LETTER 335: TO JOHN POUCHER, AUGUST 1988
Dear Mr Poucher,
Your father has been a hero of mine since his Lakeland Through the Lens was published. He was a perfectionist with the camera and I greatly admired all his work in the last fifty years. I met him only once as he was returning from three weeks in Scotland when he had never taken a single picture because conditions were never right.
His great love, as mine is, was the Lake District. He will be greatly missed. He had a wonderful innings and I am sure he enjoyed all of it, but a future without a new Poucher is a bleak prospect for me and countless others.
Yours sincerely,
AW
Chris Jesty, who had helped him with maps for some years, received some good news in May 1989. AW had always been against the notion of any revisions being needed for his Pictorial Guides, but now he was thinking of the future life of his guides. He also went on to offer Chris more work on another book he was currently working on, doing a map for what became the Limestone Dales book (the one turned down by Westmorland Gazette, but published later by Michael Joseph).
LETTER 336: TO CHRIS JESTY, 11 MAY 1989
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
11 May 1989
Dear Chris,
Thank you for your letter.
The Gazette and I are in agreement that you area the best person (and indeed the only one we know) capable of revising the Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells and maintaining the neatness of the originals. But we are also agreed that no revision should take place during my lifetime.
If you wish to make a start on this project do so by all means, but bear in mind that I am only 82 and may live for another 20 years, during which time your revisions may themselves need revising.
I may be able to offer you a commission later this year. I am just starting a book on the limestone country around the Three Peaks and will require a quarto-size map of the area between Kirkby Stephen and Malham. I cannot now draw maps myself because of failing eyesight. More about this later.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
LETTER 337: TO CHRIS JESTY, 3 JUNE 1989
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
3rd June 1989
Dear Chris,
Thank you for your letter and offer of help.
When the time comes I will give you the place names I need on the map, but am at present so overwhelmed by correspondence and commitments that I haven’t found time to put pen to paper for the past two months. I think it may be next spring before I call on your excellent services.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
LETTER 338: TO CHRIS JESTY, 5 NOVEMBER 1989
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
5 November 1989
Dear Chris,
I think I may have a commission for you that would serve to introduce you to the London publishing empire.
I have done a book on the mountains of Lakeland for Michael Joseph Ltd, and a full-page (quarto) map of the district is needed for the frontispiece. I can no longer see to do this myself, much though I would have liked to, and the cartographer Josephs have employed for earlier publications is no longer available through illness.
What is wanted is a very simple map covering the area from Caldbeck in the north to Kendal in the south, and from Ennerdale Bridge to the M6 in the east. A scale of four miles to the inch would probably be needed.
The lakes, major tarns, villages and valleys need including and the principal roads, but all these features must be incidental to the selected summits, which will have to be indicated and named prominently, all else being incidental and relatively faint. A list of the mountains to be named is enclosed: no others need be shown.
If you feel able to tackle this perhaps you would first submit a rough map so that I can include or omit items as necessary. If, however, you do not want to do it or lack the time, please let me know ….
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
LETTER 339: TO CHRIS JESTY, 16 NOVEMBER 1989
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
16th November 1989
Dear Chris,
Thanks for dealing with matters so promptly.
I myself have never sought the permission of the Ordnance Survey for any of their maps I have copied and have never had any trouble, but I understand they have recently been charging royalties for copies as well as reproductions of their maps. It may be as well to get their permission. If you can find the time it might be an idea for you to take the finished map to their office in Southampton and get their OK. If they demand a royalty that is a matter for the publisher to settle.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
Forgive the poor typing. I can now barely see to hit the right keys.
LETTER 340: TO CHRIS JESTY, 20 DECEMBER 1989
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
20th December 1989
Dear Chris,
I have now finished the narrative of my book on the Three Peaks area and should be grateful if you would prepare a map for the frontispiece on the scale of one inch = 4 miles. I enclose an old map I have cut out to show the area to be covered. It is OK for roads except for a new Settle bypass but most of the railways have gone.
