Entity
<<Back
| Entity Type: |
Person |
| Name: |
Bristow, Lily (fl.1883-1894) |
| Biography: |
Lily Bristow was one of the outstanding new breed of female alpinists of the later nineteenth century. She became famous in 1892 when, along with a French female climber, they became the first women to ascend the Charmoz as part of a team led by A F Mummery. Bristow went on to take part in difficult climbs on the Dru, Zinal Rothorn, Matterhorn and the second-ever traverse of the Grepon. It was this performance that prompted Mummery’s famous quip about the revered route being ‘an easy day for a lady’. But Bristow was clearly no ordinary lady; she represented the vanguard of skilful women climbers which would continue to grow as the world entered the 20th century. Bristow probably started climbing at some point between 1883 and 1891. She was a friend of Mummery and his climbing wife but it is not clear whether this happy mountaineering ménage à trois was as innocent as it seemed, for Bristow did not climb with Fred in 1894 – some say after the intervention of his wife. After Mummery died on Nanga Parbat in 1895 there are no further records of Bristow continuing her climbing career. Further reading: Women Climbing, Bill Birkett & Bill Peascod. Black, 1989. |
| Notes: |
Biographical information is kindly supplied by Colin Wells. |
| Created: |
2006-08-06 00:00:00 |
| Creator: |
Maxine Willett |
| Access Points: |
Bristow, Lily (fl.1883-1894) |
| Views: |
1450 |