GB 0402 HWT - TILMAN, Major Harold William (1898-1979)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0402 HWT

Title

TILMAN, Major Harold William (1898-1979)

Date(s)

  • 1919-1979 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

36 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Born, 1898, education Berkhamsted School, 1909, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, 1915; Royal Field Artillery, 1915-1917; Royal Horse Artillery, 1917-1919; coffee planter, Kenya, 1919-1930; ascended the two peaks of Kilimanjaro (Kibo and Mawenzi) and Mount Kenya and the Ruwenzori range with Eric Shipton; returned to England, 1932; prospected for gold in Kenya and bicycled across Africa from Uganda to the west coast, 1933; reconnaissance of Nanda Devi, Himalayas with Eric Shipton, 1934; reconnaissance expedition to Mount Everest, 1935; climbed Nanda Devi, 1936; explored and mapped a little-known area of the Karakoram; 1937; leader of the 1938 Mount Everest expedition; rejoined the Royal Artillery, 1939; Special Operations Executive, 1943-1945; attempted Rakaposhi in the Karakoram and Muztagh Ata in the Chinese Pamirs, 1947; travelled across China to the Chitral with Eric Shipton; 1948; explored in Nepal, 1949; expedition to Annapurna IV in Nepal and accompanied Charles Houston on the first ever approach to Everest from the south up the Khumbu glacier, 1950; British consul at Maymyo in Burma, 1952; returned to Britain and took up sailing: voyage to Patagonia, crossing the Patagonian ice-cap and circumnavigating South America, 1955-1956; circumnavigated Africa, 1957-1958; sailed to the Crozet Islands and Kerguelen Island in the southern Indian Ocean, 1959-1960; series of voyages to east Greenland, 1961-1974; expedition led by Simon Richardson to Smith Island in the South Shetlands, 1977-1979, on which he died, 1979. Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), 1935-1977; awarded the RGS Founder's Medal, 1952.

Archival history

GB 0402 HWT 1919-1979 Collection level 36 boxes Tilman , Harold William , 1898-1979 , Major , explorer and mountaineer

Born, 1898, education Berkhamsted School, 1909, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, 1915; Royal Field Artillery, 1915-1917; Royal Horse Artillery, 1917-1919; coffee planter, Kenya, 1919-1930; ascended the two peaks of Kilimanjaro (Kibo and Mawenzi) and Mount Kenya and the Ruwenzori range with Eric Shipton; returned to England, 1932; prospected for gold in Kenya and bicycled across Africa from Uganda to the west coast, 1933; reconnaissance of Nanda Devi, Himalayas with Eric Shipton, 1934; reconnaissance expedition to Mount Everest, 1935; climbed Nanda Devi, 1936; explored and mapped a little-known area of the Karakoram; 1937; leader of the 1938 Mount Everest expedition; rejoined the Royal Artillery, 1939; Special Operations Executive, 1943-1945; attempted Rakaposhi in the Karakoram and Muztagh Ata in the Chinese Pamirs, 1947; travelled across China to the Chitral with Eric Shipton; 1948; explored in Nepal, 1949; expedition to Annapurna IV in Nepal and accompanied Charles Houston on the first ever approach to Everest from the south up the Khumbu glacier, 1950; British consul at Maymyo in Burma, 1952; returned to Britain and took up sailing: voyage to Patagonia, crossing the Patagonian ice-cap and circumnavigating South America, 1955-1956; circumnavigated Africa, 1957-1958; sailed to the Crozet Islands and Kerguelen Island in the southern Indian Ocean, 1959-1960; series of voyages to east Greenland, 1961-1974; expedition led by Simon Richardson to Smith Island in the South Shetlands, 1977-1979, on which he died, 1979. Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), 1935-1977; awarded the RGS Founder's Medal, 1952.

24 boxes deposited by Tilman. 14 boxes deposited on permanent loan by creator's niece, 1993 and additional items in 1994.

Papers of Maj Harold William Tilman, 1919-1979, including logs, notebooks, journals, photographs, slides and correspondence relating to his travels by boat, and material relating to his wartime service.

Awaiting arrangement

Accessible via The Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.

Photocopying at the discretion of the Archivist and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without the permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.

English

Collection level description available in the Foyle Reading Room.

Prepared by Archives Volunteer using existing finding aids. Revised by Sarah Drewery.
Sources: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; The Geographical Journal, Vol 145, No. 2 (Jul., 1979), pp 376-377.

ISAD)G) ed. 2, name authority NRA.

31st January, 2001. May 2008. Armed forces Geographical exploration Geography Leisure Leisure time activities Military organizations Military service Mountaineering Organizations Sport Tilman , Harold William , 1898-1979 , Major , explorer and mountaineer Travel World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Wars (events)

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

24 boxes deposited by Tilman. 14 boxes deposited on permanent loan by creator's niece, 1993 and additional items in 1994.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Maj Harold William Tilman, 1919-1979, including logs, notebooks, journals, photographs, slides and correspondence relating to his travels by boat, and material relating to his wartime service.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Awaiting arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Accessible via The Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.

Conditions governing reproduction

Photocopying at the discretion of the Archivist and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without the permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Collection level description available in the Foyle Reading Room.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Royal Geographical Society

Rules and/or conventions used

ISAD)G) ed. 2, name authority NRA.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area