John Angelo Jackson
Encyclopedia
John Angelo Jackson was an English
mountaineer, explorer and educationalist.
. Before World War II
, he was apprenticed in pharmacy. However, at the outbreak of war, he left to volunteer for the R.A.F.
in which he served for six years. He flew with No. 31 Squadron RAF
in India
and Burma, flying in much needed supplies to the 14th Army who were stranded behind Japanese lines, for which he was mentioned in despatches.
After the war he became a schoolmaster. He taught geography and science in Nelson and Redcar
, during which time he would voluntarily undertake extracurricular activities after school hours and weekends introducing his students to the mountains.
He was an avid and skilful photographer, something that lasted all his life, much of this work was used in lecture tours around the world, books that he wrote, pictures and detailed information for books that other people wrote, magazine articles, the BBC etc.
and Scotland
. His experience as a first-class rock climber was crucial to becoming Instructor and later Chief Instructor at the RAF Mountaineering Centre at Sonamarg
in Kashmir
.
Within the public engagement framework rules laid down by the CCPR that effectively prevented him from actually sitting on committees of external bodies, he extensively guided major governing bodies, i.e. the B.M.C and M.L.T.B, to become involved with all aspects of "Outdoor Pursuits", not solely the climbing aspects.
With the assistance of a grant made by the then Sports Minister Dennis Howell, he was able to install the canoe training pool, extend the dry ski slope and provide a Bar which added greatly to the existing facilities of the Centre.
Wrote extensively for many magazines and journals, e.g. Climber and Rambler, The Great Outdoors
, The Himalayan Club, The Fell and Rock Journal and the Alpine Journal
.
Jackson's determined approach often brought him into conflict with the politically motivated individuals in the sport, they would wait until he retired in an attempt to redress old scores, however despite these difficulties he still managed to establish Plas y Brenin
as the pre-eminent outdoor pursuits centre in the UK and was known worldwide for its excellence.
, Kashmir, Nepal
, India
, Peru
, Ecuador
& Galapagos Islands, Kilimanjaro.
Its is important to relate that he did not do this for money - he received no payment for these services as he considered it his "hobby" - he did this work for the love of travel, for the people who wanted to experience the mountains he held in such high regard.
In June 2005, he was interviewed for the last time, by Jamie Owen
for BBC Wales
during the making of a series of documentaries for Welsh television "Welsh Journeys". In this interview, he again re-affirmed his love for mountains, Wales, lives experiences and also the view that mountains were for everybody.
, Welsh Journeys (Published in 2005, by Gomer Press, www.gomer.co.uk, ISBN 1-84323-569-2, Snowdonia - pages 79 – 101)
Photography
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
mountaineer, explorer and educationalist.
Early life
He was brought up and educated in Nelson, LancashireNelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
. Before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was apprenticed in pharmacy. However, at the outbreak of war, he left to volunteer for the R.A.F.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in which he served for six years. He flew with No. 31 Squadron RAF
No. 31 Squadron RAF
No. 31 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, known as the 'Goldstars', currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Marham, Norfolk.-History:The squadron was formed at Farnborough on October 11, 1915. Its first deployment was to Risulpur, India with its BE2Cs and Farmans, and during this time it took...
in India
India
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...
and Burma, flying in much needed supplies to the 14th Army who were stranded behind Japanese lines, for which he was mentioned in despatches.
After the war he became a schoolmaster. He taught geography and science in Nelson and Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
, during which time he would voluntarily undertake extracurricular activities after school hours and weekends introducing his students to the mountains.
He was an avid and skilful photographer, something that lasted all his life, much of this work was used in lecture tours around the world, books that he wrote, pictures and detailed information for books that other people wrote, magazine articles, the BBC etc.
Mountaineering and educational achievements
He started climbing on the Yorkshire Moors, and later moved to the Lake DistrictLake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. His experience as a first-class rock climber was crucial to becoming Instructor and later Chief Instructor at the RAF Mountaineering Centre at Sonamarg
Sonamarg
Sonmarg or Sonamarg is a town of Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Situated at 87 km from Srinagar, it is a popular tourist destination....
in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
.
