Bill Peascod
William (Bill) Peascod (3 May 1920 – 17 May 1985 ) was a rock climber, mining engineer, teacher and professional artist. He gained a notable reputation as one of Britain’s top rock climbers. He was active mostly in the Lake District in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.
Early life[edit]
Peascod was born in industrial West Cumberland in the town of Maryport. He was the oldest of two sons born into a mining family. His father and grandfather were both miners. His mother died when he was nine years old. When he was fourteen his family moved to Workington and, after a short stint working in a fish and chip shop, he embarked on a career in mining. Initially as a miner, then a mining engineer and finally as a mining teacher and lecturer. In his autobiography, Journey After Dawn, which was published posthumously, he remembers, at the age of seventeen, discovering the mountains of Cumbria for the very first time: “After a night spent in the darkness and turmoil, amongst the sweat and stink of stale air, pit ponies and one’s own pit shirt, my discovery of Western Lakeland set my senses in a whirl.”[1]
Throughout his life Peascod’s other great passion was painting. He was a gifted artist and he maintained an interest, initially as an amateur then as a professional, throughout his life.
In 1952 Peascod emigrated to Australia with his wife and son and became the Head Teacher, Mining Engineering, at Wollongong Technical College.
In the following years he continued to teach, paint and climb.
He attended the National Art School in Sydney 1957-1959.
In the early 1960s he took up painting in earnest and over a period of time withdrew from teaching and became a full-time artist. In the years that followed he won awards and prizes and had a number of successful solo exhibitions.
His son, Alan, became one of Australia’s most highly acclaimed ceramic artists.
In 1971 he met Etsuko (Etsu) Michihata in Japan and they married in December 1973.
On 15 July 1980 he returned to his beloved Lake District with Etsu and Emma, their daughter, and eventually settled at Melbecks, a Georgian farmhouse on the north-west slopes of Skiddaw.
He continued to paint and to exhibit.
In January 1981 he began rock climbing at a high standard again with friends and new climbing partners including Bill Birkett, Chris Bonington and Don Whillans.
Climbing career[edit]
Peacod was active in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and developed new routes on previously untouched crags in the north-western Lake District. He gained a reputation for his bold and unprotected leads, his physical strength and his depth of personality.
Following some early exploration in Buttermere he began developing Eagle Crag in Birkness Combe. On 23 June 1937 he pioneered one of Lakeland’s great routes ‘Eagle Front’ with Bert Beck. It was the hardest climb in Buttermere at that time and remains a superb climb today.
In the following years he developed routes on Grey Crag, High Crag and Yew Crag – all in Buttermere. In 1946 he started developing Buckstone Howe above the Honister Pass. The slate-like rock of this south-west facing crag dries quickly and Peascod led three new notable routes - ‘Sinister Groove’, ‘Groove Two’ and ‘Cleopatra’ – all of which have been described as modern roadside classic climbs.
‘Delilah’ on High Crag, climbed in 1951, was Peascod’s last new route before he departed for Australia. He left behind a legacy of over fifty climbs – some of which can justly be described as great.
Peascod climbed primarily with Bert Beck although he also had other partners including George Rushworth and Stan Dirkin.
Personal life[edit]
Peascod married Margaret Harkness in December 1941. Their only son Alan was born in Cockermouth in June 1943. He died in Australia in 2007.
In 1971 Peascod met Etsuko (Etsu) Michihata in Japan and they married in December 1973
Their daughter, Emma Satsuki Peascod, was born on 25 May 1975.
Peascod died on 17 May 1985 of a heart attack whilst climbing Great Slab on Clogwyn Du'r Arddu in North Wales with Don Whillans and Bill Birkett.[2]
Bibliography of works by Peascod[edit]
Peascod, Bill (1950). The Cinderella of Climbing Valleys. The Fell and Rock Climbing Club Journal
Peascod, Bill (1985). Journey After Dawn. Cicerone Press. ISBN 0 902 36368 9
Birkett, Bill and Peascod, Bill (1989). Women Climbing. A & C Black. ISBN 978-0898862-40-9
References[edit]
- ↑ Peascod, Bill (1985). Journey After Dawn. Cumbria: Cicerone Press. p. 13. ISBN 0902363689. Search this book on
- ↑ "Footless Crow Blogspot - Mountain Life". Unknown parameter
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External links[edit]
Footless Crow Blogspot - http://footlesscrow.blogspot.com/2011/02/lakeland-pioneer-bill-peascod.html
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