Margaret Clark sent this letter to Mick to explain the provenance of this tent. “George died last year and my family wanted me to move nearer them so I had to pack up ready to move. This took all year! One of the last cupboards was the camping store. My daughter who was helping me thought that the tent might be of interest historically and enquired in Nevisport and so it landed with you. George bought the tent when he was demobbed from the RAF in 1951. He had already climbed with the Perth branch of the JMCS, indeed he applied to go into the RAF Mountain Rescue but spent most of his time in Lincolnshire. On a wage of 7 pounds a week as a forester the tent must have been a major investment. He climbed over most of Scotland but his favourite area was Lochaber. He wanted to spend more time climbing but he only had Sat. afternoon and Sunday off and very little holiday time so I think he felt that he never reached his potential as a climber. He was also very much involved in Church work and finally he had to choose between climbing and his Church life.

We met in 1958 and spent our honeymoon camping in the Mountain tent. We went as missionaries to the Yemen in 1959 and the tent went with us though I don’t remember that we used it very much as when we were camping it was usually under the stars. We spent 3 years in the Empty Quarter. We came home in 1966 and the tent them became our family holiday accommodation. George became the leader of Caol Youth Centre in 1960 and he encouraged some of the members in climbing, taking them scrambling on the Poldubh rocks. One of his proteges was Jumbo Shearer. I am so glad the tent did not have to go in a skip- you have it and the family and I have the memories.”