Jan Morris was the only journalist to accompany Edmund Hilary on his ascent of Mount Everest in 1953.
Then still James Morris, she was 26 years old. She sent a now famous telegram: “Snow conditions bad. Advance base abandoned yesterday.
Awaiting improvement. All Well!”There was more to the dispatch than met the eye. She was using coded language to confirm that he had successfully reached the summit.
The Times broke the story on the day of The Queen’s coronation.The accent of Mount Everest was considered to be a last hurrah for the fading British Empire, but it was just the beginning for Jan Morris.