Fred Pigott facts for kids
Alfred Sefton "Fred" Pigott (born in 1895, died in 1979) was a very important English rock climber. He was famous for his climbing adventures in the 1920s and 1930s.
Fred's Early Life
Fred Pigott went to Manchester Grammar School. During World War I, he joined the Royal Fusiliers. He was injured while serving in the army. This injury affected his hand. Because of this, he left the army. Later, he became a sugar merchant in Stockport. He had two sons, Geoffrey and Hugh, with his wife Frances.
Amazing Climbing Adventures
Fred Pigott loved to climb. He often climbed with his friend Morley Wood. Fred usually led the way on their climbs. They discovered many new climbing routes. These were in places like the Peak District, Stanage Edge, and The Roaches.
Later, Fred climbed bigger mountains. He found new routes in places like Glen Coe and Ben Nevis. He also climbed the Inaccessible Pinnacle. In 1923, he made the third successful climb of the central buttress of Scafell.
One of his most famous climbs was Pigott's Climb. This route is on the East Buttress of Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. It was done in 1924. This climb was known for its incredible exposure. This means climbers felt very high up with a lot of open space below them. It set new standards for how challenging a climb could be.
A fellow climber, Jack Longland, once wrote about Fred. He said it was "impossible to ruffle him." This means Fred was always calm and never seemed scared, even on tough climbs.
Helping Climbers Stay Safe
Fred Pigott was a member of The Rucksack Club. This is a group for climbers. He was even its president for two years. He was also on its committee for 50 years, from 1921 to 1971!
Fred and Morley Wood were pioneers in using safety gear. They were among the first to use natural chockstones. These are small rocks wedged into cracks. Later, they used machine nuts to help protect climbers. These items helped make climbing safer. Fred also wrote a chapter in a book called Recent Developments on Gritstone.
Fred Pigott was very involved in mountain rescue. This is when teams help climbers who are in trouble. From 1932, he worked with the Mountain Rescue Committee. He became its secretary, chairman, and president. For all his hard work, he received the OBE award in 1964. This award recognized his great service to mountain rescue.
