Sir Edmund Hillary
Hillary in 2006
Born	20 July 1919(1919-07-20) Auckland, New Zealand
Died	11 January 2008 (aged 88) Auckland, New Zealand
Spouse	Louise Mary Rose (1953-1975) June Mulgrew (1989-2008)
Children	Peter (1954) Sarah (1955) Belinda (1959-1975)
Parents	Percival Augustus Hillary Gertrude Hillary, née Clark

Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE (20 July 1919 – 11 January 2008) was a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Peter Hillary (born 1954 is the son of the late adventurer Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first two people to have made it to the top of Mount Everest. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in New Zealand 's honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island “Alpinist” redirects here See also Alpinist (magazine Mountaineering is the Sport, Hobby or Profession of On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For other uses of the word Sherpa see Sherpa (disambiguation. See also Mount Everest Timeline 1921 Reconnaissance expedition The first British expedition – organized and financed by the newly formed Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा meaning Head of the Sky) or Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by John Hunt. Brigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt Baron Hunt KG, CBE, DSO, PC ( 22 June 1910 &ndash 8 November

Hillary became interested in mountaineering while in high school, making his first major climb in 1939, reaching the summit of Mount Ollivier. He served in the RNZAF as a navigator during World War II. The Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF) is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. A navigator is the person onboard a ship or aircraft responsible for its Navigation. Before the successful expedition in 1953 to Everest, he had been part of a reconnaissance expedition to the mountain in 1951 and an unsuccessful attempt to climb Cho Oyu in 1952. Cho Oyu (or Qowowuyag; in Nepal चोयु Tibetan in Wylie transliteration: jo bo dbu yag; Chinese: 卓奧有山 Pinyin As part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition he reached the South Pole overland in 1958. The 1955&ndash58 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition ( CTAE) was a Commonwealth -sponsored expedition that successfully completed the first overland crossing of The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He would later also travel to the North Pole. The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is subject to the caveats explained below defined as the point in the northern

Following his ascent of Everest he devoted much of his life to helping the Sherpa people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust, which he founded. For other uses of the word Sherpa see Sherpa (disambiguation. The Himalayan Trust ( HT) is a non-profit organization set up by Sir Edmund Hillary after his successful first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 Through his efforts many schools and hospitals were built in this remote region of the Himalayas.

Youth

Hillary was born to Percival Augustus Hillary and Gertrude Hillary, née Clark, in Auckland, New Zealand, on 20 July 1919. The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[1] They moved to Tuakau (south of Auckland) in 1920, after his father (who served at Gallipoli) was allocated land there. Tuakau is a Town in the Franklin district, in the North Island of New Zealand. The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country ^[2] His grandparents were early settlers in northern Wairoa in the mid 19th century after emigrating from Yorkshire, England. New Zealand's longest Wairoa River runs for 150 kilometres through the northern part of the North Auckland Peninsula. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[3]

Hillary was educated at Tuakau Primary School and then Auckland Grammar School^[2]. Auckland Grammar School is a boys-only state secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand. He finished primary school two years early, but struggled at high school, achieving only average marks. ^[4] He was initially smaller than his peers there and very shy so he took refuge in his books and daydreams of a life filled with adventure. His daily train journey to and from high school was over two hours each way, during which he regularly used the time to read. He gained confidence after he learnt to box. At 16 his interest in climbing was sparked during a school trip to Mount Ruapehu. Mount Ruapehu, or just Ruapehu, is an active Stratovolcano at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone in New Zealand. Though gangly at 6 ft 5 in (195cm) and uncoordinated, he found that he was physically strong and had greater endurance than many of his tramping companions. The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage ^[5] He studied mathematics and science at Auckland University College, and in 1939 completed his first major climb, reaching the summit of Mount Ollivier, near Mt. Cook in the Southern Alps. The University of Auckland (Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau is New Zealand 's largest University. The Southern Alps is a Mountain range which runs along the western side of the South Island of New Zealand. ^[2] With his brother Rex, Hillary became a beekeeper,^[1][6] a summer occupation that allowed him to pursue climbing in the winter. A beekeeper is a person who keeps Honey bees for the purposes of securing commodities such as Honey, Beeswax, Pollen; pollinating ^[7]

