Belfry Bulletin Number 224

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Number 224 October 1966 The Belfry Bulletin – Volume Twenty – Number Ten Change of Hon. Sec. As all members will know, Bob Bagshaw has retired after 15 years as Hon. Sec. of the B.E.C. When he moved some time ago from 56 Ponsfords Road, Knowle to 699 Wells Road, Knowle, it took some of us quite a time before we had really memorised the new address. Now we have another one which we must memorise.

Most of us have occasion to get in touch with the Hon. Sec. at least once a year and so, whilst introducing our new Hon. Sec. to you via the B.B., we are printing his address in bold type to help you (like myself) who always have difficulty in getting a new address right….

R.D. STENNER; 38 Paultrow Rd. Victoria Park, BRISTOL 3 The Editor is sure that you will join him in welcoming Roger to this unenviable job, and will give him as much help as you can. Best of luck, Roger!

Long Term Planning.

Those of you who were not at the A.G.M. will be interested to hear that a six man committee has been set up to prepare plans for a permanent Belfry. The club has not yet decided to go ahead, but the committee has been given the job of preparing plans in case it does. If YOU have any views on this matter, please get in touch with any member of the planning committee. The address of all members of it will be printed as soon as the Editor has them. Meanwhile, those of which he knows are…S.J. Collins, c/o “Homeleigh”, Bishop Sutton, Somerset. P. Ifold, “Sunnyside”, Rectory Lane, Compton Martin, Somerset. A. Thomas, Westhaven School, Uphill, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset,. R.S. King, 22 Parkfield Rank, Pucklechurch, Nr. Bristol….

And questionnaires form last month’s B.B. may still be sent to Bob Bagshaw, 699 Wells Road, Knowle, Bristol 4 or to Roger.

Annual General Meeting.

In view of the length of the notes taken from the recent A.G.M., it has been decided to print them in full in the B.B. for Christmas, rather than overload a normal size one in the meantime. The Christmas B.B. will also contain a complete list of club officers for the year. Meanwhile some of these are to be found below…

Hon. Secretary Hon. Treasurer Caving Secretary Climbing secretary Tacklemaster Hut Warden Assistant hut Warden Belfry Engineer Hon. Librarian

R.D. STENNER R.J. BAGSHAW R. BENNETT E. WELCH N. PETTY G. TILLY D. SEARLE G. DELL JOAN BENNETT

The Committee have co-opted G. Dell to act as Belfry Engineer.

M.R.O.

The M.R.O. are holding an open meeting at Priddy Village Hall on Sunday, 13th November at 2.30pm.

All cavers are welcome.

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B.B. 224/2 October 1966.

Financial Statement for the Year to 31st August, 1966.

Annual Subscriptions Redcliffe Hall: Interest: Ties and Car badges Goods for Resale: Annual Dinner:

£137- 6- 9 Levy Less Hire National Development Bonds Post Office Savings Bank

£21-14-1 £ 9-15-0 £ 6-18-8 £ 2- 1-7

Sales Less Purchases Receipts Less Cost

£25-17-10 £ 9-18-10 £98- 3- 6 £93- 0- 0

DEFICIT FOR YEAR

Belfry Expenditure Postages and Stationary Belfry Bulletin:

£ 11-19-1 £ 10- 0-3 £ 4 - 9-0 £ 15-19-0 £ 5- 3- 6 £ 2- 9- 6 £187- 7- 1 £ 53-11- 6 £ 2-16- 1

Covers, paper, etc.

Postage

Library Purchases Public Liability Insurance Tackle Insurance (two years) Charterhouse Caving Committee British Mountaineering Council (2 years) Langdale Mountain Rescue Team Tackle First Aid Kit Sundries

£31-12-11 £25-17-11

£ 57-11-10 £ 4- 3- 0 £ 13- 6- 2 £ 6- 0- 0 £ 4- 0- 0 £ 4- 0- 0 £ 1- 0- 0 £ 35-16- 6 £ 2-13- 0 £ 2- 9- 0 £187- 7- 1

Total Club monies at 31.8.65 Less Deficit as above

£235- 5- 4 £ 2- 9- 6 £232-15-10

Post office Savings Bank Account Less cash Overdraft

£277- 7- 6 £ 44-11- 8 £232-15-10

If you are one of those who have read this notice and say “So what?” or words to that effect, we should like to point out that those few members who went to recent B.S.A. conference (and some of them went at first just out of a sense of duty) finished up by becoming very enthusiastic about it. Nearly all agreed that it had given them new slants on caving and that those who didn’t go missed a very good thing. We are sure that the same applies to this M.R.O. meeting, and urge all who can to attend. _______________________________________________________________________________________ A write up on the B.S.A. Conference follows……

BRITISH SPELEOLOGICAL AS SOCIATION1966 CONFERENCE ….. Eddy Welch

On September 10th – 12th, the Student’s Union Building of the University of Bristol was the scene of the annual conference of the British Speleological Association. Subjects discussed were as diverse as recent the B.B. 224/3 October 1966 Page 45 discoveries in Dan-Yr-Ogof and early visitors to Mendip. Educational lectures included micro-organisms in relation to food and energy sources in caves and the water table concept in limestone. Foreign parts were ‘visited’ with news from Australia and demonstrations on how to be got out of wet, tight spots were given in the conference swimming baths.

The conference opener, Sir John Wedgwood, stressed the fact that caving has become respectable and that we are no longer looked at as juvenile delinquents. The extent of the growth of caving as a science and a sport is shown by the news that the Duke of Edinburgh is to be patron of the 19767 all-British expedition to the Gouffre Berger, led by D. K. Paerce.

