Malcolm Daniel Geddes

Malcolm Daniel Geddes was born in Wick, Scotland, emigrated to Canada with his family when he was 10 years old, married Mary Jane (Jennie)Waters in Guelph, Ontario where he had attended the Ontario Agricultural College (now University of Guelph). The couple moved to Calgary and had 3 children, two who survived infancy _ Alvin Brooks Geddes and Enid Jeane (Geddes) Darroch. Geddes was by profession a newspaperman. Upon his move to Calgary in 1903 he became associate editor of The FarmerÍs Advocate. In 1904 he helped found The Farm and Ranch Review, assuming roles in editorial oversight and business management. During this time he also toured Western Canada as a livestock judge and giving lectures on various topics. Geddes then entered the field of Real Estate in Calgary as Geddes and Sheffield, Real Estate, Insurance, Loans and Investments. He was successful in the development of the Elboya district in Calgary. By 1922 WhoÍs Who in Canada lists him as Vice-President of Western Printing and Lithographing Co. Ltd. Geddes did much more than work for a living. He was a prolific writer of poetry from an early age. He wrote articles as well as advertising copy. As a hobby he owned horses and taught his children to ride as well as taking them camping and to Banff by car. His interest in photography flourished and he often accompanied his lectures about mountaineering with his projected glass slides, some hand painted by his wife. A grandson donated 324 original slides to the Whyte Museum in Banff in the early 1990''''s. Geddes had joined the Alpine Club of Canada in 1920 as mountain climbing had become his passion. Between 1920 and 1927 he held positions as Honorary Secretary (1924-26) and Honorary Librarian (1926-28) for the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC). It is documented that he never missed an ACC camp from the time he joined until his untimely death on a glacier of Mt. Lefroy in 1927. In his years with the ACC he participated in five first ascents: Mount. Maude _ 1922 Barbican Peak _ 1924 Mount Geikie _ 1924 Little Sister (sometimes called Charity) _ 1925 Majestic Mountain _ 1926 Mt. Geddes in the Waddington Range in BC and Geddes Glacier in the same vicinity are named for M. D. Geddes. (source: B.C. Geographic Names Information Services _ Don Munday made the recommendation). In 1926 and 1927 Geddes was fund-raising for a new ACC cabin to be built. After his death the Mt. Geikie Cabin was built on the grounds of the Alpine Club in Banff (removed: 1972) and this cabin was dedicated to Geddes. Geddes left a proud legacy to his descendants, being one of the first Canadian alpinists of note.