World War II

Upon the outbreak of World War II Hillary applied to join the air force, but withdrew the application before it was considered because he was "harassed by my religious conscience". World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including A conscientious objector (CO is an individual who on religious moral or ethical grounds refuses to participate as a combatant in war or in some cases to take any role that would support ^[8] Following the introduction of conscription on the outbreak of war in the Pacific, in 1943 Hillary joined the RNZAF as a navigator and served on Catalina flying boats. The Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF) is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. A navigator is the person onboard a ship or aircraft responsible for its Navigation. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A flying boat is a specialised form of Aircraft that is designed to take off from and land on water using its Fuselage as a floating hull. In 1945 he was sent to Fiji and to the Solomon Islands where he was badly burned in a boating accident, after which he was repatriated to New Zealand. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands ^[8]

Expeditions

Hillary was part of a British reconnaissance expedition to Everest in 1951 led by Eric Shipton before joining the successful British attempt of 1953. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Eric Earle Shipton ( 1 August 1907 - 28 March 1977) was a distinguished British Himalayan Mountaineer.

In 1952 Hillary and George Lowe were part of the British team led by Eric Shipton that attempted Cho Oyu. Cho Oyu (or Qowowuyag; in Nepal चोयु Tibetan in Wylie transliteration: jo bo dbu yag; Chinese: 卓奧有山 Pinyin After that attempt failed due to the lack of route from the Nepal side, Hillary and Lowe crossed the Lho-La into Tibet and reached the old Camp II, on the northern side, where all the pre-war expeditions camped.

1953 Everest Expedition

On top of the world: Tenzing on the summit of Mt Everest. Photograph taken by Hillary, 29 May 1953

The route to Everest was closed by Chinese-controlled Tibet, and Nepal only allowed one expedition per year. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. A Swiss expedition (in which Tenzing took part) had attempted to reach the summit in 1952 but was turned back by bad weather 800 feet (240 m) from the summit. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation During a 1952 trip in the Alps Hillary discovered he and his friend George Lowe had been invited by the Joint Himalayan Committee for the approved British 1953 attempt and immediately accepted. The Joint Himalayan Committee was the name given in 1947 to the body that was previously known as the Mount Everest Committee. ^[9]

Shipton was named as leader but was replaced by Hunt. Hillary considered pulling out, but both Hunt and Shipton talked him into remaining. Hillary was intending to climb with Lowe but Hunt named two teams for the assault: Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans; and Hillary and Tenzing. Thomas Duncan Bourdillon (born in Kensington, London, 16 March 1924, died Bernese Oberland, Switzerland 29 July Sir Robert Charles Evans MD DSc ( 19 October 1918 &ndash 5 December 1995) was a British mountaineer surgeon and educator Hillary therefore made a concerted effort to forge a working friendship with Tenzing. ^[9]

The Hunt expedition totaled over 400 people, including 362 porters, twenty Sherpa guides and 10,000 lbs of baggage,^[10][11] and like many such expeditions, was a team effort. A porter, also called a bearer, is a person who carries objects For other uses of the word Sherpa see Sherpa (disambiguation. Lowe supervised the preparation of the Lhotse Face, a huge and steep ice face, for climbing. Lhotse (in Nepal officially ल्होत्से, in China officially Lhozê; Tibetan in Wylie transliteration: lho rtse; Hillary forged a route through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall. The Khumbu Icefall is an Icefall at the head of the Khumbu Glacier. ^[9]

The expedition set up base camp in March 1953. “Alpinist” redirects here See also Alpinist (magazine Mountaineering is the Sport, Hobby or Profession of Working slowly it set up its final camp at the South Col at 25,900 feet (7,890 m). The South Col usually refers to the southern col between Mount Everest and Lhotse, the first and fourth highest mountains in the world On 26 May Bourdillon and Evans attempted the climb but turned back when Evans' oxygen system failed. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place The pair had reached the South Summit, coming within 300 vertical feet (91 m) of the summit. ^[11][12] Hunt then directed Hillary and Tenzing to go for the summit.

