UKC

Joe Brown, originally a plumber's apprentice from Manchester, took the British climbing world by storm after WWII. In the 50s and 60s, Joe's dazzling performance on rock pushed British climbing standards and, in 1955, he climbed Kanchenjunga: the third highest mountain in the world.

Joe Brown died on 15 April 2020. The BMC have released this interview today (25 May) to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the first ascent of Kanchenjunga by Joe Brown and George Band.

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Fantastic. 

That was a treat. Wonderful. 

He died on April 15th.

Great stuff, most enjoyable. Thank you.

What I can't understand is why everyone appears to preface any item about Joe Brown with saying "originally a plumber from Manchester..." It does not seem to apply to anyone else er "Adam Ondra a student from Finkleberg University..." Well you probably get my drift but the media do it all the time. It really has no relevance to his climbing. Is it this 'class' thing about needing to say he's not from Oxbridge this lad. There were other working class climbers  around at the time and before, the Creag Ddu in Scotland, Birkett and Peascod in the Lakes, and so forth. But for Joe and to a certain extent, Whillans 'it's the plumbers from Manchester'. God, I don't even know where Fawcett or Moffat or even Ondra are from and is it really important, are we really  interested? Does it somehow make them a better climber? Rant over.

Loved the interview btw. Lovely man.

Sean,

This may be a legacy of the time. If you imagine the British Climbing scene of the post war, the establishment was still in charge. The best climbers had with few exceptions (Manchester university into the Rucksack Club, Kirkus and a few others), been products of public schools and then Oxbridge. I think that there was a great deal of surprise and from some, indignation when it transpired that a new generation of climbers were forcing climbing standards to a point unimaginable before the war. Due to this perhaps, it seemed important or noteworthy that Brown was a plumber when reporting on the Kanchenjunga expedition. I imagine that the rest of expeditions professions were also reported on. Post Kanch, the climbing plumber tag just stuck, not only for Brown who wasn’t a plumber, but a jobbing builder, but also for Whillans who actually was an industrial plumber. This theory has little real basis or evidence but seems plausible. A friend who knew Whillans, Nat Allen and Joe Brown well says that Whillans was always pissed off when Joe Brown was described as a plumber. 

James

Your last sentence says it all James. (A friend who knew Whillans, Nat Allen and Joe Brown well says that Whillans was always pissed off when Joe Brown was described as a plumber. )

But the media still persist with this epithet to the present day, as witness his recent obituaries. BTW it wasn't you having a bivvy on Central Groove was it?

Cheers, Sean

Not me. I’m breaking the bird ban bivvying on the Old Redoubt. 

James

Un-Put-Downable. Thank you.

Isn't the actual joke, really, that he was never a plumber? He was a builder's apprentice, and did lots of work on roofs and chimney stacks. Just because once in a blue moon he had to help on a plumbing job he got labelled, completely wrongly, as a plumber.

This is really wonderful. Pure gold, historically. As I've said before, he wasn't just a great climber, but a great human being. I feel very honoured to have known him, not very well (occasional quite long conversations spread over 40 years), but well enough that he was a welcoming friend towards the end. 

Absolutely. That's what comes across from so many people's encounters with him. 

This interview is such a joy.

Mick

Nice film. He talks about adventure a lot. And fun, the sheer thrill of being in ridiculous places, often in horrible weather, but with friends. A great reminder of what climbing is, or should be about.

No-one seems to object to Mick Fowler being described as a taxman...

But is it really relevant? Is is a device to slot individuals into little boxes, not to mention the class issue ie. 'He's only a common plumber!'

Relevant to what? It provides interest.