Proceedings Of The Club

The Seventh Annual Club Meet was held at Horton in Ribblesdale on September 30th and October 1st, and was in every way a success, despite the heavy rainfall of preceding days which interfered with the plans of some of the members.

It had been hoped that a descent of Alum Pot would have been accomplished, but the swollen becks and bank-full river, and the flooded low-lying meadows of the valley, augured badly for its achievement. Preparations had been made, the necessary tackle sent to Horton, and some of the men went up by the morning train.

Arrived at Horton they were obliged to consider the situation, and wisely resolved to abandon the idea of attempting Alum Pot. A change of plan was accordingly necessary, and it was decided to send a cart with some of the tackle to Sell Gill Hole. This pot-hole was first descended on September 19th, 1897, by five members of the Club – Messrs. Slingsby, E. Calvert, Ellet, Gray, and Lund.^[1]

Saturday afternoon was spent in visiting Sell Gill Hole, Hull Pot, Hunt Pot, and Pen-y-ghent. Hull Pot looked its best with the brown and white spate water leaping into it in a beautiful waterfall. At Hunt Pot the party divided, some going on to Pen-y-ghent, the others returning to Sell Gill Hole to prepare for its descent on the morrow.

The following morning was bright and clear, and a comparatively early start was made. The party again divided. The temptation to remain above ground certainly was very strong, and some of the pot-holers gazed rather wistfully after the men who, at the parting of the ways, left them for Ingleborough, Whernside, and other pleasant things.

Sell Gill Hole is probably the finest local sight of its kind, and is reasonably dry and accessible. Its waterfall considerately falls clear of an explorer’s track, and with equal thoughtfulness the descent is divided into three pitches whose heights are not excessive, and at the top of which there are rock platforms of sufficient size to admit of comfortable working. The cavern itself is a very noble one, and the view when one reaches the floor is exceedingly fine. Next to Gaping Ghyll Cavern it is the largest that has been discovered in Yorkshire. It is scarcely necessary to say more to prove the charms of Sell Gill Hole. For the pot-holer it is a most delightful place, and it proved singularly suitable for a Club Meet, which should first be pleasant and then serious. Amusing incidents and pot-holing are inseparable. The average man’s old clothes and his methods of climbing rope-ladders are unfailing sources of joy, and as no one can escape the ordeal so there is no soreness, for everyone is in turn amused and amusing.

By two o’clock the party and the tackle were all on the top again, and with proverbial perversity the weather broke, and a violent storm of wind and rain wetted everyone more or less completely. The hill party had, however, the worst of it, and although they managed to get over Ingleborough and Whernside, they missed some of the other pleasant things, and had a long, wet walk home.

The meet was attended by the President and 13 members: Messrs. J. C. Atkinson, A. Barran,  J. N. Barran, T. S. Booth, S. W. Cuttriss, J. A. Green. T. Gray, S. Kitson, Lewis Moore, W. Parsons, H. Priestman, A. Riley, and C. Scriven.

It is hardly necessary to say anything of the festivities. There was a particularly good dinner, and the usual amount of fun over it. The landlord of the Golden Lion and his wife were exceedingly kind and attentive; altogether the meet was one of the most pleasant and successful the Club has so far held.

L.M.

The Annual General Meeting
was held on Monday, October 17th, 1899, Rev. L. S. Calvert in the chair. The Committee’s Report, from which the following are extracts, was presented and adopted.

The Committee have pleasure in presenting their seventh annual report. The Club now consists of nine honorary and fifty-two ordinary members. During the year eleven general and nine committee meetings have been held. Ten Lectures have been given. The following list will show them to have comprehended with some considerable degree of fulness the objects of the Club:-

November 8th.- “Exploration in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.” Professor J. Norman Collie, F.R.S.
November 22nd  – “The Mountains of Lofoten.” Howard Priestman.
December 13th – “First Experiences in Switzerland.” F. H. Mayo.
January 10th  – “In Wordsworth’s Country: The Poet interpreted by the Photographer.” Percy Lund.
January 24th – “Gibraltar.” E. Kitson Clark, M.A., F.S.A.
February 14th – “Arolla and the Dents des Bouquetins.” Rev. L. S. Calvert, M.A.
February 28th – “A Visit to Palestine.” S. J. Chadwick.
March 14th – “Mountain Exploration in Arctic Norway.” W. Cecil Slingsby, F.R.G.S., President.
March 28th – “Yorkshire Place Names.” Mr. Butler Wood.
April 11th – “Some interesting facts about Wild Flowers, with specimens of Yorkshire Flora.” Mr. W. Falconer.

