Pigott Alfred Sefton

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Biografie:
Alfred Sefton Pigott, OBE (1895-1979)
Fred Pigott received his education at Manchester Grammar School. In 1914, shortly after leaving school, he volunteered for military service and joined the Royal Fusiliers. Whilst in the front-line trenches, acting as a sniper, he was wounded in the hand and arm by shrapnel. This
resulted in a gangrenous infection. He successfully resisted the advice of the surgeons to amputate his limb and eventually recovered, although his hand was left permanently damaged. He was invalided from the army in 1916 and so spared the holocaust of the Battle of the Somme in which many of his regiment perished.
It was during his army training that he met a member of the Rucksack Club who persuaded him to walk from Epsom to Brighton, a distance of about 40 miles. On arriving at Brighton they discovered they had insuflicient money for the railway fare back to Epsom, so returned at a brisk pace, just avoiding overstaying their leave. He joined the Rucksack Club in 1919 on what was described as 'a very sketchy Walking qualification'. For a short time he contented himself with hill walking, until he suddenly took all' and began climbing on the gritstone edges of Derbyshire. Here he joined forces with another outstanding climber, Morley Wood, who became his life-long friend and climbing companion. It was soon apparent that Fred had remarkable abilities as a rock climber; many new routes on gritstone were pioneered; and in 1923 he led the 3rd ascent of Central Buttress, Scafell, at that time and for many years afterwards considered the most difficult climb in Britain. Other notable 1st ascents were the Crypt Route on Bidean-nam-Bian, a direct route up the Tower, Ben Nevis; several in Skye and the Central Buttress, Coire Mhic Fearchair, involving a 4-hour walk in each direction from and to Achnasheen. He was also active in the Lake District, pioneering new routes on Gimmer, Pillar Rock and Eagle Crag. It was in Wales where Fred's name will be long remembered. The great black cliff of Clogwyn Du'r Arddu had been looked at by climbers for many years but none had ventured far up the steep repelling walls of the E and W Buttresses. Fred and MOI'ley Wood addressed themselves to the task of forcing a route up the former. This was a formidable undertaking requiring great persistence, skill and ingenuity until all the problems were solved and the name of Pigott's Route bestowed upon a superb climb. Attention was now directed to the virgin W Buttress but it soon became obvious that others had been attempting to make a route. Whilst Fred's party was grappling with the dilliculties, another party led by Jack Longland appeared at the foot of the crag and it became clear Jack had also been making earlier attempts. Greetings were exchanged and Fred with 'the most perfect exhibition of mountain courtesy' descended and invited Jack to take over the lead. According to Jack 'A leader is simply powerless against a man like Pigott: he is pursued upwards by winged words of encouragement, and any voicing of hesitation is greeted by the briefest expressions of incredulity. My impression is that it was my instinctive desire never to see the polite look of sorrow and unbelief cross Pigott's face that kept the party on the move'.
Thus another fine route, 'Longland's' was completed. Later Fred also took part in the first ascent of the Narrow Slab, this time led by a young Rucksacker, the late Maurice Linnell. His first season in the Alps was with George Bower when they did the first ascent of the Col de Nantillons to be followed by the first guideless ascent of the Mer de Glace face of the Grepon. Many more visits were made to the Alps and Dolomites, interrupted by the Second World War, a particularly notable event being Fred's lead of the Ago di Sciora, in a thunderstorm, and his masterly guidance of his party on the return to the Albigna Hut over the glacier in the darkness. Little collective thought had been given to mountain rescue until a series of accidents during 1928-32 emphasized the need for a rescue service for the injured. This was met by the formation of the First Aid Committee (later the Mountain Rescue Committee} which consisted of representatives of the major climbing clubs. Fred was elected as Secretary, a post which he held until he became Chairman in 1955, and later President in 1972. The first major task was the establishment of rescue posts in strategic positions, often club huts, inns, youth hostels and private houses, where equipment could be stored and cared for by the occupier or warden. When the need arose he (or she) would collect a group of climbers, shepherds, quarrymen and others to take out the kit, apply first-aid and bring down the injured climber to the nearest road and a waiting ambulance.
Fred undertook the difficult and delicate task of establishing these rescue posts in a most tactful and convincing manner, enabling a network of them to be established in all the mountain areas of Britain. The success of these early efforts can be appreciated by the fact that about 300 casualties are now dealt with each year. He was the driving force behind all aspects of the committee's work in developing and expanding its objectives, putting in an immense amount of effort and giving wise guidance with great tactfulness and modesty. He was also
able to bring into the committee many experts in various fields of activity appropriate to ist work whether it were designing stretchers, advising on medical matters or negotiating with government departments. His colleagues were often amazed at the incisiveness, deep understanding and wide range of his thinking on the multitude of problems which arose during his many years of service to fellow mountaineers. His work for mountain rescue was recognized by the award of the OBE, and by the high esteem in which he was held by the mountaineering world.
He joined the Alpine Club in 1944, served on the committee 1961 and was Vice-President 1969. He had been President of the Rucksack Club, of which he was an Honorary member, and President of the British Mountaineering Council. He was also an Honorary Member of the Climbers' Club. Of the man himself, he had a strong athletic body, a keen mind doubly blessed by a kind, gentle and modest manner. An engaging feature was the patience and interest he would Show in one's own particular problems or ideas, no matter how remote from his own, and the encouragement he gave which made the difficulties ahead seem to be so much easier. He had a keen sense of humour and wit. He would regale his friends with amusing and often amazing anecdotes, whilst enjoying his company on the hills, or his generous hospitality at his home in Woodford. His interests ranged over a wide field-literature, poetry (Wordsworth especially), the fine arts, religion, and his successful family business. A particularly literal)' gem is a short article he wrote on the mundane subject of 'Washing Up' which, in a different context illustrates his character. It concludes: 'Patience, practice and courage will in time bring their own reward. Not all of us can hope to storm the virgin peak, or be the first to mark the untrodden snow, but even we simpler folk can feel the thrill of work well done, it is for us to point with pride to the spotless silver and stainless steel and say with Cornelia, "These are my jewels".'
Herbert Hartley
Quelle: Alpine Journal Volume 85, 1980, Seite 262-263

Geboren am:
1895
Gestorben am:
1979