#MB27
1955
Two Quartos (ca. 25,5x20 cm) and one letter with the blank lower margin cut off, ca. 17,5x20 cm. Each 1 p. Two letters on printed blue letterheads of the Kanchenjunga Expedition, signed by Charles Evans; the letter by Baume unsigned. Mild fold marks, otherwise a very good collection.
An interesting collection of three letters about the supply of the 1995 British Kanchenjunga expedition with chronometers. Charles Evans, the expedition leader, writes to L.C. Baume, the head of the London branch of Baume & Mercier watchmaking company, saying that he had received Baume’s offer to supply the expedition with watches. Evans declines the offer with regret since he had already agreed to take wrist watches from Rolex and “to regard them as our exclusive suppliers.” Nevertheless he would like to have “alarm of travelling clocks, which that company does not supply” and which “do not come under this agreement.” In his reply written the next day L.C. Baume says that “apart from electrical timing systems and industrial clocks, I can only supply ordinary wrist and pocket watches, sundry stop watches and navigational instruments. I do not manufacture either alarm or travelling clocks but if you have any difficulty in obtaining some of these, I could no doubt get some for you.” He also wishes Happy New Year and a success expedition to Evans and all other members.
“Charles Evans was John Hunt's deputy leader on the 1953 British Mount Everest Expedition which made the first ascent of Everest in 1953. With Tom Bourdillon, he made the first ascent of the South Summit, coming within three hundred feet of the main summit of Everest on 26 May 1953, but was forced to turn back. Everest was summited by their teammates Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay three days later, on 29 May 1953. Evans was the leader of the expedition which first climbed Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, in 1955. He served as the Principal of the University College of North Wales (now called Bangor University), from 1958 to 1984. He was President of the Alpine Club from 1967 to 1970” (Wikipedia).
