Alfred Wainwright was born in Blackburn on the 17th January 1907.
The son of Albert (an alcoholic Stonemason) and Emily (a devoted Mother), Alfred was one of four children brought up in a two-up, two-down terraced property, from where the chances of future prosperity looked slim.
Alfred, who was born with ginger hair, (which was to earn him the nickname of 'Red' in later life), stood out at school due to his meticulous work and as a result a career with Blackburn Council, Borough Engineers office beckoned. However, after three years, the chance of preferment saw the now sixteen year old Wainwright transfer to the Borough Treasurers office.
Qualifications earned at Night School helped his climb through the Town Hall structure, until 1941 when Wainwright took up a position in Kendal, which led to him becoming Borough Treasurer there seven years later.
Years earlier, Wainwright had visited the Lake District and fallen head-over-heels in love with the surroundings. The move to Kendal gave him the opportunity to write what he was to liken to a 'love-letter'; the Pictorial Guides for which he was later to become legendary.
Wainwright was a great supporter of Kendal Museum, but even more of a passion was the work for and his generosity towards animal rescue. So much so that all the profits from the sale of the Pictorial Guides went to the setting up of an animal welfare shelter; Kapellan.This continues to help neglected and abused animals.
In 2002 a group of people who loved the Lake District and the works of AW formed The Wainwright Society to 'keep alive the fellwalking traditions promoted by AW' and.......'to keep faith with Wainwright's vision of introducing a wider audience to fellwalking and caring for the hills.'
I am proud to be a member of the Wainwright Society.
