Club Proceedings

Annual Report, 1911-12.- The Committee have pleasure in presenting their twentieth Annual Report.

The Club now consists of 10 honorary and 113 ordinary members. During the year seven general and seven committee meetings have been held.

At the Annual General Meeting held November 18th, 1911, the following members were elected to hold office during the year:- President: Lewis Moore; Vice-Presidents: A. Rule And J. H. Buckley; Hon. Treasurer: A. E. Horn; Hon. Secretary: F. Constant1ne; Hon. Assistant Secretary: J. A. Green ; Hon. Librarian: J. H. Buckley ; Hon. Editor: W. A. Brigg.

Committee: F. H. Barstow, T. S. Booth, L. S. Chappell, H. E. J. Dalton, C. Hastings, Rev. C. C. Marshall, M.A., H. Williamson.

During the year six lectures have been given as follows:-

1911 –	Dec. 12.	“Among the Plants of the Eastern Alps.” Reginald Farrer, F.R.H.S.
	” 19.	“Personal Incidents.” Dr. W. Inglis Clark.
1912 –	Jan. 23.	“Guides in Warfare in the Home Country.” E. Kitson Clark, M.A.
	Feb. 13.	“Rambles Round about Ullswater.” Claude E. Benson.
	” 27.	“Recent Work at Gaping Ghyll.” Alex. Rule, M.Sc.
		Show of Lantern Slides. Erik Addyman.
	Mar. 12.	“Some Reminiscences of the Alps.” J. M. Davidson.

Dr. Inglis Clark, the Honorary Secretary of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, accepted the invitation of the Committee to lecture before the Club and show some of his splendid photographs in natural colours. The lecture was given, by the courtesy of the authorities, in the Electricity Hall of the Leeds University, on 19th December, 1911. Dr. Inglis Clark, who described his lecture as “Personal Incidents,” delighted the audience with his eloquent and racy account of his climbing experiences in various countries. Dr. Clark, who is one of the most successful colour photographers, showed a series of superb slides, and it is difficult to say whether his striking pictures of the Dolomites or his charming views of Scottish Lakes and Mountains were the more beautiful, but his audience were charmed by them all.

It has not been the custom of the Committee to refer in the Report to lectures given by members of the Club, but they wish to record their appreciation of the excellence and interest of the whole of this year’s syllabus.

The Committee wish to acknowledge gifts of books, journals, &c., to the Club library, and again invite members to make further additions to it.

Representatives of the Club were invited to attend the annual dinners of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, Climbers’ Club, Rucksack Club, Fell and Rock Climbing Club and the Ski Club of Great Britain.

The tenth annual Club dinner was held at the Hotel Metropole, Leeds, on 18th November, 1911. The President, Mr. Lewis Moore, was in the chair, and sixty-eight members and friends were present. The Club was honoured by the presence amongst its guests of Mr. George Yeld, editor of the Alpine Journal, Dr. Inglis Clark, Honorary Secretary of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, Mr. Haskett Smith, of the Climbers’ Club, Mr. P. S. Minor, of the Rucksack Club, Mr. W. T. Palmer, of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, and Captain Hordern, of the Ski Club of Great Britain.

The usual toasts were proposed and replied to, and the programme of music provided by members of the Club greatly increased the enjoyment of the evening.

Three Club meets took place during the year. Arrangements had been made for the Easter meet to take place at Wastdale Head, and a number of men attended, but it was greatly interfered with by the disorganized train service, the result of the coal strike. The weather during the Easter holiday was very stormy, but those who were able to prolong their visit enjoyed some excellent climbing.

At Whitsuntide the members were invited to camp at Gaping Ghyll, and twenty-six accepted. The weather was, fortunately, very fine, and the conditions for the descent of the pot-hole were, owing to the absence of water, exceptionally favourable. A large number of descents were made, and everyone who wished had an opportunity of seeing something of the wonders of Gaping Ghyll. A further portion of the survey was completed.

The Autumn meet was held at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, on 5th October, 1912, and following days. Twenty-three members were present and the greater number made a successful descent of Alum Pot, while others explored Long Churn Pot, on Penyghent.

