Wigner John Harrison

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Biografie:
John Harrison Wigner (1873- 1954)
The death took place on March 13 of J. H. Wigner, Ph.D., at his home in Cheshire. He was born in London and was 8r years of age. He studied Chemistry at Heidelberg University, where he obtained his degree. Afterwards he became assistant to the Professor of Pharmacology at St. Andrews University and, later, Professor of Chemistry at University College, Dundee. After a short time he obtained the appointment of Head Chemist at Messrs. Gossage's Soap Works at Widnes, Lancs. He remained in this position until about twenty years ago, when he retired. He was the author of a standard book on Soapmaking, and was responsible for an article on that subject in the new Chambers's Encyclopaedia.
He was proposed and seconded for the Alpine Club in 1902 by the well-known guideless couple, R. P. Hope and W. T. Kirkpatrick, and he wrote the obituary notice of the latter for the ALPINE JOURNAL in 1941 (vol. 53, p. I 6o). His qualification list was unusually long, numbering 45 peaks or passes.
In 1899, when he was at Ried in the Lötschental, in company with T. S. Muir, an assistant master at Morison's Academy, Crieff, he met Cecil G. Brown, the Town Clerk of Cardiff, and myself, and the four of us joined forces and climbed together on a number of occasions in that and the following years.
In 1899 the ascents included the Lauterbrunnen Breithorn and the Tschingelhorn (both from Ried), the Beichgrat, the Ofenhorn from Binn with descent to Italy, the Monte Moro Pass to Mattmark, and the Schwarzberg Weisstor Pass to the Betemps Hut for an ascent of Monte Rosa, which was, however, stopped by bad weather. For some of these we had as guides Josef Kalbermatten of Ried, and Franz Anthamatten of Saas Grund, and others were guideless.
In 1900 we foregathered at the Mont Coli on Hotel at Arolla, and at the hotel were Hope and Kirkpatrick. The latter having to return to England, Hope joined forces with us, the following climbs being carried out, Anthamatten generally acting as guide, namely : Petite Dent de Veisivi, Dent Perroc and Pointe des Genevois (traverse), and Mont Blanc de Seilon (traverse). On the ascent of the Aiguille de la Za there was a shower of stones, one of which laid Anthamatten's head open, and another so badly injured a member of a party in front of us that we had to carry him down and abandon the expedition. By way of the Col de Bertol, the Dent Blanche and the Dent des Bouquetins were also climbed. The ascent of the former was made in a storm of sleet which glazed the rocks and make the expedition one of great difficulty.
In 1901 our expeditions included a traverse of the Oberbabelhorn from the Mountet Hut to the Trift Inn, a traverse of the Zinal Rothorn from the Trift to the Mountet Hut (guides Theodor Kalbermatten of Ried and Joachim Theytaz of Zinal), the Weisshorn (guide Johann Kalbermatten) and a traverse of the Matterhorn from Zermatt to Breuil (guides Johann Kalbermatten and Peter Aufdenblatten).
In 1902 we were joined by the late W. G. Clay. All our climbing was guideless and comprised part of the ' Alps from End to End ' (Conway), namely: the Diablerets, the Wildhorn and the Wildstrubel, and then the Balmhorn, Blümlisalpstock, Blümlisalphorn, Gamchilücke, and over the Petersgrat to Ried, the Beichgrat and the Fusshörner by the North-east arete, the South face and the South-east arete, the last named being a very long rock climb and our movements being leisurely on account of the heat with the result that we had to spend the night out.
In 1903 all our expeditions were again guideless and our party had been joined by J. Wontner Brown and Wentworth Price. The weather was bad for much of the time. We ascended the Dome de Chasseforet from Pralognan, and the Pointe de la Galise, descending to the Val Savaranche. From Degioz we traversed the Herbetet to Cogne and then crossed the Col de Monei to the Piantonetto hut for the Roccia Viva. Our expeditions concluded with the Eastern and Central Levanna from Ceresole.
Earlier in 1903 Wigner went to the Caucasus with Rickmers' expedition (A.J. 22. 197 ; S.M.C.J., VIII. 82), in addition to climbing he was engaged on mineralogical research ; and in 1904, with T. S. Muir, he accomplished the first crossing from east to west of the Vatnajokull snowfield in Iceland, the largest snowfield in Europe (A.J. 22. 436 ; G.J. XXV. 209 ; S.M.C.J., VIII. 219).
He was one of the earliest to take up ski-ing in this country and was a first-rate photographer of mountains and an expert on Alpine flora. He was remarkably active up to twelve months ago, when he had to undergo a severe operation from which he never recovered. His wife survives him and to her we extend our sympathy.
S. R . Hobday
Quelle: Alpine Journal Vol. 59. Nr. 289, 1954, Seite 449-450


Geboren am:
1873
Gestorben am:
13.03.1954