I enclose a list of the places I would like named. There is no hurry for a few weeks. Please submit a draft for approval.
Jenny Dereham tells me you have been in touch and confirmed no royalty is payable for a copy.
Publishers of the Three Peaks book will be Westmorland Gazette. Many thanks,
AW
LETTER 341: TO CHRIS JESTY, 28 JANUARY 1990
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
28th January 1990
Dear Chris,
The map has been safely received and is excellent. The publishers, Westmorland Gazette, are also delighted.
It is good of you to suggest no charge but I know the amount of work involved and must ask you to accept the token cheque enclosed.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
Christ Jesty went on to be commissioned to revise the Pictorial Guides after AW’s death.
One of AW’s last letters was to the Ainleys, with whom he had been corresponding for decades. They had returned to Brighouse – where today, Margaret and Richard, now retired, are still living. Catherine, their daughter, is now thirty-nine, working as a verger at Lichfield Cathedral, married to a priest, still walking in the Lakes and still has the rucksack which AW gave her as a baby.
LETTER 342: TO MARGARET AINLEY, 20 FEBRUARY 1990
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
20th February 1990
Dear Margaret and family,
It was nice to hear from you after a rather long silence, and good to know that all is well and that Brighouse is still the loveliest place in the country. I’m glad you enjoyed the Coast to Coast TV series. It is always fun making these films but the aftermath is less welcome – a flood of letters, all nice but far more than I can cope with. Some have to go unanswered, which grieves me. However it is good to know that you maintain your interest in the great outdoors and faraway places. My walking days are over, I am sorry to have to admit, but can no longer see where I am putting my feet and that is the signal to quit and sustain myself on memories. Let me know when you have all done the Coast to Coast Walk, and until then keep well and enjoy this wonderful life we have. But take my advice – keep away from Norfolk.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
The last known surviving letter from AW was written in October 1990 to his old friend from the Blackburn office days, Bob Alker
LETTER 343: TO BOB ALKER, 16 OCTOBER 1990
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
16th October 1990
Dear Bob,
I cannot possibly make any advance arrangements. I find myself hounded by the media, callers, correspondents, beggars, tax snoopers, animal problems, religious fanatics who since D.I. Discs, flood my mail w
ith tracts and implore me to give myself to God. Tomorrow, Monday, I start filming a four-programme TV series on the Coast to Coast Walk which will take me out on location quite a lot shortly. Life is interesting but hectic.
I shall be retiring next spring after completing two more books for Michael Joseph, and not until then will I have free time.
So tell Eric to keep on breathing a while longer and I will see you both next year.
AW
AW never completed that Coast to Coast TV series. He fell ill after three days of filming. He returned home to Kendal and went into hospital. Three weeks later he was allowed home and began to do some gentle typing, but after Christmas he fell ill again and was back in hospital. His heart failed and he died on 20 January 1991, three days after his 84th birthday.
