Objects Database

Karrimor Sac de Grimpeur

Accession Number

627.2008.1

Object Name

Karrimor Sac de Grimpeur

Created

08/12/2008

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

08/12/2008

Brief Description

Rucksack with yellow snow valance for bivouacking. Canvas with canvas and leather straps and metal buckles. Two deep pockets at sides. Loop for ice axe attached. Rubberised snow valance attached to drawstring top.

Materials

canvas, rubber, metal, leather

Dimensions

65(l) x 40(w) x 10(d) cms.

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

Indecipherable label

Colour

neutral

Provenance

Charlie and Mary Parsons set up the Karrimor Bag Company in 1946 to make bags for their cycle shop in Rawtenstall, Lancashire.
Things went well for the first decade or so until cycling became less popular in the mid 1950’s so they diversified into rucksack manufacturing, putting their skills to work with canvas and leather for a slightly different purpose.
Looking for a good ‘jazzy’ name to capture both a UK and Continental market, the Parsons decided their first rucksack would be called Sac de Grimpeur (climber’s sack) though we doubt if many UK climbers had a clue to what it meant.
Rucksacks from this era often incorporated a pull out valance so that the lower half of the body could go inside for a bivouac with a warm cosy duvet up top….aye that’ll be right!
The Grimpeur we have here is a later version, circa 1962/3, developed mainly for Outward Bound Schools; the main difference being the addition of side pockets…maybe they should have called this Sac de Sauvage.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Richard McHardey

Acquisition Date

08/12/2008

Condition Check Date

28/04/2009

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

28/04/2009

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