Tom Patey facts for kids

Thomas Walton Patey (born February 20, 1932 – died May 25, 1970) was a Scottish climber, mountaineer, doctor, and writer. He was one of the best Scottish climbers of his time, especially good at climbing in winter. He sadly died in a climbing accident when he was 38 years old. Many people knew him for his funny songs and stories about climbing. These were put together and published after he died in a book called One Man's Mountains.

Early Life and Education

Patey was born on February 20, 1932, in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He went to school at Ellon Academy and later at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen. He then studied medicine at the University of Aberdeen. He finished his medical degree in 1955.

Medical Career

Thomas Patey worked for ten years as a general practitioner (a family doctor) in Ullapool. This town is in the far north-west of Scotland. He also spent four years as a doctor in the Royal Marines. He worked at the 42 Commando School in Bickleigh.

Amazing Climbs

Patey first got interested in climbing when he was in the Scouts. But it was at the University of Aberdeen that he really showed how talented he was. He was a leader in the The Lairig Club, a climbing group. Many of his first new climbing paths were on Lochnagar and other mountains in the Cairngorms.

He loved climbing so much that he would often drop everything else for a good climb. Patey liked to travel light, sometimes even leaving his gloves behind on icy climbs! He also preferred to climb without ropes unless they were absolutely needed. When he was working in Bickleigh, he often found and climbed new routes on the rocky hills called Devon Tors.

Patey didn't care much about writing down the details of these new climbs. He wanted the routes to stay untouched. This way, other climbers who came after him could have the same exciting experience of discovering them for the first time. This kind and generous spirit, along with his huge amount of energy, made a lasting impression on his climbing friends. He would often sing his funny climbing songs, sometimes humming loudly through a comb and paper while someone played the piano.

He climbed a lot in Scotland. In 1965, he made the first winter crossing of the Cuillin ridge with Hamish MacInnes, David Crabbe, and Brian Robertson. He also made important climbs in the Alps and the Karakoram mountain ranges. In 1956, he was part of the first team to climb Muztagh Tower (7,273 meters) with John Hartog, Joe Brown, and Ian McNaught-Davis. In 1958, he climbed Rakaposhi (7,788 meters) with Mike Banks.

In 1968, he and Ian Clough were the first to climb Am Buachaille. This is a tall rock column in the sea off the coast of Sutherland. He also helped create the first path up the Old Man of Hoy with Rusty Baillie and Chris Bonington. This climb was repeated and shown live on BBC television on July 8–9, 1967.

In 1966, he received a special award called the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct. He got this award for helping after two climbers were killed in a fall.

Sadly, on May 25, 1970, Thomas Patey fell and died. He was climbing down a rope (called abseiling) from a sea stack called The Maiden, which is off the coast of Sutherland.

Legacy

In 2022, a playground in Chapelton was named Patey Park in his honor.