The Committee are pleased to be able to report that the Treasurer’s accounts show a larger balance to the Club’s credit than usual.

The most important event of the Club year has, without doubt, been the appearance of the Club journal. Its preparation was a work of considerable magnitude. The Committee feel compelled to place on record their appreciation of the able way in which Mr. Gray, the Honorary Editor of the Club Journal, has performed his duties. A cordial reception has been extended to the journal by other similar publications and the Press generally. Copies of the various reviews and Press notices may be seen by the members.

The Committee have again to acknowledge the generosity of members who have added books and maps to the Clubs library, and especially to Mr. A. Barran, for a considerable number of guide books.

The following is a list of the officers elected for the ensuing year:- President, Wm. Cecil Slingsby; Vice-Presidents, J. C. Atkinson and Alfred Barran; Hon. Treasurer, J. Davis; Hon. Secretary, Lewis Moore; Assistant Hon. Secretary, F. Constantine; members of Committee, J. N. Barran, E. Calvert, L. S. Calvert, A. E. Kirk, Percy Lund, F. H. Mayo, and A. Riley; Hon. Editor of the Club Journal, Thomas Gray.

An addition has been made to Rule III., which now reads:-

“The Management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, an Honorary Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, and seven other members, who shall retire annually but be eligible for re-election. The Editor of the Club Journal to be an ex-officio member of the Committee. Five to form a quorum.”

Lectures
. – The Editor does not propose to publish all the Lectures which are read before the Club during the winter months, but he wishes to call the attention of members to their excellence and varied interest. A distinguishing feature of our proceedings, they have been a direct inducement to men to become members, and they well deserve the Club’s most hearty support. The following Lectures have been given during the past autumn:-

October 18th.- At the Philosophical Hall. “The Growth of Mountaineering.” By Mr. Horace Walker. [See p.91]
October 31st.- At the Club Room. “The Ancient Glaciers of Yorkshire.” By Mr. Percy F. Kendall.
November 27th – At the Alexandra Hall. “Climbing and Exploration in the Bolivian Andes.” By Sir Martin Conway.

Others have been promised for the winter.

January 14th – “A Tour in the Graian Alps.” By J. J. Brigg.
January 30th – “Cortina and the Ampezzo Valley.” By S. D. Kitson.
February 13th – “Southern Greece and the Cyclades.” By J. N. Barran.
February 27th -“Vesuvius” By Dr. Tempest Anderson.
March 13th – “Inland Norway.” By Howard Priestman.

New Members.

The following have been elected since our last issue:

Honorary Member

Mr. Horace Walker, Past President of the Alpine Club.

Ordinary Members

Abraham, A. P.
, Lake Road, Keswick.
Abraham, G. D.
, Lake Road, Keswick.
Arthur, A. D.
, The Parsonage, Bamford, Rochdale.
Denny, F. W.
, 9, Ashwood Villas, Headingley, Leeds.
Griffith
, Dr. T. W., 43, Park Square, Leeds.
Hastings, Cuthbert
, 15, Oak Lane. Bradford.
Nicol, J. M.
, 5, Norwood Road, Headingley, Leeds.
Puttrell, J. W.
2, Hanover Square, Sheffield.
Vint
, Rev. J. S., Cliff Road, Leeds.

By the election of J. C. Atkinson both of our present Vice-Presidents are now members of the Alpine Club.

Two members have resigned during the past year.

The Club Abroad

In August the President, with a party, again visited Norway and made some expeditions in the Justedalsbræ district. In Mr. Slingsby’s article “Mountaineering in Norway in 1899” [see p. 107] will be found an account of the new work the party accomplished. Our President is probably better acquainted with this snow-clad region than any other English mountaineer, and he tells us there are many parts of it still unexplored.

