Oughton Frederick

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Biografie:
Frederick Oughton (1884-1967)
Older members of the Club will have learned with regret of Frederick Oughton's death (September 22, 1967), for he had been deeply associated with the Club from 1911 when he became Assistant Secretary until his retirement in 1948.
Oughton was born on November 9, 1884. He was educated in England, but spent a few years in Switzerland at the beginning of this century, perfecting his knowledge of French and German; during the First World War he, as an Army Captain, acted as a German interpreter. He was invalided out of the Army after being gassed, and resumed his work at the Club.
Oughton did not live on the Club premises (then Savile Row), but had a flat in Westminster; he was a genuine lover of the Arts and collected, within his means, china and pictures. He was bombed out during the Second World War and lost everything. His real love, however, was music, both on the organ and piano, and he was an accomplished performer. In olden days he used to take a season ticket at the Queen's Hall; but in his later years he became rather deaf and gave up going to concerts. After his retirement he lived first at Harrogate and finally in Liskeard in Cornwall.
Oughton's thirty-seven years with the A.C. saw many events and changes. He always had a high regard for the first President under whom he served, Sir Edward Davidson, and for Sydney Spencer, whose long term of twelve years as Honorary Secretary almost bridged the immediate post-First World War years and the time of the Club's move to South Audley Street. Oughton shared the very conservative outlook of Spencer and did not readily accept the changes that were necessary and inevitable in the Club's mode of existence. He made no secret of his preference for earlier times and during the fretful years of the Second World War he was not at ease with the ruling group in the Club. His deafness was increasing and cut him off from people and I think he was glad to go into his well-carned retirement in 1948.
Once he had settled down, he always showed the greatest interest in Club affairs. He received the A.J. regularly and would write and comment on people and events therein, and he was ever ready to provide information about Club matters of his day. Though he had not been involved in any degree with such matters as the Everest expeditions in the 1920s and 1930s, he had been in contact with the people concerned and had glimpsed a good deal behind the scenes.
He kept the Card Index of the A. C. library up to date and regularly supplied to the A.J. lists of accessions. After the move from Savile Row he performed a Herculean task in re-cataloguing a great many of the books. As a tribute to his long service to the Club, Longstaff in 1948 invited him (he did not accept) to be the President's guest at the annual dinner, and in 1957 he was invited to be an official guest at the Centenary Dinner. He declined this also, but sent a message of greeting to the Club on that occasion.
I last heard from him in the Spring of '67; he was rather worried over his health, and depressed at recent family deaths. The Alpine Club has good reason to remember him no\v with gratitude for his service to them over many years.
T. S. Blakeney
Quelle: Alpine Journal Volume 73, 1968, Seite 140-141


Geboren am:
09.11.1884
Gestorben am:
22.09.1967