The WWI hero who climbed Everest alone: How a Chorlton writer wrote one of the best books of the year
Maurice Wilson aimed to fly to Everest in a Gipsy Moth in 1934 and then climb the rest of the way; becoming the first person to reach its summit alone.
He’d served as a pilot in the navy during the seventies, and upon retirement, he whisked his young family up to Aberdeen so he could continue flying helicopters commercially.
It was during a routine training session that the engine failed and caught fire.
Caesar Snr guided the helicopter to the ground against the odds. But upon impact, the fuel tanks exploded, killing him and the trainee passenger.
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The tragedy should have been enough to scare a young Ed away from flying for life.
Yet, here he was, thirty years later, sat at the stick of a hundred-year-old Gipsy Moth aeroplane – three-thousand feet in the air above Dorset.
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It was a wonderful and terrifying experience.
The vehicle appeared to be made of canvas, wood, a few bits of metal and little else – powered by the kind of engine you’d expect to find inside a lawnmower.
The reverberations were so intense it felt like pieces of the plane could just flake away at any given moment, disintegrating in the middle of the sky.
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After cosying up to clouds for several minutes, Ed touched back down unscathed (which he owed to his “terrific” instructor). But the deafening rattle of the flight stayed with him; the vibrations pulsing through his body for the rest of the day.
On paper, it seems puzzling. Why would any person attempt to fly a century-old aircraft with no experience? Let alone someone who was all-too-familiar with what can go wrong?
But by this point, Ed was in too deep.
The author had fallen head over heels for one of history’s forgotten figures – a WWI veteran named Maurice Wilson who wanted to fly from England to India in a Gipsy Moth and climb Everest; hoping to become the first person to reach its summit alone.
Short of actually going up the mountain himself, Ed was devoted to doing all the detective work necessary to tell Wilson’s story. No matter how dangerous – or personally moving – that might be.
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Wilson had a fascinating tale. And Ed wanted to get it right. Even if that included taking flight himself.
Long before he’d bravely clambered into the cabin of the Moth, Ed had deduced that the wider world should know the real Maurice Wilson.
The man was a Rubik’s Cube – courageous, mad, infuriating and admirable all at once.
In his younger days, Wilson had fought with astonishing bravery on the frontline in Flanders during the war; standing strong as his friends fell to their deaths around him.
He made it out alive with the Military Cross for his heroic efforts (as Ed notes, the average lifespan of a second lieutenant in WWI was just six weeks), but he was unfairly denied a pension.
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Despite his valour, Wilson also had a callous side.
He married multiple times after the war and treated each wife worse than the last, “leaving behind a trail of broken hearts” as he travelled the world searching for his purpose.
He even managed to fall in love with his close friend’s spouse along the way.
But it wasn’t until Wilson picked up the newspaper in a Freiburg cafe one afternoon that he settled on an ambitious and stupefying idea.
He would crash land a Gipsy Moth on the slopes of Everest and climb to the top himself – disguising himself as a Tibetan priest to get past authority figures who would have recognised his Western features and halted his ascent.
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It was frankly mad. Wilson had no experience, no knowhow, no resources. Yet, he was utterly convinced he could do it.
Standing at the base of the mountain looking up, Wilson could already see the newspapers that awaited him on his return.
“In five weeks, the world will be on fire,” he wrote in his diary, anticipating the headlines on the horizon.
Before Everest, Wilson had “hardly climbed anything more challenging than a flight of stairs”. Nor had he scaled any further than the footnotes of history.
But Ed’s new book – The Moth and The Mountain – conclusively changes that.
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The Chorlton writer gives Wilson’s chronicle a fresh lease of life (having been at real risk of being buried forever in the annals of history).
It’s equal parts breathtaking and baffling – having already been picked as the NY Times’, Amazon’s, and The Observer’s best-reviewed books of the month.
The official release date for The Moth and The Mountain is November 12. But it’s been in the making for almost a decade.
“I’ve lived with Wilson for a long time,” Ed chuckles.
“At times he’s infuriating. He’d talk too much. He was definitely a bad husband.
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“But I am filled with admiration for his courage and I sympathise with his feelings to redeem himself. It’s a human response to trauma and things going wrong.
“He didn’t get what he deserved after WWI. He was a guy from Bradford, and in the people who refused to give him his army pension, he saw the same class of people who were trying to stop him from climbing Everest.