Snow and wind held the pair up at the South Col for two days. They set out on 28 May with a support trio of Lowe, Alfred Gregory and Ang Nyima. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Alfred Gregory (b1913 FBIPP Hon FRPS, is a mountain climber explorer and professional photographer The two pitched a tent at 27,900 feet (8,500 m) on 28 May while their support group returned down the mountain. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling On the following morning Hillary discovered that his boots had frozen solid outside the tent. He spent two hours warming them before he and Tenzing attempted the final ascent wearing 30-pound (14 kg) packs. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass ^[9] The crucial move of the last part of the ascent was the 40-foot (12 m) rock face later named the "Hillary Step". Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा meaning Head of the Sky) or Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in Hillary saw a means to wedge his way up a crack in the face between the rock wall and the ice and Tenzing followed. ^[13] From there the following effort was relatively simple. They reached Everest's 29,028 ft (8,848 m) summit, the highest point on earth, at 11:30 am. ^[14][1] As Hillary put it, "A few more whacks of the ice axe in the firm snow, and we stood on top. "^[15]

They spent only about 15 minutes at the summit. They looked for evidence of the 1924 Mallory expedition, but found none. George Herbert Leigh Mallory ( 18 June 1886  &ndash 8 June / 9 June 1924) was an English Mountaineer who took ^[16] Hillary took Tenzing's photo, Tenzing left chocolates in the snow as an offering, and Hillary left a cross that he had been given. ^[9] Because Tenzing did not know how to use a camera, there are no pictures of Hillary there. ^[17] The two had to take care on the descent after discovering that drifting snow had covered their tracks, complicating the task of retracing their steps. The first person they met was Lowe, who had climbed up to meet them with hot soup.

News of the successful expedition reached Britain on the day of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The group was surprised by the international acclaim that they received upon arriving in Kathmandu. Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. ^[9] Hillary and Hunt were knighted by the young queen,^[18] while Tenzing received either the British Empire Medal,^[15] or the George Medal from the British Government for his efforts with the expedition. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. The British Empire Medal (Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service is a British Medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy The George Medal ( GM) is the second level Civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. ^[19][20] It has been suggested that Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru refused permission for Tenzing to be knighted. Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू ʤəʋäɦəɾläl nɛɦɾu (14 November 1889 27 May 1964 was a major political leader of the Congress Party ^[19]

After Everest

Hillary in 1957 after accompanying the first plane to land at the Marble Point ground air strip, Antarctica

Hillary climbed ten other peaks in the Himalayas on further visits in 1956, 1960–61 and 1963–65. Marble Point, Antarctica is a rocky promontory on the coast of Victoria Land located at 77° 26' S latitude and 163° 50' E longitude He also reached the South Pole as part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, for which he led the New Zealand section, on 4 January 1958. The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth. The 1955&ndash58 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition ( CTAE) was a Commonwealth -sponsored expedition that successfully completed the first overland crossing of Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His party was the first to reach the Pole overland since Amundsen in 1911 and Scott in 1912, and the first ever to do so using motor vehicles. In 1977, he led a jetboat expedition, titled "Ocean to Sky", from the mouth of the Ganges River to its source. A jetboat is a Boat propelled by a jet of water ejected from the back of the craft The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent

In 1979, as he had done previously,^[21] Hillary was scheduled to act as a commentator on the ill-fated Air New Zealand Flight 901, an Antarctic sightseeing flight, but had to pull out due to work commitments elsewhere. Air New Zealand Flight 901 (TE901 was a scheduled Antarctic sightseeing flight from Auckland International Airport in New Zealand He was replaced by his close friend Peter Mulgrew, who perished as the aircraft crashed on Mount Erebus, killing all 257 on board. Mount Erebus in Antarctica is the southernmost active Volcano on Earth ^[22] He later married Mulgrew's widow. ^[23][24]

Hillary took part in the 1975 general election, as a member of the "Citizens for Rowling" campaign. The 1975 New Zealand general election was held to elect MPs to the 38th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Citizens for Rowling campaign was a campaign named after then Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand Bill Rowling in the lead up to the His involvement in this campaign was seen as precluding his nomination as Governor-General,^[25] with the position instead being offered to Keith Holyoake in 1977. Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ ( 11 February 1904 - 8 December 1983 However, in 1985 he was appointed New Zealand High Commissioner to India (concurrently High Commissioner to Bangladesh and Ambassador to Nepal) and spent four and a half years based in New Delhi. The High Commissioner from New Zealand to India is New Zealand 's foremost diplomatic representative in the Republic of India, and in charge of New Zealand's India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. In 1985 he accompanied Neil Armstrong in a small twin-engined ski plane over the Arctic Ocean and landed at the North Pole. Neil Alden Armstrong (born August 5 1930 is a former American Astronaut, Test pilot, University Professor, and United States The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is subject to the caveats explained below defined as the point in the northern He thus became the first man to stand at both poles and on the summit of Everest. ^[26][27][28]