High spots remembered included the “Burial at sea” appearance of the voluntary sump rescue victim – and the consternation of one lowered carefully into the water with the ‘open to atmosphere’ valve open! And the reluctance of northern cavers to pay anything towards a cave, as they fear this will be the thin edge of a wedge towards higher costs of caving.

Editor’s Note: As well as the M.R.O. meeting, we would commend to club members the special exhibition at present running at the Bristol Museum on the B.E.C. This exhibition closes on the 29th of this month, and includes pictures of the new parts of Dan-Yr-Ogof taken by Alan Coase. These pictures will be found in the Geology Gallery. Why not make a trip to the museum and see what a fine club you belong to? _______________________________________________________________________________________

LETTERS Firstly, from our ex-Hon. Sec….

699 Wells Road Bristol 4.

Dear Members, Now that we have recovered somewhat from the wonderful presentations made to us at the Annual dinner, my wife and I would like to express in more coherent form our sincere appreciation. The silver tankard will always be an appropriate and treasured reminder of my association with the club, and my wife will take great pleasure in wearing the beautiful silver broach.

We both thank you all very much indeed Yours sincerely, Coral and Bob Bagshaw.

Our second letter is from that venerable (I think that’s the right word) gentlemen who seems to be taking over where ‘Stalagmite’ left off….

To the Editor, Belfry Bulletin.

Dear Sir, I should like to pass comment on the A.G.M. that I recently attended.

First, let me say that it would have been very much better if more members had made the effort to be punctual so that the meeting could start on time. I remember what happened last time so I waited for quarter of an hour before going round to the hall myself, and even then found that we had to wait for the quorum.

Secondly, I think that sobriety should be a minimum qualification for attendance; one member was quite clearly present in spirit only.

I was sorry I was not nominated for the Long Term Planning Committee, especially as people seemed to be nominated who were quite unknown to the rest of us (who is Pat Ifold?). I would suggest that this committee consider whether we need to have any sleeping accommodation at all. Everyone has a car and most of the people who go caving come out for the day anyway. What we want in the Belfry are some first

class changing and washing facilities and a club room where members can meet and talk. The Belfry in its present form serves only to encourage festering.

Yours Faithfully St. Cuthbert’s Page 46 B.B. 224/4 October 1966.

Well, there you are. Perhaps you agree with him. If so, or if why not write in and tell us?

STEEPHOLM - with the Other Club …….by Bob White A tranquil sea under a pleasant sun was the setting as 19 of us cavers made the trip from Weston in a small boat, to land on the pebble beach lying under the crumbling concrete defences now with corroded shutters and rust stained, cracked wall. The overgrown zigzag path rising steeply through the trees, reaching up to the hand-hewn sturdy barracks at the cliff top, seemed endless as we toiled upwards in the thundery atmosphere, weighed down by provisions and camp beds etc. Shocking two old dears who were paddling on the slipway by Weston with their dresses nearly at knee-height, we had carried aboard two crates of ‘life preserver’ and now, as we struggled up the old narrow gauge railway which clings to the route of the path and had been built many years ago to carry shells and supplies to the fort, we looked forward to a handsome cup of tea at the barracks.

Standing at the very top of the sheer cliffs in the still of twilight, buffeted gently by the scented breeze – only the mournful cry of gulls marred the peace of this sanctuary (until we arrived, anyway) although when the fisherman’s cottages were used (before pollution spoilt the catch of sprats and cod off the island) and soldiers manned the many guns, the pub (which is now in complete ruins) must have seen many a jolly night similar to the Hunters. Looking across the blue seascape, dashed here and there by white horses caught by the beams of a dying sun, there was a simple feeling of peace which made a lovely change from the more usual violent Mendip Saturday evening existence.

Late into the night we sat on the roughly made plank benches around a hot spitting wood fire in the ancient blackened chimney breast of the barracks, enjoying the warmth of the fire and beer with everyone turning in at about one o’clock.

After a late breakfast most of us, with the exception of Pam Davies (who woke to find herself complete with bed and shortie nightie on the cliff top) made our way to the shore for the ‘serious’ side of the expedition. Unfortunately, for some time the waves crashed relentlessly against the base of the cliff and stop us from reaching these vast caverns, but eventually we decided that the tide was indeed going out and proceeded to First cave and thence to Hall cave. Our gear consisted mainly of trunks, plimsolls and torches and one point worth noting is that salty water soon makes the scratched caver resolve to wear a boiler suit next time. The caves are on the South to South East side of the island and have been mainly seaworn.

Everyone had an enjoyable time scrambling in and out of the various holes, and a round trip was possible for smaller people between First Cave and an opening further along the cliff. Tony Philpott was first through this connecting passage which has a fair little stal. rift.

The technical side of our activities over, everyone split up (must have been rather messy – Ed) and enjoyed themselves in various parts of the fair island. Some of us went swimming, although poor Pam once more found herself in trouble since she seemed to enjoy swimming around fully clothed! One of the other habitations of the island was a priory, which was built in the XIIIth Century, consisting of only one cell.

This old chap was unfortunately convicted of Grand Larceny and hanged.

The wild life consists mainly of various types of seagull which appear quite tame. Several rabbits were also spotted as was a slow worm. The gulls fly to Weston on day trips and return with food to eat in peace.

The island is believed to be in the parish of St. Stephen’s – the church near the centre in Bristol – but this is not definitely known to be true.

Trips can be arranged with the consent of the Trust, who send along a representative with each party.

This trip was very well organised and perhaps it would be a good idea to revive the B.E.C. trips to the island, which do not seem to have taken place for some years, providing as it does, an agreeable and worthwhile substitute for Mendip.