Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury DSO
, DL
, JP
(15 August 1881 – 20 September 1963) was a British soldier, explorer, botanist and Conservative
politician.
, he was born at Charleville Castle, King's County
, Ireland
, the only son of Captain Kenneth Howard-Bury (1846–1885), son of the Honourable James Howard
. His mother was Lady Emily Alfreda Julia, daughter of Charles Bury, 3rd Earl of Charleville. His father had assumed the additional surname of Bury in 1881 after his wife succeeded to the Charleville estates. He was educated at Eton
and Sandhurst
.
, where he went travelling and big game-hunting. In 1905 he secretly entered Tibet
without permission and was rebuked by Lord Curzon
. His early travel diaries date from 1906 and show his keen powers of observation, encyclopaedic knowledge of natural history, and linguistic ability
in 1920, Howard-Bury successfully paved the way for the Everest Expedition. In 1921 he was the leader of the Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition
, organised and financed by the Mount Everest Committee
, a joint body of the Alpine Club
and the Royal Geographical Society
. In 1922 he wrote a full account of the expedition and published "Mount Everest The Reconnaissance, 1921" (ISBN 1-135-39935-2).
During the 1921 expedition Howard-Bury found many footprints at high altitude, he later pronounced that the tracks "were probably caused by a large 'loping' grey wolf" , however his sherpas were quick to offer that they were the tracks of a "metch kangmi" (meaning "filthy snowman"). It was at this time that Henry Newman of The Statesman
in Calcutta (now Kolkata
) obtained descriptions from the expedition's porters on their return to Darjeeling. Bill Tilman
writes in his book (see also ) that Newman mistranslated "metch kangmi" as "abominable snowman"; hence the phrase "Abominable Snowman" came into existence in 1921.
Later Newman wrote in a letter to The Times
"The whole story seemed such a joyous creation I sent it to one or two newspapers". Izzard adds "whatever effect Mr. Newman intended, from 1921 onwards the Yeti - or whatever various native populations choose to call it - became saddled with the description "Abominable Snowman", an appellation which can only appeal more to the music-hall mind than to mammologists, a fact which has seriously handicapped earnest seekers of the truth"
as Conservative
. He lost his seat in 1924 but returned to the House of Commons
in 1926, when he was elected for Chelmsford
. He resigned in 1931. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant
and Justice of the Peace
for County Westmeath
.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(15 August 1881 – 20 September 1963) was a British soldier, explorer, botanist and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Background and education
A member of the Howard familyHoward family
The Howard family is an English aristocratic family founded by John Howard who was created Duke of Norfolk by Plantagenet monarch Richard III of England in 1483. However, John was also the eldest grandson of the 1st Duke of 1st creation...
, he was born at Charleville Castle, King's County
County Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the only son of Captain Kenneth Howard-Bury (1846–1885), son of the Honourable James Howard
James Howard (Whig politician)
The Honourable James Kenneth Howard , was a British Whig politician.A member of the Howard family, he was the fourth son of Thomas Howard, 16th Earl of Suffolk, by the Honourable Elizabeth Jane, daughter of James Dutton, 1st Baron Sherborne...
. His mother was Lady Emily Alfreda Julia, daughter of Charles Bury, 3rd Earl of Charleville. His father had assumed the additional surname of Bury in 1881 after his wife succeeded to the Charleville estates. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
.
Career until 1921
Howard-Bury was always interested in climbing as a youth, which led him to take up the larger routes in Austrian Alps. He joined the 60th Rifles in 1904 and was posted to IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, where he went travelling and big game-hunting. In 1905 he secretly entered Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
without permission and was rebuked by Lord Curzon
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary...
. His early travel diaries date from 1906 and show his keen powers of observation, encyclopaedic knowledge of natural history, and linguistic ability
1921 Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition
At the behest or Sir Francis YounghusbandFrancis Younghusband
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, KCSI, KCIE was a British Army officer, explorer, and spiritual writer...
in 1920, Howard-Bury successfully paved the way for the Everest Expedition. In 1921 he was the leader of the Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition
Timeline of climbing Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at 8,848 metres above sea level.- 1921: Reconnaissance expedition:The first British expedition – organized and financed by the newly formed Mount Everest Committee – came under the leadership of Colonel Ashton Rushton, with Kyle Carter as...
, organised and financed by the Mount Everest Committee
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 Reconnaissance Expedition to Mount Everest and all subsequent British expeditions to climb the mountain until 1947...
, a joint body of the Alpine Club
Alpine Club (UK)
The Alpine Club was founded in London in 1857 and was probably the world's first mountaineering club. It is UK mountaineering's acknowledged 'senior club'.-History:...
and the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
. In 1922 he wrote a full account of the expedition and published "Mount Everest The Reconnaissance, 1921" (ISBN 1-135-39935-2).
During the 1921 expedition Howard-Bury found many footprints at high altitude, he later pronounced that the tracks "were probably caused by a large 'loping' grey wolf" , however his sherpas were quick to offer that they were the tracks of a "metch kangmi" (meaning "filthy snowman"). It was at this time that Henry Newman of The Statesman
The Statesman
The Statesman is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper founded in 1875 and published simultaneously in Kolkata, New Delhi, Siliguri and Bhubaneswar. The Statesman is owned by The Statesman Ltd., its headquarters at Statesman House, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta and its national...
in Calcutta (now Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
) obtained descriptions from the expedition's porters on their return to Darjeeling. Bill Tilman
Tilman
Tilman is a surname, and may refer to:* Bill Tilman , English mountaineer and explorer* G. David Tilman , American ecologist* Felicia Tilman, fictional character in the television series Desperate Housewives...
writes in his book (see also ) that Newman mistranslated "metch kangmi" as "abominable snowman"; hence the phrase "Abominable Snowman" came into existence in 1921.
Later Newman wrote in a letter to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
"The whole story seemed such a joyous creation I sent it to one or two newspapers". Izzard adds "whatever effect Mr. Newman intended, from 1921 onwards the Yeti - or whatever various native populations choose to call it - became saddled with the description "Abominable Snowman", an appellation which can only appeal more to the music-hall mind than to mammologists, a fact which has seriously handicapped earnest seekers of the truth"
Political career
The Everest expedition of 1921 made Howard-Bury a public figure and in 1922 he was elected to parliament for BilstonBilston (UK Parliament constituency)
Bilston was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Bilston in what is now the southeast of the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands...
as Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. He lost his seat in 1924 but returned to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1926, when he was elected for Chelmsford
Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)
Chelmsford is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From the 2010 general election it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. He resigned in 1931. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
and Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
.