In January 2007, Hillary travelled to Antarctica to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Scott Base. Scott Base may also refer to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. He flew to the station on 18 January 2007 with a delegation including the Prime Minister. Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[29][30][31] While there he called for the British government to contribute to the upkeep of Scott's and Shackleton's huts. Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE, (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922 was an Anglo-Irish explorer who was one of the principal figures of the period ^[32] On 22 April 2007 while on a trip to Kathmandu he is reported to have suffered a fall. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. There was no comment on the nature of his illness and he did not immediately seek treatment. He was hospitalized after returning to New Zealand. ^[33]

Public recognition

Edmund Hillary on the New Zealand five-dollar note

Hillary was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) on 6 June 1953;^[18] a member of the Order of New Zealand (ONZ) in 1987; and a Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG) on 22 April 1995. The New Zealand dollar ( sign: $; code: NZD) is the Currency of New Zealand. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in New Zealand 's honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 ^[34] He was also awarded the Polar Medal for his part in the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, which was originally instituted in 1857 as the Arctic Medal to reward ^[35] His favoured New Zealand charity was the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand of which he was Patron for 35 years. Hillary was particularly keen on the work this organisation did in introducing young New Zealanders to the outdoors in a very similar way to his first experience of a school trip to Mt Ruapehu at the age of 16. Various streets, schools and organisations around New Zealand and abroad are named after him. A few examples are Hillary College (Otara), Edmund Hillary Primary School (Papakura) and the Hillary Commission (now SPARC). Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate is a school in Otara, New Zealand. Location Otara is surrounded by the suburbs of Otahuhu, Middlemore Geography Papakura is 123 square kilometres in size and is just 32 km from downtown Auckland

Statue of Hillary permanently gazing towards Aoraki/Mount Cook, one of his favourite peaks. ^[36]

In 1992 Hillary appeared on the updated New Zealand $5 note, thus making him the only New Zealander to appear on a banknote during his or her lifetime, in defiance of the established convention for banknotes of using only depictions of deceased individuals, and current heads of state. The Reserve Bank governor at the time, Don Brash, had originally intended to use a deceased sportsperson on the $5 note but could not find a suitable candidate. Dr Donald Thomas Brash (born 24 September 1940) a former New Zealand politician served as the Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader Instead he broke with convention by requesting and receiving Hillary's permission — along with an insistence from Hillary to use Aoraki/Mount Cook rather than Mount Everest in the backdrop. The image also features a Ferguson TE20 tractor like the one Hillary used to reach the South Pole on the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The Ferguson Model TE20 was a British agricultural Tractor. It was Harry Ferguson 's most successful design commonly known as the Little Grey ^[37]

To mark the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the first successful ascent of Everest the Nepalese Government conferred honorary citizenship upon Hillary at a special Golden Jubilee celebration in Kathmandu. A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary of a monarch's reign Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. He was the first foreign national to receive such an honour from the Nepalese government. ^[38]

In 2008, the same year he died, the Indian Government conferred him with Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour of the country. The Padma Vibhushan is India 's second highest civilian honour ^[39]

A 2. 3-metre (7. 5 ft) bronze statue of "Sir Ed" was installed outside The Hermitage hotel at Mt Cook village, New Zealand, in 2003.

Edmund Hillary in Warsaw, 2004

Family life

Hillary married Louise Mary Rose on 3 September 1953, soon after the ascent of Everest. Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A shy man, he relied on his future mother-in-law to propose on his behalf. ^[7][6][40] They had three children: Peter (1954), Sarah (1955) and Belinda (1959). She died in (1975). ^[12][1] In 1975 while en route to join Hillary in the village of Phaphlu, where he was helping to build a hospital, Louise and Belinda were killed in a plane crash near Kathmandu airport shortly after take-off. Phaphlu is a mountainous town in north-east Nepal, approximately 90 kilometres east of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. ^[6] Hillary married June Mulgrew, the widow of his close friend Peter Mulgrew, on 21 December 1989. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) ^[7][41] His son Peter Hillary has also become a climber, conquering Everest in 1990. Peter Hillary (born 1954 is the son of the late adventurer Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first two people to have made it to the top of Mount Everest. In April 2003 Peter and Jamling Tenzing Norgay (son of Tenzing) climbed Everest as part of a 50th anniversary celebration. Jamling Tenzing Norgay (b April 23 1965 in Darjeeling) is an India / Nepalese Sherpa Mountain climber. ^[42] Hillary had six grandchildren.

