John Brazinton
Died July 1971 in an Alpine climbing accident
Where is the grave?
John Brazington’s grave is at the foot of his grandfather James’s grave. James was Mayor of Barrow for 5 days in 1946 before dying in office.
The grave is to the right of the main path, before the North Lodge.
North West Evening Mail Saturday 24 July 1971 reported (adding an extra ‘g’ to the name throughout):
North West Evening Mail, Saturday 24 July 1971Climb in Alps decision cost Barrow man his life
Before setting off on an Himalayan expedition, a Barrow climber told the Evening Mail that on the way home he might stop off to climb in the Alps.
It was a decision that cost John Brazington his life, for yesterday it was learned that he had been killed after setting off to climb a ravine on the 13,000 ft. Aiguille Verte (Green Needle) peak.
Today his father was under sedation and other shocked members of the family were still unaware of exactly what had happened, though one report indicated that the 24 year old teacher had been crushed by falling boulders.
Mr. Brazington’s climbing companion, Michael Cunliffe, 23, of Edinburgh Drive, Wigan, raised the alarm after the accident and the dead climber’s body was taken by helicopter to Chamonix.
A member of the family said that Mr. Brazington’s body was to be flown to England for the funeral, though arrangements had not then been completed.
Experienced climber
Mr. Brazington, who lived with his father at Highlands Avenue, set off in April with six other climbers intending to attempt the second scaling of the 20,400 ft. Indrasan by way of the unclimbed West ridge.
The expedition was successful and it is believed that other members of the team have since returned home.
An uncle of the dead climber, Mr. Malcolm Brazington, of Flass Lane, Barrow, said he was an experienced and keen climber.
One reason for the trip, he said, was that he wanted more experience so he could get a job as a teacher at an Outward Bound School or somewhere of that nature.
The expedition received a grant of £400 grant from the Mount Everest Foundation and each member of the team put up £150. The team had originally planned to climb another peak in the area but after finding that it had already been conquered, switched their attention towards Indrasan.
Mr. Brazington had been climbing for about four years. News of his death was relayed to his father, a widower, via Barrow Police.
