- 113 Volume 23
No. 259
BELFRY DESTROYED BY FIRE Members living in the Bristol area will already know the terrible mews when it appeared in the Evening Post. The ‘Belfry’ was destroyed by fire late on Monday 15th September 1969. The loss of the Belfry will mean much to most members of the B.E.C; now it can only be kept alive in the memories of members who spent many enjoyable hours there. That black, twisted ‘old shed’ just off the road to Priddy was on of the homeliest caving hunts in the country; it was warm (in both senses of the word); comfortable; the ‘homing’ point for cavers past and present and above all it was the ‘centre of the universe’! Now it has gone what now? Your Committee are well ahead with their plans and the reports and announcements that appear else where in this issue of the B.B. will outline to members what is taking place. A second Committee Meeting will be held in the very near future when definite plans will be drawn up to present members with a clear picture at the Annual General Meeting on the 4th October 1969. What is emerging is far from black and it is hoped that members will respond to help put the emergency plans into operation as quickly as possible. -------------To get the news and latest information out to members as fast as possible the October B.B. (already printing) has been completely re-hashed and I hope that members will bear with your Editor with rather a hotch-potch arrangement of material. Apologies are given to contributors, many of them harassed by the Editor to get them in on time, for holding back their material until the November or December B.B. ------------PRECIS OF SPECIAL MEETING A special meeting of the Club Committee, with some additional members was held in Bristol two days after the fire. This enabled the meeting to hear the first reactions from the insurers, and to see the letter which ‘Alfie’ wrote to the government grant body asking for immediate priority. The meeting took some immediate decisions to press ahead rapidly with the insurance claim; to obtain a definite reply from the granting authority and to go ahead with emergency plans for the Belfry site. A further meeting has been scheduled one week from the first meeting, and at this meeting, those present will be in a position to formulate definite plans to put before the Annual General Meeting. The immediate response by members attending the meeting – giving it priority over all their other engagements – and the speed and orderly fashion with which the business was conducted speaks well for the future. As many members as possible are urged to attend the A.G.M. where they will hear the up-to-date position and have the approved scheme put to them for their approval. Members present: Messrs Bagshaw, Irwin, Thomas, Riley, Townsend, Petty, Stafford, Collins, Orr and Sybil Bowden Lyle. ---------WHAT HAPPENED? The fire was discovered by members staying at the Belfry; they had intended to stay until Wednesday. At eight o’clock they banked the fire up and went to Wells for a meal. At eleven o’clock, when they returned, they found the Belfry on fire. As the all windows and doors were closed the building was probably in smouldering state and would remain so until the windows broke due to the heat. The lads opened the door and saw a blaze in front of the fire place. Filling a dustbin full of water from the ‘Drinking Pool’ they threw it onto the Belfry floor but to no avail. The smoke and heat was too great for them to do anything but call the Fire Service. Apart from the three lads, the Searle’s and ‘Jok’ Orr were soon on the spot. By the time they had arrived the Belfry was burning well – although the fire was still contained within the building. The first problem that faced the firemen was – ‘where were the gas cylinders? Luckily Dave Searle soon supplied the answer.