Contents
First of All
It is regretted that the coffers
are so low for this our 21st Birthday Celebration Number. I had hoped to make this yet another double
number but have been hard pressed to even manage at all. SO urgent request for copy is sent to one and
all, or else THERE WILL BE NO ISSUE NEXT MONTH.
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As the only remaining Founder
member of the B.E.C. and in fact the person in whose whim the maggot of
creation first stirred I never dreamed in 1935 that the tiny caving infant
would ever live, let alone grow to the size it is today.
I was very amused to read the
account of our birth as suggested at the last Wessex Dinner The facts are
almost as stated except that the Club as a name and a group was actually in
existence at that time, the offer made was the sinking of our identity in that
of W.C.C. as we did not feel that we had the experience required to run as a
stable club ourselves.
Be that as it may, we did progress
and for the seventeen years that I was Hon. Sec. I saw the Club grow from the
handful of young enthusiasts to over 130 strong with contacts all over the
world. At first we were regarded with
suspicion and a justifiable wariness, which persisted for several years, but
once this obstacle had been surmounted we progresses in leaps and bounds and
have been doing so ever since.
The outbreak of war saw all our
members (except two) called up. Myself
and Cecil Drummond were left. We still
had faith that the club would continue, despite this crippling blow for then in
1940/1 we rounded the corner. First we
met with the Emplex Cave Club on several trips and they decided to sink their
identity with ours, as we had hoped the W.C.C. would have done years before
then Dan Hasell and Roy Wallace joined and added to our technical skill and
knowledge Don Coase, Sett, Pongo, Postle and Dizzie were among those that
came to us.
We started to look for an H.Q. and
my wife found the Old Belfry on a derelict tennis court on Burdown – this was
transported piecemeal to Mendip and erected (on a different site to the present
one). We later moved it to the new site
and as we grew is became totally inadequate for our needs. A new hut, on Rame Head in
and after many months of work became our Belfry today.
During this period the B.B. was
born. A list of helpers is before my
eyes, but it would be unfair to name any without a complete list, but the
thanks of the members today are due, firstly, to those committees and secondly
to the Rank and File of those days, whose unselfish and hard work, plus a lot
of long term planning is mainly responsible for the prestige that the Club
holds today, and so to the amenities provided for members. I would refer you to two brief histories of
the Club that have been published in back numbers of the B.B. for further
details. If sufficient are interested in
this Club history I would willingly report it (and bring it up to date) let
me know if it would be of interest.
Finally I would like to wish the
committee and the Club Good Luck on this their 21st Birthday and may the next
25 years be as successful as the last.
T.H. Stanbury.
21st Year Celebrations
Saturday 19th May.
Social evening
at the GLOBE INN, WELLS from 6pm to 10.30pm. Light refreshments are available
Lost, Stolen or Strayed
The small petrol stove from the
cave rescue equipment has been missing for some time. Has anyone seen it.
Mike Jones waterproof sleeping
bag cover is missing from the Belfry, if it is found wandering please return to
owner!
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Ex Army Prismatic Compasses are
available @ 89/6d plus 1/6d postage from: –
Badges and
Equipment.
435, Strand.
Can Anyone Tell Me Why?
A few more answers to the question
asked in September last BB.
- Vibrams
are boots with a heavy rubber sole rather like a piece of car tyre. They have a cork insulating sole between
the runner and the foot and were originally designed for use in snow. - The
fear of falling experienced by novices, and most advanced climbers, is
greatly reduced by the use of a lifeline. A novice should always climb second to a more experienced climber
and that the rope is a great psychological help. (It is sometimes a
practical lifesaver as well). For a
novice wishing to practice by himself I can only suggest trying a little
rock gymnastics, tackling technically difficult climbs so near the
ground that you can easily step off. - The
climbing standard varies considerably above ground, from easy, practically
advanced hill walking, to super severe. I am sure that a day on the rock will overcome a large part of the
real and imaginary fears ascribed to young persons by the questioner. - I
think that is begging the question, I have yet to find a rock face which
changes violently in nature as a climb is made. If the novice starts on some well
climbed routes, all the loose stones will have been removed and nothing
should come of in is and.
Carrying Cider To
Somerset
From a local paper.
– This weeks arrival here of a small steamship from
carrying a cargo of cider for distribution in
is fast losing its cider-making fame.
The apple growers, generally
farmers, have been long dissatisfied with the price they receive from the cider
makers; orchards have deteriorated because, the growers say, it has not paid
them to prune and spray and to replant. In 1954 and 1955, though neither was a good season, many farmers left
their cider apples on the ground for stock to eat. Even a generous grant from the N.F.U. towards
the cost of grubbing up and replanting does not appear to have encouraged much
new orcharding.
Letter to the Editor.
Sir, I was most astounded on
perusing my Sunday Newspaper to see the above scandalous paragraphs, which seem
to be at variance with a statement in the December issue of your magazine on
this essential industry.
The possible effects of this
French-brewed hooch are almost too hideous to bear contemplation. Does this mean, Sir, that, in the not too
distant future, we shall quaff our cider by the litre and perhaps eating escargots
cooked in cider? I and quite sure that
none of your readers would like to see the terraces of the New Inn despoiled by
tables with brightly coloured sun-shades and perhaps Weegie Jezebels basking in
sun-suits, and could those of us who travel from furrin parts master the
intricacies of the French spoken by mine host M. Sylvestre? The eminent composer, Mr. S.J. Collins, would
undoubtedly cause an international incident by composing a speleode based upon
the Marseillaise, this could result in the necessity of producing a visa to
enter the fair and beautiful county of Somerset; Sir, the whole idea must be
stopped before irreparable damage is done.
Surely, Sir, a campaign could be
started by your worthy magazine amongst the members of your organisation on
behalf of the cider-apple growers before these awful possibilities amongst
others, are realised.
I suggest that all-out efforts be
made, this coming season, to increase the consumption of this nectar of the
gods, where it is guaranteed to be home-produced; Honking Jackets, as designed by a well
known member of your club, might be issued as an essential part pf the
equipment of the well dressed caver, for social evenings in the hostelries
throughout the length and breadth of Mendip as a further incentive to greater
efforts lambs wool white for those of limited capacity and sage-khaki for
those of infinite capacity.
I am, Sir,
Yours faithfully,
A. Firkin.
(Col. Rtd.)
The Song of The CC.P.S.
Submitted
by Dickie Ray
(Tune- The Bold Gendarmes)
Were Cavern
keepers disingenuous,
Of Stalactites we take good care,
We never do anything strenuous,
When danger lurks were never there.
But if we see a moderate pothole,
Not too far, and not severe.
We rope it in, we rope it in,
We rope it in, we rope it in,
To show the C.P.S. are here.
Some term our duties extra rural,
And little troglodytes we chase,
And when we see formations mural,
We stretch red tape all around the place,
And if we see a natural fountain,
Thats set in nature holy sphere,
We rope it in, we rope it in,
We rope it in, we rope it in,
To show the C.P.S. are here.
To lock all caverns is our motto,
And save the goodly caves from sin,
But just as we are finished,
Some blighter digs another way in,
But with our rope and tape and placards,
Well battle onwards, never fear,
We rope it in, we rope it in,
We rope it in, we rope it in,
To show the C.P.S. are here.
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T.H. Stanbury, Hon. Editor BB,
R.J. Bagshaw, Hon. Sec. 56 Ponsford
Road, Knowle,
4.