Philanthropy

Following his ascent of Everest he devoted much of his life to helping the Sherpa people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust, which he founded. For other uses of the word Sherpa see Sherpa (disambiguation. The Himalayan Trust ( HT) is a non-profit organization set up by Sir Edmund Hillary after his successful first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 Through his efforts many schools and hospitals were built in this remote region of the Himalayas. He was the Honorary President of the American Himalayan Foundation, a United States non-profit body that helps improve the ecology and living conditions in the Himalayas. The American Himalayan Foundation ( AHF) is a US Non-profit organization that helps improve the Ecology and living conditions in the Himalayas The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Ecology (from Greek grc οἶκος oikos, "house(hold" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of

Hillary spoke of his disdain for the attitudes displayed by many modern mountaineers. In particular he publicly criticized New Zealander Mark Inglis and 40 other climbers who, in various groups, left British climber David Sharp to die in May 2006. Mark Joseph Inglis ( ONZM, September 27[[ 959]] is a Mountaineer, Researcher, Winemaker and Motivational speaker David Sharp ( 15 February[[ 972]] – 15 May[[ 006]] was an English Mountaineer who died near the summit of Mount Everest. He said:^[43]

I think the whole attitude towards climbing Mount Everest has become rather horrifying. The people just want to get to the top. They don't give a damn for anybody else who may be in distress and it doesn't impress me at all that they leave someone lying under a rock to die.

Death

New Zealand flag at half-mast to mark the death of Sir Edmund Hillary

People draped in the Flag of New Zealand at the Auckland Domain as the hearse drives past at Sir Edmund Hillary's state funeral

On 11 January 2008, Hillary died of heart failure at the Auckland City Hospital at around 9 am NZDT (10 January at 20:00 UTC) at the age of 88. The flag of New Zealand is a defaced Blue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton and four red stars with white borders to the right The Auckland Domain is Auckland 's oldest Park, and at 75 hectares one of the largest in the city For the extreme metal band see Hearse (band A hearse is a Funeral Vehicle, a conveyance for the Coffin A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony held to honour Heads of state or other important people of national significance Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Heart failure is a Cardiac condition that occurs when a problem with the structure or function of the Heart impairs its ability to supply The Auckland City Hospital is Auckland 's main hospital and the largest hospital in New Zealand, as well as one of the oldest medical facilities of the country History On 2 November 1868, New Zealand officially adopted a standard time to be observed nationally and was perhaps the first country to do so Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. ^[44] Hillary's death was announced by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark at around 11:20 am. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950 is the 37th and current Prime Minister of New Zealand. She stated that his passing was a "profound loss to New Zealand". ^[45] His death was recognised by the lowering of flags to half-mast on all Government and public buildings and at Scott Base in Antarctica. Half-staff or half-mast describes a Flag flying approximately halfway up a flagpole or ship's mast (though anywhere from one-third to two-thirds of the way up is acceptable Scott Base may also refer to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. ^[46] Actor and adventurer Brian Blessed, who attempted to climb Everest three times, described Sir Edmund as a "kind of titan". Brian Blessed (pronounced /ˈblɛsɪd/ born 9 October 1937) is an English Actor, Author and Adventurer, widely recognised ^[47] He was in hospital at the time of his death but was expected to come home that day according to his family. ^{[48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]} The local press emphasized Hillary's humble and congenial personality and his life of hard work. ^[56][57][58]

In tribute Claire Harvey wrote in the 12 January 2008 New Zealand Herald "[a]nd for New Zealanders, Sir Ed was everything a good bastard ought to be - modest and humorous, brave and compassionate, and just grouchy enough to remind us he never sought, nor particularly enjoyed, adulation. Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The New Zealand Herald is a daily Broadsheet Newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand. "

After Hillary's death the Green Party proposed a new public holiday for 20 July or the Monday nearest to it. The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a Political party in the New Zealand parliament. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold ^[59] Renaming mountains after Hillary was also proposed. The Mt Cook Village's Hermitage Hotel, the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre and Alpine Guides, proposed a renaming of Mount Ollivier, the first mountain climbed by Hillary. The family of Arthur Ollivier, for whom the mountain is named, are against such a renaming. ^[60]

