Everest through the lens

Another chance to see the Society's exhibition marking the centenary of the first Everest expeditions in the 1920s. This exhibition is open on weekdays only (Monday-Friday).

The Society and the Alpine Club, London were instrumental in the planning and execution of the first European-organised expeditions, having formed the Mount Everest Committee in 1919, combining the geographical, cartographic and scientific interests of the Society with the mountaineering expertise and technical knowledge of the Alpine Club.

Following the success of the 1921 expedition which gathered and shared vital geographical information, the Mount Everest Committee sought to further survey, map and photograph the landscape and document the people of the Himalayas.

This led to the involvement of the professional photographer and filmmaker, Captain John Noel, who was aware of the commercial opportunity available to present the first footage of the people and landscapes of the region, and the attempt to summit the mountain, to public audiences in the West.

At the heart of the Society’s exhibition are the films that Captain John Noel produced of the 1922 and 1924 expeditions. Using both research on the films and the films themselves as a lens through which to reframe the story of the expeditions, the exhibition explores topics such as:

• The role of local knowledge from both intermediaries and porters to support the expeditions.
• The role local intermediaries and porters played in making the filming on location possible.
• The tragic death of a group of porters during an avalanche on the 1922 expedition.
• The making and commercialisation of the films as a means to support future expeditions.
• The context and uses of expeditionary films today.