Wainwright’s Books and Maps
Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells
1. Book One: The Eastern Fells 1955*
2. Book Two: The Far Eastern Fells 1957*
3. Book Three: The Central Fells 1958*
4. Book Four: The Southern Fells 1960*
5. Book Five: The Northern Fells 1962*
6. Book Six: The North Western Fells 1964*
7. Book Seven: The Western Fells 1966*
8. Fellwanderer: The Story behind the Guidebooks 1966
9. The Pennine Way Companion 1968*
10. A Lakeland Sketchbook 1969*
11. Walks in Limestone Country 1970*
12. A Second Lakeland Sketchbook 1970*
13. A Third Lakeland Sketchbook 1971*
14. Walks on the Howgill Fells 1972*
15. A Fourth Lakeland Sketchbook 1972*
16. A Coast to Coast Walk: St Bees Head to Robin Hood’s Bay 1973*
17. A Fifth Lakeland Sketchbook 1973*
18. The Outyling Fells of Lakeland 1974*
Scottish Mountain Drawings
19. Volume One: The Northern Highlands 1974
20. Volume Two: The North-Western Highlands 1976
21. Volume Three: The Western Highlands 1976*
22. Volume Four: The Central Highlands 1977
23. Volume Five: The Eastern Highlands 1978
24. Volume Six: The Islands 1979*
25. Westmorland Heritage 1974*
26. A Dales Sketchbook 1976
27. Kendal in the Nineteenth Century 1977
28. A Second Dales Sketchbook 1978
29. A Furness Sketchbook 1978
30. Walks from Ratty 1978
31. A Second Furness Sketchbook 1979
32. Three Westmorland Rivers 1979
33. A Lune Sketchbook 1980
34. A Ribble Sketchbook 1980
35. An Eden Sketchbook 1980
Lakeland Mountain Drawings
36. Volume One 1980
37. Volume Two 1981
38. Volume Three 1981
39. Volume Four 1983
40. Volume Five 1984
41. Welsh Mountain Drawings 1981
42. A Bowland Sketchbook 1981
43. A North Wales Sketchbook 1982
44. A Wyre Sketchbook 1982
45. A South Wales Sketchbook 1983
46. A Peak District Sketchbook 1984
47. Wainwright in Lakeland 1983
48. Old Roads of Eastern Lakeland 1985
49. Ex-Fellwanderer 1987
50. Fellwalking with a Camera 1988
51. Fellwalking with Wainwright with photographs by Derry Brabbs 1984*
52. Wainwright on the Pennine Way with photographs by Derry Brabbs 1985
53. A Pennine Journey 1986*
54. Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk with photographs by Derry Brabbs 1987*
55. Wainwright in Scotland with photographs by Derry Brabbs 1988
56. Wainwright on the Lakeland Mountain Passes with photographs by Derry Brabbs 1989
57. Wainwright in the Limestone Dales with photographs by Ed Geldard 1991
58. Wainwright’s Favourite Lakeland Mountains with photographs by Derry Brabbs 1991
59. Wainwright in the Valleys of Lakeland with photographs by Derry Brabbs 1992
60. Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Series 1:25 000, Map 33 – Coast to Coast Walk: St Bees Head to Keld 1994
61. Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Series 1:25 000, Map 34 – Coast to Coast Walk: Keld to Robin Hood’s Bay 1994
* Books marked with an asterisk have been reissued by Frances Lincoln.
The first fifty books (1–50) were originally published by the Westmorland Gazette, except for: Books 1–5 which had the name Henry Marshall as publisher until 1963 when Westmorland Gazette took them over; No. 30 published by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Co.; No. 47 published by Abbot Hall. Books 51–9 were first published by Michael Joseph; maps 60 and 61 published by the Ordnance Survey in conjunction with Michael Joseph.
