Tom Stephenson
Encyclopedia
Tom Criddle Stephenson was a British
journalist
and a leading champion of walkers' rights in the countryside.
In the First World War he was imprisoned as a conscientious objector
.
He was for many years from 1948 the Secretary of the Ramblers' Association. He is credited with having inspired the creation of the Pennine Way
, the first of Britain
's long-distance footpaths, through an article he wrote for the Daily Herald in 1935, and his subsequent lobbying work with MP
s as Ramblers' Association Secretary. He wrote the first official guidebook for the Way, published shortly after it was at last officially opened on 24 April 1965, when Stephenson was then 72. The first guide to the Pennine Way
was published by HMSO for the Countryside Commission
in 1969.
He was also a long serving committee member of the Commons, Open Spaces and Footpaths Preservation Society (now the Open Spaces Society). He complained to close colleagues that the Society's committee was boring, but that it was necessary to maintain a strong presence to prevent it from caving in to landowners' interests, as had happened in the 1930s under the Access to Mountains Bill (subsequently repealed).
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...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and a leading champion of walkers' rights in the countryside.
In the First World War he was imprisoned as a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
.
He was for many years from 1948 the Secretary of the Ramblers' Association. He is credited with having inspired the creation of the Pennine Way
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England. The trail runs from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park and ends at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border. The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes...
, the first of Britain
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...
's long-distance footpaths, through an article he wrote for the Daily Herald in 1935, and his subsequent lobbying work with MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
s as Ramblers' Association Secretary. He wrote the first official guidebook for the Way, published shortly after it was at last officially opened on 24 April 1965, when Stephenson was then 72. The first guide to the Pennine Way
Pennine Way
The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England. The trail runs from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park and ends at Kirk Yetholm, just inside the Scottish border. The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes...
was published by HMSO for the Countryside Commission
Countryside Commission
The Countryside Commission was a statutory body in England and Wales, and later in England only...
in 1969.
He was also a long serving committee member of the Commons, Open Spaces and Footpaths Preservation Society (now the Open Spaces Society). He complained to close colleagues that the Society's committee was boring, but that it was necessary to maintain a strong presence to prevent it from caving in to landowners' interests, as had happened in the 1930s under the Access to Mountains Bill (subsequently repealed).