“He wanted to get one over on them.”
Wilson is by no means the first person to use rejection as a motivational tool. The ‘I’ll show them’ mindset has spurned on many a man to get what he was told he could never have.
But none of these figures ever tried to prove their doubters wrong by flying 4,000 miles and then climbing 8,848 metres into the sky.
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The whole thing looked suicidal. Was Wilson crazy? Or brave beyond belief?
Ed thinks he might have been both.
“In all famous explorers, there’s a balance between madness and a refusal to be beaten,” the author explains.
“I think it perhaps tipped towards madness in Wilson’s case. He was just so poorly prepared for what he was about to do.
“Any rational person would look and say he wouldn’t be able to do it. But [Wilson] sees it as something he can do. His mind says ‘just keep on going’.
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“He needs Everest for reasons I don’t think he even understands.”
The Moth and The Mountain sees Ed – a journalist by trade – venture into non-fiction writing for the second time in his career.
His first book, Two Hours, was a deep dive into the endurance-pushing, limit-smashing, sweat-soused world of marathon runners and their obsession with defeating records and setting new ones.
Wilson was also one of these people, in his own way.
“I was interested in Wilson for a lot of reasons – but it’s definitely connected to that idea of people trying to achieve the impossible,” Ed says.
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Nonetheless, researching The Moth And The Mountain was a very different experience.
Very few people who knew Wilson were still alive, and to get to the truth, Ed had to pore through archives, venture overseas, reach out to long-lost relatives, visit memorials, recover old diaries, and source ancient letters.
And, of course, he arranged to fly in a Gipsy Moth – just like his protagonist.
Completing The Moth and The Mountain was an expedition in itself. But if it gives Wilson some deserved spotlight, Ed believes it will have been worth it.
“I hope this has corrected the record but also told a thrilling and fascinating story most people won’t have heard of… and it comes across like the person who wrote it has really done their homework.”
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Perhaps the greatest achievement of The Moth and The Mountain is how it saves Maurice Wilson from being doomed to a ‘crank’ reputation he was seemingly destined for.
History had written him off as a disaster.
But after getting to know his subject, Ed feels like he partly understands why Wilson did what he felt he had to do.
“Sometimes, you need a massive gesture and a big adventure to sweep away damage in your life,” Ed tells us.
Perhaps this thought was going through the author’s mind when he clambered into the cockpit of the Gipsy Moth.
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In that seat, Ed Caesar was as close to Wilson – and his father – as he’d ever been.
The Moth and The Mountain puts it all on the page. And it’s riveting.
You can purchase a copy of The Moth And The Mountain online here.
You can also find out more about Ed Caesar’s work on his website.
@edcaesar
Feature
The Salford deli with the best name in Manchester has a new home — and it’s even more of a hidden gem than ever
Danny Jones
If you’ve ever ventured down Chapel Street in Salford or sat with a pint in Bexley Square, you’ll probably have noticed the shop, cafe and deli space that once sat on the corner.
More accurately, if you know the spot, you’ll likely have chuckled to yourself when looking up at the sign and reading the name above the front door: Deli Lama. Still makes us smirk to this day.
The best-named Wholefoods Shop and Cafe sat as a literal cornerstone of the Salford community for over a decade and was a real favourite amongst locals but has since moved premises, and whilst it is more out of the way than it used to be, it has only reaffirmed Deli Lama’s hidden gem status even more.
Now located in the old Islington Mill just across the road — which currently serves not only as a residential space but as a key cultural hub for creatives and artisans — it’s arguably situated even deeper in the heart and soul of old Salford than ever. You’ve just got to know where to find them.
And that’s where we come in. After initially heading out on a weekend and wanting to enjoy a brew and a bite to eat, we decided to go on the hunt for their new venue and ventured down James Street to stumble across the mill itself.
An unassuming space, to say the least, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s still out of use at first glance, but once you spot the boards pointing you in the right direction of Deli Lama and the other names who have popped up in here, it does feel like you’ve stumbled across the best-kept secret in town.
Walking down the tunnel past the notice boards and the other indoor studios, you emerge out into the quiet little courtyard to find the deli’s new location, with fairy lights in the window and the old still just propped up against the wall as they’ve had little time for finessing — they’re just cracking on.
Although the space might be a little rough and ready in parts, what it achieves is that genuine rustic feeling that so many other trendy new openings attempt to contrive, whilst also carrying over a sense of familiarity from the former venue.
