Thomas Firbank
Encyclopedia
Thomas Firbank was a Canadian/Welsh
author, farmer, soldier and engineer.
He was born in Quebec
, Canada
, to an English father and a Welsh mother. Following his father's early death, he was raised among his mother's hill-farming community in the Berwyn Mountains of North Wales. He was educated at Stowe School.
His first book, an autobiography entitled I Bought a Mountain (ISBN 978-1871083057) was published in 1940 and became a major international best-seller. It describes how aged only 21, he bought a 2400 acres (9.7 km²) sheep farm in Capel Curig, North Wales, in 1931 and painstakingly learnt his trade, while portraying the beauty of Snowdonia
. Firbank was a keen mountain walker, and the book includes a hair-raising account of how he and his two companions were possibly the first to ascend all of the Welsh 3000s in less than 9 hours (see also History of the Welsh 3000s). Firbank's first wife, Esme, a Surrey-born actress whom he met in 1933, features prominently.
The book ends with pastoral calm interrupted by the ominous drumbeats of the Second World War which drew Thomas Firbank away from his beloved farm to enlist in the Coldstream Guards. He was later seconded to the newly-formed Airborne Forces with whom he fought in North Africa, Italy and Arnhem, and was awarded the Military Cross. At the end of the war, as Lieutenant-Colonel, he commanded the Airborne Forces Depot on the Isle of Wight. His book I Bought a Star, (ISBN 978-1871083965, pub. 1951) describes his war-time experiences with the 1st Airborne.
His marriage ended during the Second World War, both parties finding new partners. In difficult postwar circumstances, he generously gave Esme his farm in 1947, enabling her to remain there with her new partner. In 1967 she became an important founder member of the Snowdonia Society
: see obituary. After her death the farm was donated to the National Trust (see BBC report.
Log Hut (pub. George G. Harrap, 1954) details his experiences in a bungalow on the north east edge of Dartmoor.
A Country of Memorable Honour (ISBN 978-1871083217, pub. 1953) describes a walking tour through Wales with fascinating characters at every turn. This tour was a farewell to the old country before moving to Japan
to open up the Far East for a British engineering firm.
A novel entitled Bride to the Mountain (pub. Harrap 1940, reprinted C. Chivers Dec. 1965, then again by Portway Reprints under ISBN 0855941758) was written shortly after the success of I Bought A Mountain and draws heavily on the same experiences. It also appears to be largely based on an actual 1927 case when a strong but insane climber called Giveen caused the deaths of two others.
He returned to Snowdonia in 1993, and wrote further articles on conservation. He died in December 2000 in Llanrwst
, Conwy
, North Wales
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20001211/ai_n14362168
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
author, farmer, soldier and engineer.
He was born in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, to an English father and a Welsh mother. Following his father's early death, he was raised among his mother's hill-farming community in the Berwyn Mountains of North Wales. He was educated at Stowe School.
His first book, an autobiography entitled I Bought a Mountain (ISBN 978-1871083057) was published in 1940 and became a major international best-seller. It describes how aged only 21, he bought a 2400 acres (9.7 km²) sheep farm in Capel Curig, North Wales, in 1931 and painstakingly learnt his trade, while portraying the beauty of Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
. Firbank was a keen mountain walker, and the book includes a hair-raising account of how he and his two companions were possibly the first to ascend all of the Welsh 3000s in less than 9 hours (see also History of the Welsh 3000s). Firbank's first wife, Esme, a Surrey-born actress whom he met in 1933, features prominently.
The book ends with pastoral calm interrupted by the ominous drumbeats of the Second World War which drew Thomas Firbank away from his beloved farm to enlist in the Coldstream Guards. He was later seconded to the newly-formed Airborne Forces with whom he fought in North Africa, Italy and Arnhem, and was awarded the Military Cross. At the end of the war, as Lieutenant-Colonel, he commanded the Airborne Forces Depot on the Isle of Wight. His book I Bought a Star, (ISBN 978-1871083965, pub. 1951) describes his war-time experiences with the 1st Airborne.
His marriage ended during the Second World War, both parties finding new partners. In difficult postwar circumstances, he generously gave Esme his farm in 1947, enabling her to remain there with her new partner. In 1967 she became an important founder member of the Snowdonia Society
Snowdonia Society
The Snowdonia Society is a members based environmental charity. Formed in 1967, it is concerned with all aspects of the Snowdonia National Park. Members take part in practical activities to improve the environment and engage in campaigns to prevent inappropriate development in the area...
: see obituary. After her death the farm was donated to the National Trust (see BBC report.
Log Hut (pub. George G. Harrap, 1954) details his experiences in a bungalow on the north east edge of Dartmoor.
A Country of Memorable Honour (ISBN 978-1871083217, pub. 1953) describes a walking tour through Wales with fascinating characters at every turn. This tour was a farewell to the old country before moving to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to open up the Far East for a British engineering firm.
A novel entitled Bride to the Mountain (pub. Harrap 1940, reprinted C. Chivers Dec. 1965, then again by Portway Reprints under ISBN 0855941758) was written shortly after the success of I Bought A Mountain and draws heavily on the same experiences. It also appears to be largely based on an actual 1927 case when a strong but insane climber called Giveen caused the deaths of two others.
He returned to Snowdonia in 1993, and wrote further articles on conservation. He died in December 2000 in Llanrwst
Llanrwst
Llanrwst is a small town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century Saint Grwst, and the original parish church in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church....
, Conwy
Conwy
Conwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...
, North Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20001211/ai_n14362168