From the grave
On January 17, 1930, Mary Monteath, Doris Herbert-Brown, Helena Keane and Doris Smith stayed overnight at the Hermitage. They planned to venture up the Tasman Glacier to the Malte Brun Hut, and then return the next day. Guide John Edward Eldridge Bloomfield led the party.
On their return they started off at 10.30am down the glacier in light rain. Later in the morning another guide, Charles Hilgendorf, who had also been at the hut, set off down the glacier. He hadn’t gone far when the weather deteriorated.
A gale blew up the valley, which he later described as ‘‘the worst blizzard he had ever known’’. He reached de la Beche corner and there found the four women, dead on the glacier. He hurried on to raise the alarm and when the storm eventually abated rescuers reached the scene and found the body of the women’s guide a short distance away.
It was the worst mountain tragedy to be recorded in the Mt Cook area.
Mary was only 20 years old, a well known and talented amateur pianist, who had intended to travel to Europe to further her musical studies.
From Timaru Cemetery Passing Memories published by the South Canterbury Museum.