The complete camp equipment belonging to the Club is at the disposal of members at a nominal charge. Applications for its use should be made to the Hon. Secretary.

The eleventh number of the Club Journal has been published during the year. The Editor, Mr. W. A. Brigg, has been successful in obtaining for its pages articles of great and varied interest, which are admirably illustrated by many excellent photographs.

A series of well-considered reviews of recent books is a noticeable feature of the Journal. The Committee, realizing the importance of a good Journal to the welfare of the Club, wish to thank the Editor for the untiring care and industry he devotes to his work.

Members of the Club are requested to assist in increasing the circulation of the Journal as much as possible, and the Editor specially invites them to send in accounts of their work for its pages.

Members have been actively engaged during the year in rambling, climbing and pot-hole explorations, and a number of new climbs and descents have been made.

The Yorkshire Ramblers’ Club has during the year become affiliated with the Ski Club of Great Britain. Unfortunately the weather prevailing during the past winter in the north of England was not favourable for the sport of ski-running. Several members of the Club eagerly took advantage of the few opportunities afforded to exercise themselves on ski.

The Committee would specially commend to the notice of all interested in ski-ing, the formation, under the auspices of the Ski Club of Great Britain, of the National Ski Union, which offers many advantages to its members.

The Committee have to acknowledge the receipt of £50 (less legacy fees) from the trustees of the late Mr. Edward Whymper. Yorkshire Ramblers will not fail to recognize the kind thought that prompted the late Mr. Edward Whymper’s gift.

The Committee have, with sincere regret, to record the death, on 26th August, 1912, of Mr. Clinton Thomas Dent, one of the earliest and most distinguished of our honorary members. On November, 1897, he gave a lecture before the Club, entitled “Mountains,” and it is scarcely necessary to add that, coming from such an authority, it was greatly appreciated by the Yorkshire Ramblers’ Club. A frequent contributor to the Alpine Journal, Mr. Dent was perhaps best known as the author of the mountaineering classic “Above the Snow Line” and as editor of the Badminton volume on “Mountaineering.”

By his death the Club has lost one of those great mountaineers with whom it has had the honour to be associated, and who has done such great service to the sport in which the Yorkshire Ramblers’ Club has been, and is, so deeply interested.

The Committee are pleased to report that the treasurer’s accounts show an increased balance to the Club’s credit.

Annual Report, 1912-13,- The Committee have pleasure in presenting their Twenty-First Annual Report and congratulate the members upon the Club’s attainment of its majority. The Committee would remind the Yorkshire Ramblers that, excepting the Alpine Club, they are members of the senior mountaineering club in England, a responsibility to the sport they love which all should recognize.

The Committee are gratified to know the Club retains the freshness and vitality which marked its earlier years. Its members, although they have increased considerably in numbers, still cherish amongst themselves that loyalty and goodwill which have enabled the Yorkshire Ramblers’ Club to attain its successful majority. The Committee are confident that by the help of its younger members the Club will increase its success and usefulness in the future and continue to provide the Yorkshire Ramblers with excellent sport and staunch friends.

The Club now consists of 10 honorary and 116 ordinary members. During the year six general and six committee meetings have been held.

At the Annual General Meeting held November 16th, 1912, the following members were elected to hold office during the year:- President: W. Parsons; Vice-Presidents: J. H. Buckley And C. A. Hill; Hon. Treasurer: A. E. Horn; Hon. Secretaries: F. Constantine And Lewis Moore; Hon. Librarian: J. H. Buckley; Hon. Editor: W. A. Brigg.

Committee: F. H. Barstow, C. E. Benson, T. S. Booth, L. S. Chappell, J. A. Green, C. Hastings and W. E. Waud.

During the year six lectures have been given as follows:-

1912 –	Oct. 1.	“Exploration and Climbs in the Karakoram and Zaskar Ranges.” A. Morris Slingsby.
	Oct 29.	“Sinai: A Desert Ride.” J. J. Brigg, M.A.
	Dec. 10.	“A Winter Ramble with Ski through Montenegro into Albania.” H. Archer Thomson, M.A.
1913 –	Jan. 31.	“The Tarentaise.” Sir Claud Schuster.
	Feb. 25.	“Mere Gill.” E. E. Roberts, M.A.
	Mar. 18.	“Camping on the West Coast of Ireland.” C. A. Cheetham.

