Everest mountaineer’s letters digitised for the first time
An alumnus of Magdalene College, Cambridge, Mallory is known for purportedly replying "because it's there" when asked by a reporter why he wanted to climb Everest. There is still debate about whether he and his climbing partner Andrew ‘Sandy’ Irvine did in fact make it to the top of the mountain.
The bulk of the collection is made up of letters written between Mallory and his wife Ruth from the time of their engagement in 1914 until his death on Everest in 1924. Among them are the very last letter he wrote before his final Everest summit attempt and three letters that were retrieved from his body in 1999. These letters survived 75 years in his jacket pocket before his body was discovered.
The letters cover some fascinating topics including:
- His first reconnaissance mission to Everest in 1921. There were no existing records or maps, it was uncharted and this was the mission to see if it was even possible to get to the base of Everest.
- His second mission to scope out Everest. This mission ended in disaster when eight Sherpas were swept off the mountain and killed in an avalanche. Mallory blamed himself for this tragic accident in his letters.
- His service in the First World War including his eyewitness accounts of being in the Artillery during the Battle of the Somme.
- Letters from his 1923 visit to the USA in the middle of prohibition, visiting speakeasies, asking for milk and being served whiskey through a secret hatch.
The letters to Mallory from his wife Ruth are a major source of women's social history, covering a wide variety of topics about her life as a woman living through the First World War.
College Archivist Katy Green said:
“It has been a real pleasure to work with these letters. Whether it’s George’s wife Ruth writing about how she was posting him plum cakes and a grapefruit to the trenches (he said the grapefruit wasn’t ripe enough) or whether it’s his poignant last letter where he says the chances of scaling Everest are “50 to1 against us” they offer a fascinating insight into the life of this famous Magdalene alumnus”.
Pepys Librarian, Dr Jane Hughes added:
“I am delighted that the College is able to make the letters available through the digitisation project.
"It launches a new chapter in our archival provision, aiming over future years to assist readers around the world to have access to materials not only through travel to our award-winning archive centre, but also through exploring from afar the digitised images and detailed catalogue.
"And our inspirational alumnus, Mallory, could not provide a better topic for our first digital archive project: a student, a soldier, a husband and a mountaineer, his short life represented his generation of young men a hundred years ago in a remarkable and moving way.”
George Mallory LettersThe letters are free to view on the Magdalene College Archive website.
Exploring the letters of Everest mountaineer George Mallory
Mallory Seminar and Exhibition
Seminar
George Mallory: Magdalene to the Mountain
Cripps Court, 19 June 2024, 4:30 PM - 6:45 PM
A Celebration of George Mallory, a special event to commemorate the life of George Mallory. The College is hosting presentations by three distinguished writers, followed by a discussion and question and answer session. The event is open to all and free to attend.
Exhibition
George Mallory: Magdalene to the Mountain
Robert Cripps Gallery, 20 June – 28 September 2024.
The exhibition will draw on material held in the Magdalene College Archive to reflect on the life and career of George Mallory. In association with The Foster Museum, Palo Alto, California, the archival material will be complemented by a series of watercolours of Everest by artist Tony Foster.