Norman Hardie ‘ On my Own Two Feet’
On the 12 December Norman Hardie’s autobiography titled ‘On My Own Two Feet’ was launched. Norman Hardie (CH 1944) trained as a civil engineer and says he paid his way through university by stalking deer and selling their skins. Along the way he became a skilled mountaineer and made friends with local climbing guides and other mountaineers including Sir Edmund Hillary. Hardie went on to have many more adventures, including working his passage to England as a steward in a passenger liner and serving as a secretary to the successful British 1953 Mount Everest Expedition. In 1955 he became the deputy leader and one of the four who were first to reach the summit of Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world.
Hardie, while continuing with his engineering career, served for 22 years on the board of the Himalayan Trust (Sir Edmund Hillary’s aid project for constructing schools and hospitals in Nepal). Hardie also went to Antarctica three times, as an instructor, surveyor and as the leader of Scott Base.
Norman Hardie has remained a close friend of College House, he has served on the College House Board for many years and has one of the houses named after him.
The publication of the book marks the 50th anniversary of the Kangchenjunga climb (2005) and we celebrate 60 years since Norman Hardie scaled the walls of his College House room leaving us a reminder of his climbing prowess!
Photo: Colin Monteath