- 1944 Chief Instructor at the R.A.F. Mountain Training Centre, Kashmir Himalaya
- 1952 Member of the British N.W. Garhwal Expedition – Central Himalaya
- 1953 First reserve on the first ascent of Chomolungma (Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
) (pre-monsoon), and was involved with all initial training including climbing in North WalesNorth WalesNorth Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
with oxygen tanks. Jackson was a full member of the post monsoon expedition, however as the first expedition summited the post monsoon expedition was cancelled. Further related information can be found in the Pen-y-GwrydPen-y-GwrydPen-y-Gwryd is a pass at the head of Nantygwryd and Nant Cynnyd rivers in Gwynedd, North Wales and a quarter of a mile from the boundary with Conwy in northern Snowdonia, close to the foot of Snowdon...
article. - 1954 Was the mountaineering leader of the Daily MailDaily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
Abominable Snowman Expedition (YetiYetiThe Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology...
), where the first trek from Everest to KangchenjungaKangchenjungaKangchenjunga is the third highest mountain of the world with an elevation of and located along the India-Nepal border in the Himalayas.Kangchenjunga is also the name of the section of the Himalayas and means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over...
was completed.
- 1955 Published his first book, More than Mountains.
- 1955 Member of the team to first climb KangchenjungaKangchenjungaKangchenjunga is the third highest mountain of the world with an elevation of and located along the India-Nepal border in the Himalayas.Kangchenjunga is also the name of the section of the Himalayas and means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over...
(28,208 ft), he reached and set up camp five (out of six) with Tom Mackinon. - 1957 October 28. Two years as Chief Instructor at Plas y BreninPlas y BreninPlas y Brenin, is currently the The National Mountain Centre for Wales . The Centre is situated in Dyffryn Mymbyr, the Mymbyr Valley, in Snowdonia and is less than a quarter of a mile south-west of the centre of Capel Curig on the A4086 road....
, John Disley having resigned after only a short period, working for The Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR). - Early 1960 was a Senior member of Sir John HuntJohn HuntJohn Hunt may refer to:*John Hunt , Quaker minister, originally from London, England, and one of the "Virginia Exiles"*John Hunt , Quaker minister and journalist from Moorestown, New Jersey...
's expedition to North East GreenlandGreenlandGreenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, Staunings Alps. A mixed group of mountaineers and scientists but also (and a credit to the expedition) were 18 Duke of EdinburghDuke of EdinburghThe Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
Gold Award winners. Jackson was a big proponent of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. - 1960 He became the second DirectorExecutive directorExecutive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
/ of Plas y BreninPlas y BreninPlas y Brenin, is currently the The National Mountain Centre for Wales . The Centre is situated in Dyffryn Mymbyr, the Mymbyr Valley, in Snowdonia and is less than a quarter of a mile south-west of the centre of Capel Curig on the A4086 road....
for a further sixteen years. - During his tenure at Plas y Brenin, to highlight just a few achievements:
First dry ski slope in North Wales built mainly by staff but in the main by Richard McHardy, it was a great success and would attract people from all over Wales and England.
The first cross-country dry ski track in Wales and possibly the UK, later tested and used by the British Biathlon Team.
Two snow-making projects, the first being at Rhyddolion above Betws-y-Coed North Wales using an underpowered compressor, the second being at Bryn Engan, Plas y Brenin with a more powerful compressor
Brought about the Mountain Leader Training Board along with Sir Jack Longland, the MLT Certificate and the Mountain Instructor Certificate.
Built the first all-weather training pool for teaching canoeing and life-saving skills and still very much in action to this day.
He understood the value of marketing and would devote a good part of his time single-handedly lecturing to colleges, universities, Local Education Authorities, schools, Mountaineering - Climbing - Walking and ski clubs (anyone who wanted to use the outdoors) to encourage people to use the Centre; his approach proved an enormous success and was pivotal in establishing Plas y Brenin as a world leader in outdoor education.
Took the first early ski and ski mountaineering groups to the French Alps; these were extended to "Dolomiti Superski" courses at Plas Menai Plas MenaiPlas Menai is the National Watersports Centre for Wales. It is situated on the mainland side of the Menai Strait, and is approximately 3 miles East of Caernarfon, North Wales.-History:...
and now are now mainstay activities at both outdoor centres.