Other Wainwright works
Map of Westmorland 1974
Map of Cumbria 1980
Wainwright illustrations in others’ publications
Inside the Real Lakeland by A.H. Griffin, Guardian Press, Preston, 1961
Annual Accounts of Southern Lakes and Lune Water Board, 1963–73
Scratch and Co. by Molly Lefebure, Gollancz, 1968
The Hunting of Wilberforce Pike by Molly Lefebure, Gollancz, 1970
The Plague Dogs by Richard Adams, Allen Lane, 1977
Guide to the View from Scafell Pike, Chris Jesty Panoramas, 1978
Climbing at Wasdale Before the First World War by George Sansom, Castle Cary Press, 1982
Index
A
Abbot Hall Art Gallery 172, 231
Aberystwyth 313, 318
Abingdon 352
Abrahams brothers 39, 40
Accrington Road Elementary 12
Achiltibuie 352
Adams, Richard 276
AW’s letters to 276–8
Aiggin Stone 130
Ainley, Catherine 288, 290, 291, 292, 293, 298, 398
AW’s letters to 347–8, 350
Ainley, Margaret 288, 346–7, 398
AW’s letters to 288–301, 347, 348–53, 399
Alker, Bob 16, 30, 62, 120, 386–7
AW’s letters to 120–1, 273, 399–400
Alpine Adventure 28
Alport Low 133
Ammon Wrigley memorial stone 128
An Teallach 263, 306
Angletarn Pikes 104
Animal Rescue, Cumbria 287, 312, 313, 322, 330, 335, 338, 341, 352–3, 360
see also Kapellan
Aonach Eagach 262, 263
Appleby 208
Appleyard, Harry 126
Aran Fawddy 306
Ard Crags 298
Argyll, Margaret, Duchess of 233–4
Arnside 38, 337
Ashbourne 22, 24, 25–6
Ashness Bridge 77
Ashton, Billy 27, 68
Ashworth, James 39, 60
Austen, Mrs, AW’s letter to 365
Aviemore 114
axe ‘factory’ 105
Axletree Edge 130
B
Badger Hill 159
Bakestall 342
Balloch 141
Bannerdale Crags 342
Barnes, Alyn, AW’s letter to 367–8
Bartholomew, Messers 90, 117, 118
Bateson and Hewitson 84
BBC 322, 323, 343, 352, 353, 385
Beardsall, Annie (aunt) 12, 71
Beardsall, Eric (cousin) 12, 13, 14, 46, 53, 194, 199–200, 385
Beardsall, Tom (uncle) 71
AW’s letter to 73–5
Beddgelert 300, 311, 313
Beetham 44
Bellingham 134, 189, 190, 192, 197
Belthorn 21
Ben Alligin 298, 299
Ben Nevis 303, 304, 307
Berry, Geoffrey 316
Birchenough, Joan 387
Bishop, Mr, AW’s letter to 260–1
Black Combe 283, 304, 305, 306
Black Crag 109
Black Cuillin 2
51
Black Force 237
Black Hill 128, 130, 133, 134, 135
Blackburn
Accrington Road Elementary 12
Audley Range (No 331) 12
AW’s visits to 40, 50, 56, 57–8, 68, 165, 169, 336, 369, 391
Blakey Moor School 12, 243, 244
Borough Treasurer’s Department 13, 15, 32, 43–4, 64
Furthergate Congregational Church 15, 334
Shadsworth Road (No 90) 16
Blackburn Rovers 336, 362, 385, 390
Blackburn Rovers Supporters’ Club 16, 17, 22, 39, 79, 223
Blackstone Edge 130
Blakey Moor School 12, 243, 244
Blea Tarn 60
Bleakedgate Moor 135, 136
Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary 233, 234
Bleaklow 194
Blease Fell 342
Blencathra 123, 178, 342, 370
Boardale 248
Bolton Photographic Society 109
Bond, Reg, AW’s letter to 117
Boot 61
Booth, John 256
AW’s letters to 255–60
Border Hotel, Kirk Yetholm: free beer for Pennine Way walkers 227, 271–2
Borrowdale 53, 62, 355
Borrowdale Beck 354
Bowfell 34, 41, 49, 70, 78, 250
Bowscale Fell 342
Boyle, Clara, AW’s letter to 131–2
Brabbs, Derry 323, 324, 325, 326, 329, 330, 343
Brae Fell 342
Braemar 120, 299
Brandreth 238, 239
Branstree 99
Brantwood 385
Brathay Valley 40
Bretherdale 355
Brighouse 296, 347, 348, 349–50, 398
British Lakeland Climbing
Expedition 28
Broad Stand 30, 53, 54, 58, 61, 62
Brooks, Patricia 364
AW’s letter to 364
Brown, Hamish 294
Brown Tongue 30, 61
Burkett, Mary 172, 195, 196, 216
Burnbank 140, 149
Burnmoor Farm 16
Burnmoor Inn 105, 107
Burnthwaite Farm 20, 50
Buttermere 40
The Wainwright Letters Page 45