Funeral

A state funeral was held for Hillary on 22 January 2008,^[61] after which his body was cremated. A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony held to honour Heads of state or other important people of national significance Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Cremation is the act of reducing a Corpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire The first part of this funeral was on 21 January when Hillary's casket was taken into Holy Trinity Cathedral to lie in state. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. ^[62] On 29 February 2008, in a private ceremony, Hillary's ashes were scattered in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf as he had desired. Leap years Although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country The Hauraki Gulf is a Coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. ^[63]

On 2 April 2008, a service of thanksgiving was held in his honour at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Windsor Castle, in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited Castle in the world and dating back to the time of It was attended by the Queen (but not the Duke of Edinburgh owing to a chest infection) and New Zealand dignitaries including Prime Minister Helen Clark. Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950 is the 37th and current Prime Minister of New Zealand. Sir Edmund's family and family members of Tenzing Norgay attended as well, many of whom spoke about their memories of the great mountaineer. “Alpinist” redirects here See also Alpinist (magazine Mountaineering is the Sport, Hobby or Profession of Gurkha soldiers from Nepal, a country Sir Edmund Hillary held much affection for, stood guard outside the ceremony. Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur The Way of Sacrifice The Rajputs Pages 28-30 Graduate Thesis South Asian Studies Department Dr Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. ^[64][65]

Tribute

There have been many calls for lasting tributes to Sir Edmund Hillary. The first major public tribute has been by way of the "Summits for Ed" tribute tour organised by the Sir Edmund Hillary foundation (www. summitsfored. org. nz). This tribute tour went from Bluff at the bottom of the South Island to Cape Reinga at the tip of the North Island, visiting 39 towns and cities along the way. In each venue school children and members of the public were invited to join together to climb a significant hill or site in their area to show their respect for Hillary. Public were also invited to bring small rocks or pebbles that had special significance to them, that would be collected and included in a memorial to Hillary at the base of Mt Ruepehu in the grounds of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre. Any funds donated during the tour are to be used by the foundation to sponsor young New Zealanders on outdoor courses to continue the values that Hillary espoused. Over 10,000 members of the public attended these "Summit" climbs.

Publications

Books written by Hillary include:

• High Adventure (1955), Oxford University Press (Paperback) ISBN 1932302026
• High Adventure: The True Story of the First Ascent of Everest (1955), Oxford University Press (Paperback) ISBN 0195167341
• East of Everest - An Account of the New Zealand Alpine Club Himalayan Expedition to the Barun Valley in 1954, with George Lowe (1956), E. P. Dutton and Company, Inc. ASIN B000EW84UM
• No Latitude for Error (1961), Hodder & Stoughton. ASIN B000H6UVP6.
• The New Zealand Antarctic Expedition (1959), R. W. Stiles, printers. ASIN B0007K6D72.
• The crossing of Antarctica; the Commonwealth Transantarctic Expedition, 1955-1958 with Sir Vivian Fuchs (1958). Cassell ASIN B000HJGZ08
• High in the thin cold air; the story of the Himalayan Expedition, led by Sir Edmund Hillary, sponsored by World Book Encyclopedia, with Desmond Doig (1963) ASIN B00005W121
• Schoolhouse in the Clouds (1965) ASIN B00005WRBB
• Nothing Venture, Nothing Win (1975) Hodder & Stoughton General Division ISBN 0340212969
• From the Ocean to the Sky: Jet Boating Up the Ganges Ulverscroft Large Print Books Ltd (November 1980) ISBN 0-7089-0587-0
• Two Generations with Peter Hillary (1984) Hodder & Stoughton Ltd ISBN 0340354208
• Ascent: Two Lives Explored: The Autobiographies of Sir Edmund and Peter Hillary (1992) Paragon House Publishers ISBN 1557784086
• View from the Summit: The Remarkable Memoir by the First Person to Conquer Everest (2000) Pocket ISBN 0743400674

See also

• Timeline of climbing Mount Everest
• Ascents of Mount Everest
• Mount Everest

References

External links

• On top of the world: Ed Hillary Full biography of Edmund Hillary (NZHistory. net. nz)
• Small but interesting part of biography