Siegfried Herford
Encyclopedia
Siegfried Herford was a British
climber who was active in the years immediately prior to World War I. He and John Laycock
and Stanley Jeffcoat initiated what is referred to as "gritstone
climbing" in England, bouldering
on large blocks at the base of the cliffs, and roping up to climb the edges and faces above.
in 1909, in the School of Engineering, and dabbled at rock climbing for a year or so. By 1911 he had invented the "girdle traverse", practising at Castle Naze in the Derbyshire Peak District before applying his concept to the face of Scafell. Although Herford spent considerable time on the crags, the quality of his academic work was superior, and he was at the top of his class in mathematics and physics when he graduated in 1912. He then received a postgraduate scholarship which allowed him to do aeronautical research at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough
.
In the spring of 1914, Herford, with three companions, climbed the Central Buttress of Scafell, negotiating the crux-–the notorious Flake Pitch-–after reconnoitering the difficulties from above, as well as below. (Herford was an advocate of downclimbing, and wrote an article-–The Doctrine of Descent-–published in the 1913 Fell & Rock Climbing Club
Journal). Although some "combined tactics" were employed, the climb was a substantial benchmark in British rock climbing, coming in at HVS (5.9
).
With the War in full swing, and having failed to obtain a commission due to his Teutonic heritage, Herford enlisted as a private in the Royal Fusiliers, and was killed by a grenade
blast January 28, 1916.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
climber who was active in the years immediately prior to World War I. He and John Laycock
John Laycock
Christopher John Laycock, was a British lawyer, the founder of one of Singapore's earliest law firms, Laycock and Ong.It was in this firm that the man who would subsequently become Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, began his career as a lawyer in 1949 after graduating from Cambridge...
and Stanley Jeffcoat initiated what is referred to as "gritstone
Gritstone
Gritstone or Grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone. This term is especially applied to such sandstones that are quarried for building material. British gritstone was used for millstones to mill flour, to grind wood into pulp for paper and for grindstones to sharpen blades. "Grit" is...
climbing" in England, bouldering
Bouldering
Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
on large blocks at the base of the cliffs, and roping up to climb the edges and faces above.
Life
As a child he may have been autistic, subject to long periods of silence punctuated by violent outbursts of physical energy-–behaviour coupled with a natural proclivity to mathematical thought. Siegfried enrolled at the University of ManchesterUniversity of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
in 1909, in the School of Engineering, and dabbled at rock climbing for a year or so. By 1911 he had invented the "girdle traverse", practising at Castle Naze in the Derbyshire Peak District before applying his concept to the face of Scafell. Although Herford spent considerable time on the crags, the quality of his academic work was superior, and he was at the top of his class in mathematics and physics when he graduated in 1912. He then received a postgraduate scholarship which allowed him to do aeronautical research at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough
Farnborough Airfield
Farnborough Airport or TAG London Farnborough Airport is an airport situated in Farnborough, Rushmoor, Hampshire, England...
.
In the spring of 1914, Herford, with three companions, climbed the Central Buttress of Scafell, negotiating the crux-–the notorious Flake Pitch-–after reconnoitering the difficulties from above, as well as below. (Herford was an advocate of downclimbing, and wrote an article-–The Doctrine of Descent-–published in the 1913 Fell & Rock Climbing Club
Fell & Rock Climbing Club
The Fell & Rock Climbing Club of the English Lake District is the senior climbing club covering the English Lake District. It was founded in 1906–1907 and, amongst its other activities, publishes the rock climbing guides to the area. It owns many of the early climbing photographs The Fell &...
Journal). Although some "combined tactics" were employed, the climb was a substantial benchmark in British rock climbing, coming in at HVS (5.9
Grade (climbing)
In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
).
With the War in full swing, and having failed to obtain a commission due to his Teutonic heritage, Herford enlisted as a private in the Royal Fusiliers, and was killed by a grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
blast January 28, 1916.