Charles Howard-Bury (1883-1863) Explorer, Botanist, Statesman, Spy Ruth Illingworth
World War put everything on hold. In 1919, however, the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) and the Alpine Club joined forces to plan a reconnaissance of the mountain to be followed by an attempt to reach the summit. The first challenge to be faced was a political one. Everest was located along the border of two countries off limits to Europeans: Nepal and Tibet. It was decided to try and secure permission from the Tibetan authorities for the proposed expedition to approach Everest from the north through Tibet. The person chosen by the RGS and the Alpine Club to visit Tibet and get the required permission was Charles Howard-Bury.
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Howard-Bury was chosen because he had knowledge of the region, good linguistic and organisational and diplomatic skills and was prepared to pay his own expenses. He was able to convince Sir Francis Younghusband, President of the RGS of his suitability, pointing out to him that he had been in Tibet before and was planning to go to India anyway. There was a meeting between a delegation from the RGS and Alpine Club and the Secretary of State for India and Howard-Bury was asked to explain their wishes to the British authorities in India and obtain the permission of the Tibetan leaders to allow the expedition entry to Tibet. Howard-Bury spent six months in India and Tibet in 1920 negotiating with the Viceroy (Lord Chelmsford), the Governor of the province of Bengal (Lord Ronaldshay), the Commander in Chief (Lord Rawlinson) and, most importantly, the British Political Officer in the autonomous state of Sikkim, (Sir Charles Bell.) Sikkim was important because it bordered Tibet and Bell knew more about the culture and politics of Tibet than any other British person of the time. Howard-Bury kept a diary of his time in Sikkim and Tibet between August and October of 1920. This diary was first published in 1991 as part of a new edition of Everest Reconnaisance, edited by Howard-Bury’s biographer Marian Keaney. As Ms Keaney noted, the diary “offers an interesting prologue to the expedition the following year.” As with all his writings, the diary is filled with vivid descriptions of the landscape, the flora and fauna and the people he encountered. On September 26th, for example, his diary entry reads: “We kept high up, about 18,000 feet all day crossing the northern spurs of Chomiomo and we had the most wonderful and magnificent views to the north over Tibet. The view extended for hundreds of miles over broad valleys, across range upon range of mountains, all touched with the most fascinating changes of light and shade. In the evening far away the peak of Mount Everest stood up against the setting sun. There was a most lovely sunset of all colours and the wonderful clearness of the atmosphere seems to bring out all the colours more fully.” Howard-Bury was successful in his negotiations and secured the necessary political support for the expedition with the Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama giving his sanction. In January 1921, the RGS was informed that the expedition could proceed. Howard-Bury received a letter from Younghusband: “Dear Colonel Howard-Bury,
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I have been desired by my Council to convey to you an expression of their high appreciation of the valuable services you rendered to the Society in securing through the Government of India