In the spacious new spot, you’ll find the same cupboard and pantry staples from rice, pasta and pulses to organic fruit and veg, bakery items, preserves, condiments and so on that you would find in the old shop, only now there’s room for more of anything.
There are also shelves of organic tea and coffee, fridges full of chilled drinks, soups and freshly prepared ciabattas, as well as literally the best vegan cookie we’ve ever had. They even make their own seitan.
Looking at the menu itself, as well as a regular rotation of specials, they do vegetarian brekkies that will knock your socks off like the Caribbean scramble, as well as plant-based breakfast burrito that we devoured within seconds alongside a big healthy portion of their chilli bean soup.
Topped with jalapenos, herbs and a lovely dollop of guacamole which thickens up the texture the more you swirl it in, just like when you used to dip your buttery bread into the bowl at home, it was divine and we could have had ladles of the stuff if it wasn’t for all the other customers ordering a portion as well.
Banging vegan sausages.The deli counter.Unreal.Not just the best-named deli in Manchester but some of the best food you’ll find in Salford too.
Speaking of the crowd, you can tell this is a real haven for artisans and the other residents. The mill has stood there for 200 years and as it now boasts apartments upstairs, virtually everyone living and working here has become a regular, with people from all ages and walks of life.
As well as being a quaint little creative corner, Islington Mill is also important in the LGBTQ+ community, with the Islington Mill is Queer audio series recorded here, not to mention serving as a key part of the council’s ‘The Other City’ fund and artist-led community project bigging up Salford as its own entity.
As for Deli Lama themselves, they’re a team of just three led by founders, owners and local couple, Linda and Lincoln, who opened up the original shop 12 years ago but have been set up here since November, insisting they are “much happier at home here” and now starting to regain their rhythm.
Together for two decades themselves, you can tell this isn’t just their livelihood, it’s a passion they’ve bonded over and a way of continuing to contribute to the area that clearly still means so much to them.
It already feels so vibrant and welcoming.Walls full of produce.Credit: The Manc Eats
What this small but incredibly dedicated team manages to do, beyond just delivering high-quality produce, is make every person who steps in the door feel like their best mate and part of the family. We’re not exaggerating when we say they knew everyone’s name in the two hours we spent there.
Even from the cosy little snug where you can sit on an armchair in the window next to some plants and a little poster wall promoting upcoming community events, to the little kitchen just behind the counter, you do get that feeling of being in someone’s home even with the big window and skylight above.
There’s plenty of bustle next door and across the courtyard from the pottery place, needlework studio and tufters also based within Islington Mill, but somehow this place manages to help block out all the business of town just down the road and even outside is relatively tranquil.
We were only supposed to come in for a coffee but we ended up feeling so relaxed we didn’t want to leave and ended up eating twice, buying a takeaway butty and some stuff from the fridge just because we fancied it.
Could spend hours chilling here.Salford coffee to boot.Get the lemonade, trust us.
More importantly, the wholefoods, zero-waste and almost entirely vegan approach means that Deli Lama is one of the most sustainable, sourcing directly from local co-operative Organic North and even eyeing plans to set up their own in the future.
They also cater events and private functions, including a substantial corporate do or two when they can, and might also be making their groceries and food menu available on Deliveroo later this year.
It’s also crucially one of the most reasonably priced cafes and stores of its kind you’ll find anywhere so close to the city limits which, in a cost of living crisis, should never be overlooked or left unapplauded.
Please give the wonderful team at Deli Lama Wholefoods Shop and Cafe in Salford a go — you will not regret going for the short wander to find them and we promise, you’ll fall in love with it just like we did.
Rochdale Town Hall, one of Greater Manchester’s most spectacular buildings, reopens
Daisy Jackson
Rochdale Town Hall is one of Greater Manchester’s most impressive and historic buildings – but until now, large parts of the building have been closed to the public.
All that has changed this weekend when, following several years of careful restoration, the magnificent Grade I-listed giant threw open its doors.
From Sunday 3 March, people are able to visit Rochdale Town Hall completely free of charge seven days a week (excluding Bank Holidays), exploring grand halls, historic offices, and impressive sweeping staircases.
The landmark looms over the heart of Rochdale town centre, an easy walk from tram and train stations.
