George Yeld

Much of his climbing and exploration was conducted with volcanologist Tempest Anderson and he published reports of his exploits and produced introductory books on Latin for scholars.

He continued his education at Brasenose College Oxford where he was awarded the Newdigate Prize for his poem "Virgil reading his Æneid to Augustus and Octavia".

It was just fifty years ago to York from Oxford came A poet, scholar, gentleman, whose deeds we do acclaim.

Long may he climb the lofty Alps, march with the O.T.C., So from our hearts we'll celebrate our George Yeld's Jubilee!

[7] Latterly, these gained higher profile and were sometimes attended by William Maclagan (Archbishop of York) and journalists from the Yorkshire Herald.

[8][9] Each year Yeld wrote an – often lengthy – epilogue or prologue to the plays summarising the achievements of its students or graduates – known as Old Peterites.

[10] In December 1917 Yeld was presented with a purse and given plaudits from colleagues and alumni in celebration of his 50th year at the school (see inset quote).

Yeld served as Editor of the Alpine Journal for 30 years, initially virtually alone, later with John Percy Farrar.

His vibrant and outgoing temperament proved a stimulus to the Journal; though Yeld was nominally Editor, Farrar seems to have done much of the work.

Scrambles in the Eastern Graians 1878 – 1897, published in 1900, is his account of these visits, many of which had previously been included in the Alpine Journal.

Most of the routes Yeld climbed and described were new and he pioneered two new ascents: Aiguille de Tronchey and Pointe du Piolet.

The use of ropes and axes was routine, but he describes his amazement in 1895 when one of the guides made use of wedges to climb a difficult face before pulling up the others.

Local people then obliged but the shelter could be a shed shared with domestic livestock or a hayloft, or even a bed made with rhododendron branches.

As a keen gardener he regretted he could not visit the mountains in June to see the alpine flora at its best, but he still found time to botanise and make plant lists.

Yeld was an amateur breeder and hybridiser of the garden plants Hemerocallis (daylily) and Bearded Iris.

The lemon yellow hybrid 'Francis' was created from one of these smaller species winning the RHS Award of Merit in 1895.