Walter Parry Haskett Smith
Encyclopedia
Walter Parry Haskett Smith (1859–1946) is often called the Father of Rock Climbing. Born in Kent
, England
, the son of a wealthy landowner, he attended Eton
where he excelled at athletics, before enrolling in Trinity College, Oxford
.
(unofficial) world record of 25 feet once in practice. On a university reading party at Aber, Wales, in 1880, Haskett Smith became interested in exploring local cliffs, and in 1881 he journeyed to the Lake District
and took a room at the inn at Wasdale Head
, staying there for two months, meeting Frederick Herman Bowring, an enthusiastic fell-scrambler some forty years older, and, in essence, becoming Bowring's protégé. Bowring had also been an athlete in his university days, reaching 21 feet in the long jump in the 1840s.
By the following summer, Haskett Smith had begun to record his efforts – which were more akin to what we now think of as rock climbing
than to the exposed scrambles of previous generations. His most famous climb was his 1886 first ascent of the Napes Needle, which he accomplished, by himself, without any sort of protective devices - eschewing the use of ropes, spikes, and ladders as aids required by inferior climbers. His climbing style was muscular and gymnastic, similar to that of Owen Glynne Jones
, Haskett Smith's successor - after 1895 - as leading British rock climber.
A life-long devotee of etymologies, and possessing a gift for describing past acquaintances, Haskett Smith delighted in producing rambling and witty pieces about his athletic avocation
. For instance, in his description of Bear Rock in "Climbing in the British Isles", the reader divines a subtle poke at the new pastime of bouldering
: "a queerly-shaped rock on Great Napes, which in the middle of March, 1889 was gravely attacked by a large party comprising some five or six of the strongest climbers in England. It is a little difficult to find, especially in seasons when the grass is at all long."
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of a wealthy landowner, he attended Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
where he excelled at athletics, before enrolling in Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
.
Background
At Oxford he studied law and continued along a promising athletic path, reaching a long jumpLong jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
(unofficial) world record of 25 feet once in practice. On a university reading party at Aber, Wales, in 1880, Haskett Smith became interested in exploring local cliffs, and in 1881 he journeyed to the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
and took a room at the inn at Wasdale Head
Wasdale Head
Wasdale Head is a small agricultural village in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The village claims to be home of the highest mountain , deepest lake , smallest church and biggest liar in England...
, staying there for two months, meeting Frederick Herman Bowring, an enthusiastic fell-scrambler some forty years older, and, in essence, becoming Bowring's protégé. Bowring had also been an athlete in his university days, reaching 21 feet in the long jump in the 1840s.
By the following summer, Haskett Smith had begun to record his efforts – which were more akin to what we now think of as rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
than to the exposed scrambles of previous generations. His most famous climb was his 1886 first ascent of the Napes Needle, which he accomplished, by himself, without any sort of protective devices - eschewing the use of ropes, spikes, and ladders as aids required by inferior climbers. His climbing style was muscular and gymnastic, similar to that of Owen Glynne Jones
Owen Glynne Jones
150px|thumb|Portrait and signature of Owen Glynne Jones from his book Rock-climbing in the English Lake DistrictOwen Glynne Jones was a Welsh rock-climber and mountaineer...
, Haskett Smith's successor - after 1895 - as leading British rock climber.
A life-long devotee of etymologies, and possessing a gift for describing past acquaintances, Haskett Smith delighted in producing rambling and witty pieces about his athletic avocation
Avocation
An avocation is an activity that one engages in as a hobby outside one's main occupation. There are many examples of people whose professions were the ways that they made their livings, but for whom their activities outside of their workplaces were their true passions in life...
. For instance, in his description of Bear Rock in "Climbing in the British Isles", the reader divines a subtle poke at the new pastime of bouldering
Bouldering
Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
: "a queerly-shaped rock on Great Napes, which in the middle of March, 1889 was gravely attacked by a large party comprising some five or six of the strongest climbers in England. It is a little difficult to find, especially in seasons when the grass is at all long."
Further reading
- Haskett Smith, W. P. (1894), "Climbing in the British Isles", Facsimile edition by The Ernest Press, 1986
- Perrin, Jim (1986), Playful Progenitor – Prelude to the facsimile edition of "Climbing in the British Isles"