The BMC is sad to report that Ian McNaught-Davis, a BMC Patron and former BMC President (1991-1994), has died at the age of 84. Doug Scott has given the following words of appreciation.
Ian McNaught-Davis (Mac) was a very influential mountaineer not only in Britain but on the world stage. He was a very accomplished rock climber and continued to rock climb even into his eightieth year.
Mac's greatest achievement in climbing was to make the first ascent of Muztagh Tower [7,276 m] with Joe Brown, John Hartog and Tom Patey in 1956. Mac became well known to the British public as presenter on the televised climb of the Old Man of Hoy and later when climbing for television up the Eiffel Tower with Lionel Terray.
He was a superb raconteur entertaining audiences and guests at climbing events and dinners where his self-deprecating humour had everyone completely captivated.
Mac became President of the UIAA (International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation) from 1995-2004. This proved to be a very productive period in the 80 year history of the UIAA thanks in part to Mac's enormous energy and enthusiasm to keep alive the best traditions of mountaineering. He was supported throughout his Presidency by not only his good friend the late Roger Payne but also by his wife Loreto.
Photograph (above) courtesy of www.sterling-adventures.co.uk/blog
Obituaries:
The Guardian newspaper
BBC: Mac the computing expert & broadcaster
The Telegraph newspaper
The Times newspaper (subscription required)
If you wish to give a gift in memory, donations to Alzheimer’s Society and/or Marie Curie Cancer Care can be done directly online, or c/o JH Kenyon, Funeral Directors, 49 Marloes Road, London W8 6LA. Tel: 0207 937 0757
Mac on Old Man of Hoy, 1966. Photo courtesty of Chris Bonington Picture Library
In this classic BBC outside broadcast from 1967 you can see Mac climbing a new route on the Old Man of Hoy with Joe Brown:
VIDEO
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