Dr. Tempest Anderson, with Mr. Yeld, made what he describes as a “Geologico-photographic” tour in Switzerland. He has promised to write a short account of it for the Journal.

J. J. and W. A. Brigg, with Mr. Alfred Holmes, went to the Graians in July. Starting from Turin the party crossed the Collarin d’Arnas to Bessans and Bonneval, then over the Eastern Levanna and by the Colle Perduto to Ceresole Reale and by the Col du Grand Etret to the Victor Emmanuel Club Hut on the west side of the Grand Paradis. From this base they climbed the Becca di Noaschetta, the Grand Paradis, and the Tête de la Tribulation. The latter was taken from the gap between it and the Becca di Noaschetta, and the descent made by the S.W. ridge to the Col de la Lune, both routes being new. The party divided at Aosta. J. J. Brigg returned by the Great St. Bernard and Martigny to Lausanne, and W. A. Brigg by the Col de Joux to Fiéry and then over to Zermatt by the St. Théodule Pass.

W. Parsons and A. Riley, with Mr. R. Horner, spent some time in Switzerland in the end of July and the beginning of August. From Zinal they climbed Lo Besso and the Rothhorn, and crossed the Trift Joch to Zermatt. Although the Matterhorn was in bad condition the party succeeded in making the ascent in fine weather, and were rewarded by a glorious view. Riley then was obliged to return home, but Parsons and Mr. Horner were fortunate enough to make the Weisshorn from Randa on another beautiful day. Clemenz Zurbriggen, their leading guide, was then released to go to Arolla, where he joined Mr. O. G. Jones, with the most sorrowful result, for he was killed in the deplorable accident on the Dent Blanche on August 28th.

The Rev. L. S. Calvert and Sidney D. Kitson both spent their holidays in the Dolomites.

In the spring J. N. Barran had an exceedingly interesting tour in Greece, and in the summer G. T. Lowe traversed some of the Lakes of Finland and visited S. Petersburg.

The Club At Home

During the year a number of the Club’s members went to some of our climbing centres in North Wales and Lakeland.

At Easter, G. T. Lowe and Lewis Moore made an excursion to Ireland and climbed the principal peaks of the Mourne Mountains. We expect the latter will give us an article descriptive of this charming district.

In the autumn, J. C. Atkinson went to Skye and had some good climbing among the Coolins, in fine weather. He spent most of his time on the peaks of Mhadaidh and the Bideins; on Sgurr Dearg – making the traverse of the Pinnacle ; and Sgurr-nan-Gillean, which he went up three times – first, by the Pinnacle Route and down by the Professor’s Chimney; second, by the route between the fourth pinnacle and the summit, then on to Bhasteir and down to Lota Corrie; and third, by the face direct from Lota Corrie – a route believed by John Mackenzie to be new.

We acknowledge with pleasure the cordial invitation extended by the Scottish Mountaineering Club to Yorkshire Ramblers, and hope another year to be able to record a greater number of visits to Scotland.

The Editor again reminds members of the hope expressed in the first number of the Journal, that they would furnish him with interesting details of their expeditions and holidays. He is sure a great deal might have been added to the foregoing brief notes, and the mutual interest in the individual doings of our members thereby greatly increased.

Cave Exploration

The following new expeditions have been made : –

On Ingleborough. –

Boggarts’ Roaring Hole
. Depth, about 160 feet. May 7th. Wm. C. Slingsby, E. Calvert, T. Gray, and Percy Lund.

On Leck Fells. –

Rumbling Hole
. Depth, 160 feet. May 21st. S. W. Cuttriss, W. Parsons, J. W. Swithinbank, and H. Woodhouse.
Cow Pot
. Depth, about 100 feet. May 22nd. S. W. Cuttriss, G. T. Lowe, W. Parsons, and J. W. Swithinbank.
Bull Pot
. Depth, about 210 feet. May 22nd. S. W. Cuttriss, W. Parsons, and J. W. Swithinbank.