BELFRY BULLETIN _______________________________ __________________ ___ No.1. Vol. 1
BRISTOL EXPLORATION CLUB
Jan 1947
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING This was held at 74 Redcatch Rd. on Sat. the 14th Dec. 1946 at 7.30pm. D.H. Hasell was elected chairman of the meeting, and then the Hon Treasurer read the report and Accounts for 1946. Major points were as follows: SECRETARY’S REPORT. 1946 The club has run 65 official trips this year, on which there was an attendance of 520, 275 members and 145 visitors. Club membership now stands at 81, the highest ever. Of this number, 18 are in the Forces and 33 are new members. We are supporting the formation of the Cave Association of Wales, and hope to become a member club. Our affiliation to the British Speleological Association has not been renewed, as in the opinion of the committee, the objects of the Association have been lost, and the money is better spent improving the amenities of the BEC. Members have been present at nearly every Local operation of the Cave Diving Group, and the Club is now to take part in the work of The Mendip Rescue Association. Details of this scheme will be circulated later. The Club has now purchased a large hut for Mendip Headquarters. The library, thanks to the kindness of members has been considerably re-used. (signed) T.H. Stanbury Hon. Sec. ------------------FINANCIAL REPORT Income Cash in hand Jan 1st. £10.2.0½d. Income to Dec 14th £13.6.8½d Total £43.6.9d.
Expenditure General expenditure to Dec 14th £0.9.0. Hut Expenditure to Dec 14th £0.13.0d.d Total £1.2.0d.
The Club, however, still owes Mrs. I.M. Stanbury £8/0/0 for part purchase of the Hut. A further £1/0/0 has been received since the accounts have been made up. The expenditure has all come at the end of the year when funds are low, but the opportunity of purchasing the Hut was too good to miss, with the result that the cash balance is at present, negligible. There has been a lot of slackness in leaders failing to collect the tackle fee, accounting for the loss of several pounds, and I look to leaders to remedy this in future. (signed) T.H. Stanbury Hon. Treasurer
The next business was the election of the committee. T.H. Stanbury was unanimously re-elected Hon. Sec. and Treasurer. Nominations for the other four places and the votes for each were as follows: D.H. Hasell. D.A .Coase. A. Withers. P. Stewart.
15 votes. 15 votes. 5 votes 11 votes.
E. Jenkins. A. Innes. G. Lucy
4 votes. 9 votes. 8 votes.
The committee for 1947 will, therefore, be: T.H. Stanbury, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer. D.H. Hasell. P. Stewart. D.A. Coase A. Innes Amendments to constitution and rules were then discussed, and a revised copy will be sent to each member as soon as they are printed. Major points raised and passed were: I.
There is to be four classes of membership a) Life Member b) Full Members c) Junior Members. (those under 18 years of age) d) Associate Members e) Subscriptions for b) 10/- per anum, c) and d) 5/- per anum.
II. The equipment fee to be reduced to 3d. per trip. It was also agree that the new rules shall stand without alteration for the next three years, unless a two thirds majority of members request any alterations or amendment. D.A. Coase was appointed Hut Warden and Hon. Equipment Officer, and a charge of 3d. per person using the hut, and for those staying overnight, a 1/- per, member per night, or 2/- per visitor per night was agreed to. Members of other cave clubs would be welcome at the Hut (hereafter known as ‘The Belfry’) with the proviso that BEC members have priority for accommodation. Mrs. I.M. Stanbury, in recognition of her services to the club, was unanimously elected Honorary Life Member. Donations towards the cost of the ‘Belfry’ would be welcome, and £2.2.6d. has been received to date. The meeting officially closed at 9.45pm. Then a concerted rush was made for the ‘buffet’ which was presided over by Mrs. I.M. Stanbury, ably assisted by Mrs. J. Fountain and Mrs. S. Hasell, and soon every one was stuffing mightily. The ‘proceeds’ from the buffet resulted in a further 5/- for the Club funds. Our thanks to ‘The Caterers’. -----------------SIDELINES FROM THE AGM Johnnie Payne handing round a FULL packet of Players. Four fags were returned. The Biter Bit!!! The committee having ‘detailed’ his duties, the Hut Warden immediately attempted to resign, but was forcibly prevented from doing so.!!!
THE BELFRY Is situated at The Beeches, Eastwater, which is at the entrance to the old St. Cuthbert’s Lead Mine, about half a mile from the Hunter’s Lodge Inn, on the right hand side of the road to Priddy. The accommodation comprises a wooden hut in three sections, each about 12’ x 8’, and a small stone hut has a tackle store. A great deal of work has to be done to make it really habitable, and anyone who can help during weekends would be more than welcome. Please note the fire is in going order to thaw out the frozen digits. Contributions of cutlery, crockery, cooking gear, blankets, etc., will be gladly accepted. ---------------Overheard in GB Experienced caver – ‘Mad things, these Helictites, aren’t they?’ Novice -- ‘Wouldn’t you be if you had been down there as long as they have?’. -----------------PROGRAMME FOR JAUNARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH Jan 19th. Feb. 16th. March 9th.
Full Eastwater. Meet at the Belfry, 10am. Axbridge Ochre Mine, Loxton Cave, Denny’s Hole. Lamb Leer.
All other weekends will be devoted to work on ‘The Belfry’ ALL HANDS ON DECK The ‘Belfry Bulletin’ will be published at irregular intervals for the present. Any suggestions or criticism for improving it, or contributions for inclusion will be welcome. Come on you budding authors!! Please send replies to: - The Hon. Editor, ‘Belfry Bulletin’, c/o 74 Redcatch Road, Knowle Bristol. 4. APPRECIATION The Bristol Exploration Club wish to thank G. Platten for the gift of a primus stove and A.M. Innes for the gift of a long climbing rope. ROUND AND ABOUT BRISTOL For club members who are not able to get as far away from Bristol as Priddy and Burrington, there are some interesting points nearby. There are some gruff-holes terminating in small chambers near Henbury Golf Course and Blaise Castle Estate. There is an underground passage leading from the garages on Horfield Common to the (now demolished) Quantocks School on Kellaway Avenue, the garage end is now cemented over, but the other end opens into the school basement. There is a small cave entrance in the middle quarry on the west side of Avon Gorge which continues for about 15ft and ends in a choke. A nice set of slabs presents a decent rock climb in the same quarry. Also between Quarry II and Quarry III is a good ridge walk – in one place about 4 feet wide with approximately 200’ drops on both sides! On Dundry Common the strata of the rock is horizontal and there is an interesting system of small caves. In places they have been shored up either with props or stone walls. There are 4 at least of varying sizes and probably quite a few more. If anything is known regarding theses caves – information would be gratefully received. On a recent visit the names of R. Crew BEC and O. Oxley and B. Warren YLC were noticed. Nearby situated near Barrow Hill is Dial Quarry with an interesting cave running approximately west to east with about 120ft. of passages.
INFORMATION PLEASE Would anyone knowing anything regarding a cave situated in Burlescombe Quarry (Burlescombe, Devon) please write to P.A.E .Stewart c/o H. Stanbury, 74 Redcatch Road, Knowle, Bristol. 4. A party from Blundells School, Tiverton made a partial exploration but were brought up by a vertical drop of a depth exceeding the length of rope carried by the exploration. WATCH FOR THE NEXT ISUE OF BELFRY BULLETIN WITH THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE MENDIPS