It was always a high point when staff took up prominent positions or created their own projects that became successful. For example, Don Roscoe and Barbara Sparks went on to run the Outdoor Education Department at UCNW Bangor, Dave Alcock went on from being a Mountaineering Instructor to be the Director of Plas y Brenin for eleven years, Roger Orgill was twice Chief Instructor (after resigning at least once) was an avid committee man and was awarded an MBE.
- 1963 Member of Trans-Pindus Expedition, Greece – Leader John HuntJohn HuntJohn Hunt may refer to:*John Hunt , Quaker minister, originally from London, England, and one of the "Virginia Exiles"*John Hunt , Quaker minister and journalist from Moorestown, New Jersey...
- 1970s Published Safety on Mountains for the CCPR in the very early 1970s, which reached its 8th reprint by 1972 (18p).
- 1976 "The Himachal Expedition": with his wife Eileen, he made a nine-month overland journey from Anglesey, Wales to Nepal and back, some 18,000 miles, in a specially strengthened camper van. En route, they gathered a wealth of photographic narrative, used in educational lecture tours in later life and indeed still used today as reference material by many periodicals.
- 1978 Became the first Director of the then named Plas y Deri, later to become Plas MenaiPlas MenaiPlas Menai is the National Watersports Centre for Wales. It is situated on the mainland side of the Menai Strait, and is approximately 3 miles East of Caernarfon, North Wales.-History:...
Water Sports Centre near Caernarfon for the "Sports Council of Wales". Again he vigorously took to the lecture circuit indirectly marketing the centre. During this time he developed many new idea above and beyond his purview. - 1981 Leader of the Gorphwysfa Expedition to S.E. Garhwal – Nanda Devi/Trisul area, made ascent of Bethartoli Himal South c. 21,000 ft.
- 1987 Leader of Canadian Kashmir Himalaya Expedition. Climbed Kolahoi and researched Mini-Ice-Age in the area.
- 1990 1990 Ascent of Mount Kilimanjero, East Africa and ascent of Point Lenana on Mount Kenya
- 2000 At the age of eighty led the Markha Valley Trek/ascent of Stok KangriStok KangriStok Kangri Stok Kangri Stok Kangri (elevation 6,153 m (20,182 feet) is the highest mountain in the Stok Range of the Himalayas in the Ladakh region of northwest India. The peak is located in Hemis National Park, 12 km southwest of the trailhead at 3,610 m (11,845 feet) in the village of Stok...
20,100 ft, LadakhLadakhLadakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
Within the public engagement framework rules laid down by the CCPR that effectively prevented him from actually sitting on committees of external bodies, he extensively guided major governing bodies, i.e. the B.M.C and M.L.T.B, to become involved with all aspects of "Outdoor Pursuits", not solely the climbing aspects.
With the assistance of a grant made by the then Sports Minister Dennis Howell, he was able to install the canoe training pool, extend the dry ski slope and provide a Bar which added greatly to the existing facilities of the Centre.
Wrote extensively for many magazines and journals, e.g. Climber and Rambler, The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors was an Australian travel magazine series broadcast on the Seven Network.-History:Similar to its competitors Getaway and So Many Worlds, the program featured a team of reporters who travelled around Australia and overseas, reporting on travel destinations, tourist attractions and...
, The Himalayan Club, The Fell and Rock Journal and the Alpine Journal
Alpine Journal
The Alpine Journal is the yearly publication of the Alpine Club of London. It is the oldest mountaineering journal in the world.-History:The journal was first published on 2 March 1863 by the publishing house of Longmans in London, with Hereford Brooke George as its first editor...
.
Success Factors
Jackson's successes came from a complete love of being in the mountains, his direct and single mindedly focused attitude in bringing about necessary changes in safety in the mountains, quality instruction and training, and the importance of having this process monitored and certifiable qualifications be obtained.Jackson's determined approach often brought him into conflict with the politically motivated individuals in the sport, they would wait until he retired in an attempt to redress old scores, however despite these difficulties he still managed to establish Plas y Brenin
Plas y Brenin
Plas y Brenin, is currently the The National Mountain Centre for Wales . The Centre is situated in Dyffryn Mymbyr, the Mymbyr Valley, in Snowdonia and is less than a quarter of a mile south-west of the centre of Capel Curig on the A4086 road....
as the pre-eminent outdoor pursuits centre in the UK and was known worldwide for its excellence.
