Last Letter from George Mallory Found a Century Later, Online at University of Cambridge

One of the last letters from the famous British climber George Mallory has been written a century after his death online set by the University of Cambridge. Mallory, who died on Mount Everest in 1924, wrote in his letter to his wife Ruth that the chances of him reaching the summit of the famous mountain at that time were “fifty in one”.

He was last seen shortly after. In the letter – written on May 27, 1924 – 37-year-old Mallory wished his wife well and hoped her anxiety would disappear “before you get this”.

Mallory undertook three trips to Mount Everest, with the aim of being the first person to climb the highest mountain in the world. It is not known whether he succeeded; Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine were last seen alive about 800 feet from the summit.

The first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest came nearly thirty years later, in 1953. That milestone was credited to New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

It wasn’t until 1999 that Mallory’s body was found, at 8,138 meters (about 700 meters below the summit). Irvine’s remains have never been found.

Shortly after his disappearance, Mallory’s story became the inspiration for movies and books. He was already appearing in the documentary in 1924 Biography of Everestfor which it was filmed.

He had previously won fame for his answer to a question from a journalist from the New York Times, who wanted to know why he wanted to climb the mountain. “Because it is,” he replied.

In 1962, American President John F. Kennedy mentioned that statement in his famous speech ‘We choose to go to the Moon’, in which he praised America’s desire to put men on the moon.

The University of Cambridge has put Mallory’s last letters online to commemorate his fatal ascent. Before that, only scientists had access to his letters. The collection also contains letters written by Mallory at the front during the First World War.