Airling Robin Hanbury-Tenison (born 7 May 1936) is an explorer based in

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

. He is President of the charity

Survival International Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969, a London based charity that campaigns for the collective rights of Indigenous, tribal and uncontacted peoples. The organisation's campaigns generally focus on tribal people ...

and was previously Chief Executive of The Countryside Alliance.

Early life and education

The youngest of five children born to Gerald Evan Farquhar Tenison, a Major in the

3rd Dragoon Guards The 3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685 as the Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Horse. It was renamed as the 3rd Regiment of Dragoon Guards ...

, and his wife Ruth Julia Margarette Hanbury of the Pontypool Park Estate, Robin grew up on the Tenison family's historic

Anglo-Irish Anglo-Irish people () denotes an ethnic, social and religious grouping who are mostly the descendants and successors of the English Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. They mostly belong to the Anglican Church of Ireland, which was the State rel ...

estate Lough Bawn in

Castleblayney Castleblayney (; ) is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town had a population of 3,926 as of the 2022 census. Castleblayney is near the border with County Armagh in Northern Ireland, and lies on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry and L ...

County Monaghan County Monaghan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of Border Region, Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College ( ) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and ...

Personal life

In 1959, he married Marika Hopkinson. She became well known for her cookery books.Hanbury Tenison, M. ''Deep-Freeze Cookery''. 2nd edition. London. Pan Books, 1972, p. i. They had two children, Lucy (b. 1960) and Rupert (b. 1970).Robin Hanbury-Tenison Curriculum Vitae
/ref> Marika died in 1982. Hanbury-Tenison and his second wife Louella (née Williams) own a newly built house, The Old Deer House next to their previous one which they gave to their son, Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, on

Bodmin Moor Bodmin Moor () is a granite moorland in north-eastern Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in size, and dates from the Carboniferous period of geology, geological history. It includes Brown Willy, the highest point in Cornwall, and Rough To ...

, which is both their home and a bed and breakfast business. They have a son, Merlin (b. 1985).

Career

In 1957 Hanbury-Tenison was the first person to travel overland by

jeep Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...

from London to

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

(then known as Ceylon). In 1958 he and Richard Mason became the first to cross

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

overland at its widest point. In 1964–65 he made the first river crossing of South America from north to south from the

Orinoco The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers approximately 1 million km2, with 65% of it in Venezuela and 35% in Colombia. It is the List of rivers by discharge, f ...

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

(at first with Sebastian Snow). In 1968 he took part in the ''

Geographical Geography (from Ancient Greek ; combining 'Earth' and 'write', literally 'Earth writing') is the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding o ...

'' magazine's Amazonas Expedition by

hovercraft A hovercraft (: hovercraft), also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious craft capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and various other surfaces. Hovercraft use blowers to produce a large volume of air below the ...

from

Manaus Manaus () is the List of capitals of subdivisions of Brazil, capital and largest city of the States of Brazil, Brazilian state of Amazonas (Brazilian state), Amazonas. It is the List of largest cities in Brazil, seventh-largest city in Brazil, w ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

to the Republic of

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

Survival International

Discussions with the

ethnobotanist Ethnobotany is an interdisciplinary field at the interface of natural and social sciences that studies the relationships between humans and plants. It focuses on traditional knowledge of how plants are used, managed, and perceived in human societi ...

Conrad Gorinsky Conrad Gorinsky (March 7, 1936 – August 18, 2019) was a Guyana-born chemist who studied in the UK. The son of Cesar Gorinsky, a Polish cattle rancher and gold prospector, and Nellie Melville, a half-Atorad tribeswoman. He spent months with the ...

led to the foundation of the charity

. In 1971, as Chairman of Survival (and with Marika), he visited 33 Indian tribes in Brazil at the invitation of the Brazilian government and reported on their condition. In 1977–78 he led the

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

Gunung Mulu Mount Mulu () is a sandstone and shale mountain. At 2376 m, it is the second highest mountain in the state of Sarawak, after Mount Murud. It is located within the boundaries of Gunung Mulu National Park, which is named after it. History I ...

expedition to

Sarawak Sarawak ( , ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. It is the largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is ...

, the Society's largest expedition at that time, taking 115 scientists into the

rainforest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...

for 15 months.

Farming

Since 1960 Hanbury-Tenison has farmed over 2,000 acres of hill farm on

with sheep and cattle, diversified with

Angora goat The Angora or Ankara is a Turkish breed A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the sa ...

red deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...

and

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

from

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

, and later farming energy from wind, solar, water and biomass.

Later career

In 1982 and 1983 he organised

Capital Radio Capital London is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Global Media & Entertainment as part of its national Capital (radio network), Capital Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Bri ...

's Venture Days in

Battersea Park Battersea Park is a 200-acre (83-hectare) green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in London. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, London, Chelsea and was opened in 1858. The park occupies ...