Later life
He ran (with the aid of his wife, Eileen Jackson) countless treks to the Himalaya, ZanskarZanskar
Zanskar is a subdistrict or tehsil of the Kargil district, which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The administrative centre is Padum...
, Kashmir, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, India
India
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...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
& Galapagos Islands, Kilimanjaro.
Its is important to relate that he did not do this for money - he received no payment for these services as he considered it his "hobby" - he did this work for the love of travel, for the people who wanted to experience the mountains he held in such high regard.
In June 2005, he was interviewed for the last time, by Jamie Owen
Jamie Owen
Jamie Owen is a Welsh radio and television presenter best known for presenting Wales Today.-Background:Owen was born in Withybush Hospital Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. His father was a Pembroke Dock Solicitor, James Meyrick Owen and his mother was a health visitor and midwife. Jamie also had two...
for BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
during the making of a series of documentaries for Welsh television "Welsh Journeys". In this interview, he again re-affirmed his love for mountains, Wales, lives experiences and also the view that mountains were for everybody.
Publications
- John A. Jackson Climbers Guide to Sonamarg Kashmir published by the Himalayan Club in 1944/45 and revised by JAJ in 1976
- John A. Jackson, More than Mountains (first published in 1955 by George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd)
- John Jackson, Safety on Mountains (8th Edition published by (CCPR) The Central Council of Physical Recreation, in 1972, Illustrated by Gordon F. Mansell)
- John Jackson, Safety on Mountains (revised for the (BMC) British Mountaineering Council 1974/1975 Reprinted 1976, Illustrated by Reg Cartwright, ISBN 0-903908-20-4)
- John Jackson, John Barry, Tim Jepson, Safety on Mountains: An Approach to Mountain Adventure for Beginners (BMC, 1988/1989, ISBN 0-903908-95-6)
- John Angelo Jackson, Adventure Travels in the Himalaya (First published in 2005 by Indus Publishing, New Delhi, ISBN 81-7387-175-2, www.indusbooks.com), Foreword by Harish KapadiaHarish KapadiaHarish Kapadia is a distinguished Himalayan Mountaineer from India. He has been awarded the Patron's Medal of the Royal Geographic Society, UK and the Life Time Achievement Award for Adventure by the President of India and the King Albert Mountain Award presented by The King Albert I Memorial...
Further reading
- "The Alpine Journal", Vol. 66, No. 303, 1961. pp. 250-260, 1960 Greenland Expedition" by J.A. Jackson, A. Blacksahw and Ian McNaught-DavisIan McNaught-DavisIan McNaught-Davis is most recognised nowadays for presenting the BBC TV series The Computer Programme, Making the Most of the Micro and Micro Live in the 1980s. However, he is also a well-known mountaineer and alpinist...
- "The Himalayan Journal", No. 41, Pp. 25 & 41, 1988
- "The Himalayan Club - 50th Anniversary Ascent of KangchenjungaKangchenjungaKangchenjunga is the third highest mountain of the world with an elevation of and located along the India-Nepal border in the Himalayas.Kangchenjunga is also the name of the section of the Himalayas and means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over...
, "The Himalayan Journal", 2005. - "The Splendid Enterprise - The First Fifty Years of Plas y Brenin The National Mountain Centre (UK)", by Lyndsey King, Published 2006, ISBN 978-0-9554675-0-9
- John Angelo Jackson Resume/CV
Other reference material
Jamie OwenJamie Owen
Jamie Owen is a Welsh radio and television presenter best known for presenting Wales Today.-Background:Owen was born in Withybush Hospital Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. His father was a Pembroke Dock Solicitor, James Meyrick Owen and his mother was a health visitor and midwife. Jamie also had two...
, Welsh Journeys (Published in 2005, by Gomer Press, www.gomer.co.uk, ISBN 1-84323-569-2, Snowdonia - pages 79 – 101)
External links
Books still in PrintPhotography
Obituaries
- The Guardian
- The Times
- The Daily Telegraph
- The Independent
- Daily Post
- The Gorphwysfa Club, Wales
- The Hindu - Kangchenjunga Reunion 2005
- The Hindu - Related Publications