UKC

Hugh Banner Dies

© jonmitch
Founder of HB climbing, Hugh Banner dies. 23/04/2007

From www.dmmclimbing.com

"It was with great sadness that we heard of the death of Hugh Banner this morning.

He had recently been admitted to hospital and was fighting the illness with his usual steadfast resilience.

Hugh was well known to us at DMM and was currently working on a joint project with our industrial design team.

Hugh's death is a loss to the climbing world and our best wishes go to his wife and family."


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23 Apr, 2007
Stunned, never see that funny smile and quirky humour again. condolences to all who know and love him.
23 Apr, 2007
Very sad. Great guy. Really generous. Used to come and stay at our house in Aviemore, and bring 'seconds' for me, saying they were defective and couldn't be sold. They were perfect of course. He gave me 5 Quadcams, and numerous slings, krabs etc. My rack never looked so healthy! Top bloke. Will be sorely missed.
23 Apr, 2007
How sad. I met him a couple of times and he seemed a top bloke. My sympathies to his family.
23 Apr, 2007
Very sad. Hughie was a friend and an inspiration. Hughie was the slowest climber I ever climbed with - he could take hours (it seemed) over a single move on the tiniest of gritstone routes, but would never put a foot wrong. I guess that's the legacy of that generation of climber - you couldn't dare to fall. I remember his unique approach to climbing (my wife's face, agog, as he head-jammed his way up something at Stanage because his wrists were hurting), his comical disregard for driving safety (taking his contacts out while doing a ton on the A55), I remember the clarity of his thoughts about climbing, about climbers and about the engineering that has saved many lives and has tamed some of the world's boldest routes. His illness had not long been diagnosed, and it is a mercy to him and to his wife that the suffering did not go on for long. He will be missed.
23 Apr, 2007
I first met him when he saved me from being marrooned by the A5, hitching to Wales. I was the archetypal penniless student with a rucksack, and very obviously soaking wet, when a very flash Alfa stopped. It was one of those dream lifts; blissfully warm and dry, nice stereo, leather seats and the Bettws bends dispatched at terrifying speed. And, I quickly worked out, he did know an awful lot about climbing, although with characteristic modesty he made light of his involvement. I think it was my first encounter with a Famous Climber but he just came across as a generous and kind man who was genuinely interested in my climbing ambitions. Of course, he insisted on taking me to the door of the hut, despite the fact that it was significantly out his way to do so.
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