. From 1995 to 1998 he was CEO of the British Field Sports Society, now the

Countryside Alliance The Countryside Alliance (CA) is a British organisation promoting issues relating to the countryside such as farming, rural services, small businesses and field sports, aiming to "Give Rural Britain a voice". History The Countryside Allian ...

. He organised the Countryside Rally, which brought 130,000 people to Hyde Park in July 1997, and the Countryside March when 300,000 marched through London in 1998. In 2015–16 he celebrated his 80th year by undertaking eight challenges, starting with the London Marathon, which raised over £80,000 for

. In 2020 he spent seven weeks in hospital with

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

before returning home to celebrate his 84th birthday.

Awards and achievements

* 1961 RGS

Ness Award The Ness Award is an annual award of the Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the Unite ...

* 1965–95 Commissioner of Income Tax * 1968–82 RGS Council Member, 1982–86 Vice President * 1969–81 Co-founder and Chairman of

* 1971 Winston Churchill Memorial Fellow * 1979

Patron's Medal The Royal Geographical Society's Gold Medal consists of two separate awards: the Founder's Medal 1830 and the Patron's Medal 1838. Together they form the most prestigious of the society's awards. They are given for "the encouragement and promoti ...

* 1980 Winner Krug Award for Excellence * 1981 President of

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...

Appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(OBE) * 1984–2015 President Camel Valley and Bodmin Moor Protection Society * 1988–95 President Cornwall Wildlife Trust * 1998 Farmers Club Cup for outstanding contribution to farming, agriculture and the countryside * 1999 Chairman Friends of Conservation * 1999 International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation Personality of the Year * 2001 RSGS Mungo Park Medal * 2000

Pio Manzù Pio Manzoni (2 March 1939 – 26 May 1969), was an Italian automotive, product, and furniture designer who worked under the name Pio Manzù. One of his best known designs is that of the Fiat 127. Education A son of sculptor Giacomo Manzù and hi ...

Medal (Italy) * 2000 CLA Contribution to the Countryside Award * 2001-5 President Rain Forest Club * 2003 Patron of the Countryside Alliance * 2003–2011 Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Cornwall * 2009 President Cornwall Red Squirrel Project * 2012 Best Large Scale Renewable Energy Scheme in Cornwall Award for Cabilla Manor * 2013 Exhibition of photographs of tribal people and places, National Theatre * 2014 Honorary Consul for Kosovo (Cornwall)

Books

* ''The Rough and the Smooth (1969)'' * ''A Question of Survival for the Indians of Brazil (1973)'' * ''A Pattern of Peoples: A Journey Among the Tribes of Indonesia's Outer Islands (1975)'' * ''Mulu: Rain Forest (1980)'' * ''Aborigines of the Amazon Rain Forest (Peoples of the Wild) (1982)'' * ''Worlds Apart: An Explorer's Life (1984)'' * ''White Horses over France: From the Camargue to Cornwall (1985)'' * ''A Ride Along the Great Wall (1987)'' * ''Fragile Eden: A Ride Through New Zealand (1989)'' * ''Spanish Pilgrimage: A Canter to St. James (1990)'' * ''The Oxford Book of Exploration (1993)'' * ''Mysterious China (1995)'' * ''Chinese Adventure: A Ride Along the Great Wall (2004)'' * ''Worlds Within: Reflections in the Sand (2005)'' * ''The Seventy Great Journeys in History (2006)'' * ''Land of Eagles: Riding Through Europe's Forgotten Country (2009)'' * ''The Great Explorers (2010)'' * ''The Modern Explorers, with Robert Twigger (2013)'' * ''Echoes of a Vanished World: A Traveller's Lifetime in Pictures (2013)'' * ''Beauty Freely Given: A Universal Truth: Artifacts from the Collection of Robin Hanbury-Tenison, with Christopher John Bowden (2013)'' * ''Finding Eden (2017)'' * ''Taming the Four Horsemen (2020)''

For children

* ''Jake's Escape'' (1996) * ''Jake's Treasure'' (1997) * ''Jake's Safari'' (1998)

Films

* ''A Time for Survival''. Westward (1972) * ''Mysteries of the Green Mountain''. BBC (1978)Radio Times synopsis for broadcast on 17 September
/ref> * ''Antiques at Home''. BBC (1984) * ''White Horses over France''. BBC/FR3 (1985) * ''Great Wall of China'' (1987) * ''Odyssey'' series, presenter BBC (1988) * ''Siberian Tigers'' (1994) * ''Collector's Lot'' BBC (1998) * ''The Lost World of Mulu''. C4 (1999) * ''Reflections in the Sand''. Discovery (2000) * ''Testament''. Carlton (2000) * ''Survival To The Brink and Back''. BBC b
Here Now films
(2020)

References

External links

Website

Cabilla Manor Website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanbury-Tenison, Robin 1936 births Living people Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society Fellows of the Linnean Society of London English explorers Cornish people People educated at Eton College Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford 21st-century English farmers Indigenous rights activists Officers of the Order of the British Empire People from Castleblayney