George Mallory Centenary - A Year On

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN PROUD MEMORY OF

GEORGE HERBERT LEIGH MALLORY

SCHOLAR OF THIS COLLEGE MCM-V

WHO WAS LOST TO HUMAN SIGHT BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REACH THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT EVEREST

ON JUNE VIII MCMXXIV

These words are inscribed on the memorial to Mallory in Cloisters, designed by RMY (Dick) Gleadowe (Coll, 1901-07; CoRo, 1922-44), Art Master and close contemporary of Mallory in College.

Exactly one hundred years after the last sighting of Mallory and his climbing partner Sandy Irvine, a party of Wykehamical adventurers were received last year by the monks of Rombuk Monastery in Tibet.  The pictures (follow the link to the gallery) show Chris Nicholls (E, 1983-88) presenting an OW silk scarf to the monks, and Mark Power (C, 1979-84), Chris Nicholls and Gavin Sandison (A, 1998-01) at Rombuk on 8 June 2024.

On Sunday, 8 June 2025, the 101st anniversary of Mallory and Irvine’s final summit attempt, the same Wykehamical group gathered in Cloisters to conclude their Mallory commemoration. Mark Power spoke movingly at the memorial, and Chris Nicholls recited Psalm 121 before presenting the College with the silk scarf he received last year in Rombuk. 

Mark Power also happens to be an accomplished artist and filled sketchbooks with drawings and watercolours while in Tibet.  He has published a selection of these in a new book:

VANISHING, A Tibetan Sketchbook

which he launched to a captivated audience before the ceremony began.  He presented two copies to Mob Lib and more details of the book will appear in The Trusty Servant, out soon.

Two other Wykehamists took part in the exploration of Tibet in the 1920s and plaques commemorating them are also in ‘Explorer Corner’ in Cloisters.  Both Guy Bullock (Coll, 1901-06), who was recommended to the expedition team by Mallory and was his climbing partner in Tibet, and Henry Morshead (E, 1896-1901), who led a detachment from the Survey of India, took part in the 1921 reconnaissance expedition.  Morshead was also on the 1922 Everest expedition.