 27 Jan 2016
In reply to bouldery bits:

The title is "The Changes in Scottish Mountaineering from 1930-1960", I am in the early stages of research for it and therefore the title may change slightly however this is what I am researching.
 Pkrynicki1984 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

High Endevours , Robin Smith is a great book.
 Iain Thow 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

As well as Bill Murray mentioned above (Hi Mark), Alistair Borthwick's "Always a Little Further" and JHB Bell's "A Progress in Mountaineering" are must reads for the 30s, and Patey's "One Man's Mountains" for the 50s.
I'd also recommend Jeff Connor's biography of John Cunningham, "Creagh Dhu Climber" and Jock Nimlin's "May The Fire Always be Lit"
 Rob Parsons 27 Jan 2016
In reply to Iain Thow:

> ... Jeff Connor's biography of John Cunningham, "Creagh Dhu Climber" ...

The various stories in that book are just great. And the picture it paints of working life in Glasgow at the time is fascinating.
 OMR 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

Various books here - http://www.smc.org.uk/publications/other including the book about Ben Nevis, the century of climbing in the Cairngorms, and the book about the LSCC.
 Sean Kelly 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

SMC journals?
 Iain Thow 27 Jan 2016
In reply to Rob Parsons:

I just hope Hamish MacInnes has a proper autobiography hidden away before he pops his clogs. He obviously has loads of great stories (and what a life!)
 Bob Aitken 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:
Partly depends what sort of changes you want to research ! - it's a potentially huge topic: technical changes, social changes, club development, transport, huts, rescue, etc.

As well as all the good suggestions above, W.H.Murray's 'Scotland's Mountains' (SMC 1987) has a succinct but useful historical chapter, 'The Development of Mountaineering', with about ten pages covering the years from 1930 to 1960, so that would be a good start. Dr Ken Crocket, who published his monumental 'Mountaineering in Scotland: the early years' for the SMC last year, is now working on his volume 2, which will carry that forward from the end of WWI to the arrival of front-pointing, c.1970. You could also approach the SMC's Archivist and their Image Custodian (see the SMC website for contacts). But as voluntary officers I'm sure they'll prefer it if you can give them quite specific questions rather than this very general one, so better to do the background reading first.
In reply to Iain Thow:

> I just hope Hamish MacInnes has a proper autobiography hidden away before he pops his clogs. He obviously has loads of great stories (and what a life!)

He's already written it - 'Look Behind the Ranges', Hodder & Stoughton, 1979. There's also his earlier 'Call Out' re. specific rescues.
OP rcollins 27 Jan 2016
In reply to Bob Aitken:

Thanks!

Well to get more specific I'm looking at the social class change in the type of people that got into the mountains. The change when the working class started heading to the hills too. Starting from the Wall Street crash which led to a lot of job loss (especially in Glasgow) and the changes from then on. Focusing on the weekenders and the culture of bothying sleeping rough that emerged from this, as well as the emergence the Creagh Dhu.

However as I said, I'm still in the early stages of the research so I am aware of how big a topic it is, thanks for your help.
 Iain Thow 27 Jan 2016
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Yes, I've read those, but there's a lot of stuff around the Creagh Dhu that I gather Hamish was told not to publish in various people's lifetimes, and he hasn't.
 Jack Frost 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:
Always a Little Further by Alastair Borthwick is the book you're looking for.
In reply to rcollins:
Tom Weir has written several books that contribute to the topic. Highland days chronicles his achievements pretty well.
 Timmd 27 Jan 2016
In reply to Iain Thow:
> Yes, I've read those, but there's a lot of stuff around the Creagh Dhu that I gather Hamish was told not to publish in various people's lifetimes, and he hasn't.

On the PHD outdoor equipment website Peter Hutchinson jokingly mentions having backmail stories regarding Rab Carrington from days with the Creagh Dhu.
Post edited at 20:13
 inboard 27 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

I think there's a lady at Glasgow Uni (Geography dept) working on a PhD on bothy use. Possibly a useful contact or, if she's finished, useful resource
 OMR 28 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

If you want to look at bothy culture etc, then the MBA might be a good port of call, and there may be some useful info in their recently published 50th anniversary book - http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/
 DH3631 28 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

Apart from everything mentioned above, especially Borthwick and Weir, have a look at Mountain Days and Bothy Nights by Brown / Mitchell, along with another two books by the same author(s) in a similar vein - A View From The Ridge, and Second Man on The Rope (?).
The cairngorm club published a centenary history in the late 80s which may be of some interest. Finally, though it is not actually about mountaineering, the Canoe Boys (Dunnett) is worth reading both for its own sake but also because it gives some insight into the way people approached 'the outdoors' in the 30s, now that generation has passed.
 OMR 28 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

And, at the risk of plugging my own blog (heaven forfend!) this guest post from Cairngorm veteran Ashie Brebner says a lot about attitudes in the '40s and '50s. https://cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/2015/01/16/cairngorm-skiing-the-tra...
Also a bit about their idea of adventure - https://cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/2015/01/17/skiing-the-black-spout-o...
OP rcollins 29 Jan 2016
In reply to rcollins:

Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions.
 alasdair19 02 Feb 2016
In reply to rcollins:

the guy is to talk too is Robin Campbell of the smc.

There is lovely anecdote in an SMC journal about work being done on lagangarbh I think.

2 more senior Edinburgh members came by and watching the roofing activity commented "do we really have members that can do this kind of thing "
 alasdair19 02 Feb 2016
In reply to rcollins:
Ken. crockett is the other man to talk to. I suspect your dissertation needs to be a little more focused.

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