Up until this year, spaces were available to book for events like weddings, and it was used for official business, but has never been properly utilised as a tourist attraction.
It’s taken a 500-strong team of volunteers and teams of conservation specialists thousands of hours to bring it fully back to its former glory – they’ve carefully stripped away years of grime using cotton buds and other equipment to expertly bring life back to the ornate stained glass windows and historic features in almost every room.
So what exactly is it like inside after its multi-million-pound refurb, you ask? Well it’s pretty damn impressive.
The most breathtaking space of all is the Great Hall, where 350 hand-painted panels cover the vaulted ceiling, carved wooden angels hold lanterns, stained glass windows tower overhead, an enormous organ stands on the stage, and a huge Magna Carta mural covers one wall.
The incredible hand-painted ceiling panels in the Great HallInside Rochdale Town Hall
It’s a room filled with red and gold patterns, including images of the English lions and Scottish thistle, and you might recognise these colourful walls from a little show called Peaky Blinders…
But before you even reach this point, there are wonders to behold.
The Grand Staircase sweeps its way up from the ground floor – look up and you’ll see enormous stained glass windows documenting Rochdale’s place on the global stage.
The Exchange will be used as the town hall’s main entrance, where different shades of granite and marble were used to make candy-striped ceilings, and craftsmen carved various flora and fauna into the stone pillars.
The Great Staircase at Rochdale Town HallThe Exchange will be used as the main entrance for Rochdale Town Hall
Off here there’s a brand-new exhibition space, known as the Welcome Gallery, which tracks the timeline of the landmark, including the fire that destroyed its original clock tower (it was later re-designed by the legendary Alfred Waterhouse).
There are also historic spaces, where the walls are covered not with wallpaper but with hand-painted patterns. These intricate designs have also been restored.
In one room, you can see the history of the cotton industry in the paintings, from the Ancient Egyptians all the way up to the industrial era that Rochdale played such a huge part in.
And as well as celebrating the historical features of Rochdale Town Hall, there are also new artworks that have been created with local community groups and schools, celebrating present day Rochdale.
Rooms which were formerly used by council staff and councillors have been turned into usable spaces for the public, like the new Bright Hall, which has double-height ceilings, angels along the walls, and a window overlooking the Great Hall from up high. The Bright Hall will now be available for community use and events.
Hundreds of volunteers and specialists have worked on Rochdale Town Hall’s refurbishmentAnother grand space in Rochdale Town Hall
When it officially reopens on Sunday 3 March, there’ll be bookable tours, longer opening hours, and new exhibition spaces for locals and visitors to explore.
And in a few months’ time, a brand new restaurant – The Martlet – will open, under the steer of executive chef Darren Parkinson who has honed his craft at some of the country’s best gastropubs.
The whole building has been made fully accessible for the first time, and there are new heating systems and a sturdier roof in place to future-proof Rochdale Town Hall for decades to come.
Councillor Neil Emmott, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: “It’s been a long wait for our residents and I’m delighted that they will finally get to see their beautiful town hall, fully restored in all its glory.
“Not only will they see the town hall they know and love, looking as good as it would have when it first opened in 1871, but they will see brand new features, like the Welcome Gallery, which makes it an even better space than it was before. We can’t wait to welcome people back in.”
One of many beautiful stained glass windows inside Rochdale Town HallThe huge organ in Great Hall
Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member with responsibility for Rochdale Town Hall, said: “Sunday 3 March will be a wonderful celebration, but it’s really just the beginning for our brand new town hall. Our new offer means that residents will be able to see it and enjoy it seven days a week.
“We will soon be offering guided tours, alongside a full activity, events and education programme, which will be revealed soon.
“We anticipate the opening day being very busy, so people who would prefer a quieter experience may wish to come along another day. This beautiful building certainly isn’t going anywhere and our new extended opening hours offer many opportunities to enjoy this special place.”
The huge project was made possible with funding support to the tune of an £8.9m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
For its launch weekend, there’ll be activities at Rochdale Town Hall like rug tufting workshops, the roving Bombay Raja brass band, and a special puppet show by Fool’s Paradise.
Pre-booking is now full but walk-ups are available, so, if you don’t mind a wait, you can head to Rochdale Town Hall between 10am and 4pm this Sunday to see the incredible spaces for yourself.
For more information about the town hall, including opening times and upcoming events and activities, go to rochdaletownhall.co.uk.