Bankes Andrew Dykes Scott

(Bearbeiten)

Biografie:
Andrew Dykes Scott Bankes 1955-1987
It was with great sorrow that we learnt of Andrew's death in June 1987, following a cancer illness which had lasted for over a year. Andrew had fought the illness for many months, and at times during the early part of the year it was encouraging to see his temporary recovery.
Andrew was born and lived in London, but his family home near Mold in North Wales instilled in him a fondness for the mountains at an early age. He started mountain-walking as a child, and his interest in climbing was developed at Eton College and encouraged by his housemaster, John Vesey.
When Andrew left school he went to Durham University and continued his climbing whilst close to the more mountainous regions of the United Kingdom. He then moved back to London to start his career in the legal profession. He studied successfully for the Bar and practised from chambers in the Temple for a number of years. During this period he became a very active climber and joined both the North London Mountaineering Club and the Alpine Club, where he became a member of the Committee with responsibility for arranging informal meetings. Although he spent virtually all his weekends climbing, he nevertheless found time to meet and marry his wife, Ariane.
In addition to climbing together, Andrew and I used to run regularly in London, over Hampstead Heath. Although we used this ptimarily as a means to get fit for the mountains, he successfully completed the London Marathon in 1984. He led me to believe that he found this more gruelling than any climb! We always seemed to be in a race rather than just going for a friendly run; this reflected his competitive nature which was so apparent when one was climbing with him.
Andrew was a very keen and enthusiastic climber. He won many friends within the climbing world, not only because of his enthusiasm for getting out into the hills as often as he could - which is not easy from a London base – but also because, once there, regardless of the weather, he would spend from dawn to dusk (and sometimes into the dark) walking and climbing over the mountains. Whatever the climb, he viewed it as the most important thing to him at that moment and we always had a feeling of great accomplishment when we succeeded on any route, no matter how tame. During the long car rides to the mountains from London, his amusing conversation and wit were always highly valued. Many a journey was shortened by stories of his encounters in court during the previous week!
Andrew was primarily interested in the larger and more challenging mountains, although he was also a keen rock-climber during the summer months. He was active in Scotland on ice for a number of winters, and he also climbed in the Alps. His most notable ascents were the traverse of the Matterhorn and the M6nch. Andrew also visited the Himalaya twice, and it was in 1984 that he made a successful ascent of a 6200m peak in the Mulkila group in Lahul and Spiti.
Andrew was a good friend of mine and of many other climbers from both the North London and the Alpine Clubs. We missed him during his illness and his absence will be felt more deeply now.
Anthony Wheaton
Quelle: Alpine Journal Volume 93, 1988-89, Seite 319-320


Geboren am:
1955
Gestorben am:
06.1987