Charles Francis Meade (born 25 February 1881 – died 1975) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

mountaineer and author.

Origins

Born in England, Meade was the only surviving child of the Hon. Sir Robert Henry Meade and Caroline Georgiana Grenfell. His mother died shortly after his birth and his father before he reached the age of 17.

Climbing

Meade climbed extensively in the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

and the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

, often accompanied by his guide, Pierre Blanc (d. 1966). In particular, he made a number of early attempts on

Kamet Kamet ( hi, कामेत) is the second highest mountain in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India, after Nanda Devi. It lies in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. Its appearance resembles a giant pyramid topped by a flat summit area wi ...

, camping overnight in 1913 at Meade’s Col, at a height of 7,138 metres. He was an original member of the

Mount Everest Committee The Mount Everest Committee was a body formed by the Alpine Club and the Royal Geographical Society to co-ordinate and finance the 1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition to Mount Everest and all subsequent British expeditions to clim ...

. Meade Nunatak, a hill in the

Antarctic The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...

, is also named after him. Meade also developed the Meade tent, a design which was extensively used by other climbers for a number of years and at the highest camp on the first ascent of Everest.

Personal life

Meade married Aileen Hilda Brodrick, the daughter of St.John Brodrick (later Earl of Midleton), by whom he had three daughters and a son. They lived in

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

, at Pen-y-Lan, near

Meifod Meifod, formerly also written Meivod (), is a small village, community and electoral ward 7 miles north-west of Welshpool in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales, on the A495 road and located in the valley of the River Vyrnwy. The River Banwy has a conf ...

Publications

* ''Approach to the Hills'' ( John Murray, London, 1940) * ''High Mountains'' (Harvill, London, 1954)

References

English mountain climbers English writers 1881 births 1975 deaths 20th-century English writers {{Climbing-bio-stub