Tom Patey

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Thomas Walton Patey (20 February 1932 – 25 May 1970) was a Scottish

mountaineer
, doctor and writer. He was a leading Scottish climber of his day, particularly excelling on winter routes. He died in a climbing accident at the age of 38. He was probably best known for his humorous songs and prose about climbing, many of which were published posthumously in the collection One Man's Mountains.

Early life

Patey was born on 20 February 1932 at

MB ChB.[1]

Medical career

Patey worked for ten years as a

Climbing

Patey first became interested in climbing while he was in the

climbing ropes unless they were necessary.[citation needed
] While he was at Bickleigh, he would regularly open up new climbs on the Devon Tors. He cared little about recording these climbing details, since that way, if routes were left unblemished and apparently virgin, those following could have a similar excitement in their experience. This generosity of spirit, along with his exuberance and irrepressive energy, left a lasting memory with his companions. His irreverent climbing songs would often be accompanied at a piano by incessant humming through a comb and paper.

He climbed extensively in Scotland (making the first winter traverse of the

sea stack off the coast of Sutherland.[3] He, Rusty Baillie and Chris Bonington pioneered the route up the Old Man of Hoy which was repeated with others on a live televised BBC outside broadcast on 8–9 July 1967.[4]

In 1966 he received a Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct, after assisting in an incident where two climbers were killed after a fall.[5]

On 25 May 1970 he fell and died while abseiling from The Maiden, a sea stack off Whiten Head on the Sutherland coast.[2]

Legacy

In 2022 a playground was opened in Chapelton named Patey Park.[6]

Bibliography

  • One Man's Mountains, Tom Patey, 1971, . Collected by his great friend Chris Bonington with his Introduction. ISBN No:- 0-86241-664-7 first published by Victor Gollanz Ltd. 1971
  • Peter Donnelly, 'Patey, Thomas Walton [Tom] (1932–1970)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004

References

  1. ^ .
  2. ^
    The Glasgow Herald
    . 26 May 2017. p. 1. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  3. ^ Sandwood Bay on walkhighlands.co.uk
  4. ^ McInnes, Hamish (7 July 1967). "Camera Conquest of Hoy". The Glasgow Herald. p. 22. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct" (PDF). Supplenment to the London Gazette. 11 October 1966. p. 10981.
  6. ^ Andonova, Denny (27 May 2022). "Nature-inspired playground unveiled in memory of north-east mountaineer". Press and Journal. Retrieved 20 July 2022.