Sir Claud Schuster was good enough to accept the Club’s invitation to give his lecture “The Tarentaise,” illustrated with lantern slides, in the Philosophical Hall, Leeds, on 31st January, 1913. The lecturer graphically described his climbs in this comparatively little-known district, and the Club is greatly indebted to him for coming at considerable personal inconvenience to give them his lecture.

The lectures given by friends and members before the Club were marked by unusual interest and novelty, as evidenced by the list given above.

The Committee wish to acknowledge gifts of books, journals, &c.. to the Club Library. They suggest the Yorkshire Ramblers might, by examining their bookshelves, make many acceptable additions to the Club library, and at the same time very suitably mark the Club’s TWENTY-FIRST Anniversary.

Representatives of the’ Club were invited to attend the annual dinners of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, Climbers’ Club, Rucksack Club, Fell and Rock Climbing Club and the Ski Club of Great Britain.

The eleventh annual Club dinner was held at the Hotel Metropole, Leeds, on 16th November, 1912. The President, Mr. W. Parsons, was in the chair, and eighty members and friends were present. The Club was honoured by the presence amongst its guests of Sir Edward Davidson, President of the Alpine Club, Mr. George Yeld, Editor of the Alpine Journal, Mr. P. S. Minor of the Rucksack Club, Mr. Kenneth Swan of the Ski Club of Great Britain, and Professor M. E. Sadler, Vice-Chancellor of the Leeds University.

The usual toasts were proposed and replied to, and the musical part of the programme pleasantly filled in the intervals.

Three Club meets were held during the year. The Easter meet at Alston, which was intended to be a joint meeting of the Yorkshire Ramblers’ and the North of England Ski Club, suffered from the uncertainty of the English climate. The members who attended enjoyed excellent sport, and those who intended to be present encountered interesting adventures in their attempts to reach Alston.

The Whitsuntide meet at Gaping Ghyll was attended by twenty-three members and guests, and the camp was an unqualified success. An additional portion of the survey of the passages of Gaping Ghyll was completed, and a good deal of new work was accomplished.

The Autumn meet at Clapham, on 20th September, 1913, was a most enjoyable function and attended by a large number of members. By the kindness of Mr. Farrer, the Club was given the opportunity of again examining the further extensions of Clapham Cave. Vigorous assistance was given to the opening out of Foxholes, the exploration of which is at present engrossing the attentions of the Club.

The complete camp equipment belonging to the Club is at the disposal of the members at a nominal charge. Applications for its use should be made to the Honorary Secretaries.

The twelfth number of the Journal, being the first number of Vol. IV., has appeared during the year. The Committee have decided, owing to the increased size of Nos. 9, 10 and 11, that these numbers should complete Vol. III. of the Journal and the index will be published shortly. Members will be able to obtain the necessary binding covers from the Librarian.

Members of the Club are requested to assist in increasing the circulation of the Journal as much as possible, and the Editor specially invites them to send in accounts of their work for its pages.

Members have been actively engaged during the year in rambling, climbing, ski-ing and pot-hole explorations, and a number of new climbs and descents have been made.

The Committee have, with very great regret, to record the death, on 28th August, 1913, on board ship in the Suez Canal, of Dr. Tempest Anderson. Dr. Anderson was an old member of the Club and took very considerable interest in its welfare. He was a man well known in the world for his scientific research work; by the Yorkshire Ramblers he was always associated with volcanoes, of which he had an unrivalled knowledge. On several occasions he lectured before the Club upon volcanoes in different parts of the world. His great knowledge of the subject, and his extraordinary and beautiful photographs, frequently obtained under circumstances of great difficulty, made his lectures singularly valuable and effective. A man of many interests and many friends, he will be greatly missed, and the Yorkshire Ramblers will always be proud to remember him as a kind and generous friend and a distinguished member of the Club.

The Committee are pleased to report that the Treasurer’s accounts show a balance to the Club’s credit.